Aug 15, 2016, 3:59 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Post #116 by the Community Director:
"I've no plans to close the forum."
It's great to see new voices in this thread. Some have just learned of the Smoking Forum and hopefully will now use it. For the many reasons listed above:
I've no plans to close the forum.
Carol
Community Director
"I've no plans to close the forum."
It's great to see new voices in this thread. Some have just learned of the Smoking Forum and hopefully will now use it. For the many reasons listed above:
- It's a resource forum that doesn't require give and take conversation to be of value
- Smoking has become a negative topic in general. This forum is a safe haven for discussion.
- It doesn't take resources from other forums
I've no plans to close the forum.
Carol
Community Director
Closing the Smoking Section Forum [Update: it will stay open]
Sep 12, 2016, 11:01 am
#76
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
The Smoking Lounge is one of the subforums listed under the Special Interest Travel forum, which caters to FlyerTalk members pertaining to such specific categories as religion, sexual orientation, disability, and health and fitness which basically are otherwise not a good fit in other existing forums.
In my opinion, the topics of those subforums do not detract from the general purpose of FlyerTalk — rather, they serve specific purposes for a growing membership; and I believe that they should remain on FlyerTalk. To remove them would potentially isolate those FlyerTalk members who benefit from their use and need those subforums to travel smarter and better.
That includes the Smoking Lounge forum.
In my opinion, the topics of those subforums do not detract from the general purpose of FlyerTalk — rather, they serve specific purposes for a growing membership; and I believe that they should remain on FlyerTalk. To remove them would potentially isolate those FlyerTalk members who benefit from their use and need those subforums to travel smarter and better.
That includes the Smoking Lounge forum.
Last edited by JDiver; Sep 12, 2016 at 12:57 pm Reason: Forum description correction
Sep 12, 2016, 5:50 pm
#77
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
The Smoking Lounge is one of the subforums listed under the Special Interest Travel forum, which caters to FlyerTalk members pertaining to such specific categories as religion, sexual orientation, disability, and health and fitness which basically are otherwise not a good fit in other existing forums.
In my opinion, the topics of those subforums do not detract from the general purpose of FlyerTalk — rather, they serve specific purposes for a growing membership; and I believe that they should remain on FlyerTalk. To remove them would potentially isolate those FlyerTalk members who benefit from their use and need those subforums to travel smarter and better.
That includes the Smoking Lounge forum.
In my opinion, the topics of those subforums do not detract from the general purpose of FlyerTalk — rather, they serve specific purposes for a growing membership; and I believe that they should remain on FlyerTalk. To remove them would potentially isolate those FlyerTalk members who benefit from their use and need those subforums to travel smarter and better.
That includes the Smoking Lounge forum.
*I post this as a smoker and not as one of the co-moderators of The Smoking Lounge forum
Sep 12, 2016, 8:02 pm
#78
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,446
I think a low number of posts does not always tell the whole picture. A forum can be home to a lot of members who currently does not have a lot to discuss.
However, to me this (my bolding)
is indicative of a forum so sparsely inhabited it does not really work.
However, to me this (my bolding)
Originally Posted by Propsero
My observation of the Smoking Lounge is of a few members who swing by, post a recent hotel or airport data point then make a sharp exit. Consequently the forum is only receiving one way traffic which may explain why questions posted by members sit for weeks without a single answer or even a consolatory response.
Originally Posted by Canarsie
To remove them would potentially isolate those FlyerTalk members who benefit from their use and need those subforums to travel smarter and better.
Sep 12, 2016, 8:56 pm
#79
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
The content which is posted there serves more as a repository of valuable announcements posted by FlyerTalk members for smokers rather than typical discussions; and the views — while not exactly matching the numbers of the TravelBuzz forum — tend to support that.
The specific purview and format of that forum where the content posted there would be restricted by certain guidelines was outlined and known prior to the creation of that forum.
Interestingly, I have not seen one smoker on FlyerTalk who posted that he or she believes that the forum is useless; serves no purpose; and that the forum should be closed. Rather, I have seen quite the opposite: strong support by them to keep the forum open.
As it is more of a specialty forum which serves a specific demographic which otherwise would not be properly served — rather than a “mainstream” forum, for lack of a better term — that is good enough for me to support the continued existence of the Smoking Lounge forum.
The specific purview and format of that forum where the content posted there would be restricted by certain guidelines was outlined and known prior to the creation of that forum.
Interestingly, I have not seen one smoker on FlyerTalk who posted that he or she believes that the forum is useless; serves no purpose; and that the forum should be closed. Rather, I have seen quite the opposite: strong support by them to keep the forum open.
As it is more of a specialty forum which serves a specific demographic which otherwise would not be properly served — rather than a “mainstream” forum, for lack of a better term — that is good enough for me to support the continued existence of the Smoking Lounge forum.
Sep 12, 2016, 9:27 pm
#80
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,446
Sep 12, 2016, 9:48 pm
#82
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
Sep 12, 2016, 10:01 pm
#83
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
Please allow me to quote myself to reiterate what I had posted...
...meaning that just because there is no new content posted in two weeks does not mean that there is no content.
Let me take an example of a discussion in which there are no responses:
Hungary / Airports / BUD
If any additional information was needed than what was already posted there, it most likely would have already been added to the discussion.
No replies means that this discussion is less likely to get repeat visitors once they get the information which is posted in it. The discussion received at the time this was posted 1,119 views. Even if we assume that each FlyerTalk member who viewed that discussion viewed it twice, that is still 559 FlyerTalk members who viewed that discussion; and three times each would be 373 FlyerTalk members.
When I put that in context, does that mean that 373 or 559 or 1,119 FlyerTalk members are too few to keep a discussion pertaining to a specialty topic pertaining to travel open? 373 people would be some turnout at a gathering of FlyerTalk members.
You post many discussions in the Air Canada forum which have no replies — such as this one which I chose at random:
Earn double HHonors points or AP miles at any Hilton brand Jan. 1 - 30 Apr. 2016
That discussion never received any replies; yet it garnered exactly 500 views at the time I viewed it. That is a similar statistic to a discussion posted in the Smoking Lounge. Does that mean that the discussion is of no value? Does that stop you from posting new discussions pertaining to other promotions? Of course not — as it should not stop you from posting them. They serve a valuable purpose to FlyerTalk members who frequent the Air Canada forum for that specific information — despite those discussions receiving no replies.
I have no interest in the Smoking Lounge forum as I do not smoke — and I never have smoked. However, there are FlyerTalk members who do smoke — and I support the forum for them...
...so to answer your question, the content posted in that forum is perennial and generally not bound by time as is many other discussions on FlyerTalk — such as your helpful and informative notices which you post pertaining to promotions by Air Canada — so that fact that no new content being posted there in two weeks is not a concern to me. I am confident that if there is any information which needs to be changed or added, a FlyerTalk member who smokes will come along and contribute to that forum.
Let me take an example of a discussion in which there are no responses:
Hungary / Airports / BUD
If any additional information was needed than what was already posted there, it most likely would have already been added to the discussion.
No replies means that this discussion is less likely to get repeat visitors once they get the information which is posted in it. The discussion received at the time this was posted 1,119 views. Even if we assume that each FlyerTalk member who viewed that discussion viewed it twice, that is still 559 FlyerTalk members who viewed that discussion; and three times each would be 373 FlyerTalk members.
When I put that in context, does that mean that 373 or 559 or 1,119 FlyerTalk members are too few to keep a discussion pertaining to a specialty topic pertaining to travel open? 373 people would be some turnout at a gathering of FlyerTalk members.
You post many discussions in the Air Canada forum which have no replies — such as this one which I chose at random:
Earn double HHonors points or AP miles at any Hilton brand Jan. 1 - 30 Apr. 2016
That discussion never received any replies; yet it garnered exactly 500 views at the time I viewed it. That is a similar statistic to a discussion posted in the Smoking Lounge. Does that mean that the discussion is of no value? Does that stop you from posting new discussions pertaining to other promotions? Of course not — as it should not stop you from posting them. They serve a valuable purpose to FlyerTalk members who frequent the Air Canada forum for that specific information — despite those discussions receiving no replies.
I have no interest in the Smoking Lounge forum as I do not smoke — and I never have smoked. However, there are FlyerTalk members who do smoke — and I support the forum for them...
...so to answer your question, the content posted in that forum is perennial and generally not bound by time as is many other discussions on FlyerTalk — such as your helpful and informative notices which you post pertaining to promotions by Air Canada — so that fact that no new content being posted there in two weeks is not a concern to me. I am confident that if there is any information which needs to be changed or added, a FlyerTalk member who smokes will come along and contribute to that forum.
Sep 12, 2016, 10:41 pm
#84
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,026
In other words, the Smoking Lounge is a library of information, consulted by many, easily accessible in one spot, helpful to a segment of the FT community, in the same way information about Disability Travel is.
And that's a reason to kill it?
I just don't get it.
And that's a reason to kill it?
I just don't get it.
Sep 12, 2016, 10:44 pm
#85
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
Sep 12, 2016, 10:49 pm
#86
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,026
Maybe it's the 28,000 post views that make it a failure, I don't know
Sep 13, 2016, 4:49 am
#87
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
For the record, I smoke and I often consult old threads from the smoking lounge before asking a question. More often than not, I find what I'm looking for.
Sep 13, 2016, 5:08 am
#88
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 10
How about just leaving these people alone? Are they hurting you? Is second hand posting giving you cancer? I smoked for many years and I got lung cancer from it but still I think you just need to give these people some space and some peace. Those of you without fault you go ahead and cast stones.
Sep 13, 2016, 5:17 am
#89
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: UK
Programs: Hilton HHonors Diamond,Bonvoy Platinum,Shangri-La Golden Circle Jade,LH SEN,AZ Gold,VS Elevate Gold
Posts: 134
leave it be, I say...
Sep 13, 2016, 5:18 am
#90
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
I believe the discussion here have been around low traffic and weather or not FT should consist of active discussion forums or of a library type of forums where very little discussion occurs.
I have not seen any posts that talks about denying others a forum just because the poster has no interest in the topic. Nor have I seen any attacks on "these people".
I have not seen any posts that talks about denying others a forum just because the poster has no interest in the topic. Nor have I seen any attacks on "these people".