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 13, 2016, 8:02 am
#106
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: The electrified part of North Carolina
Programs: UA GM, AA GM, DL GM
Posts: 4,157
Since the talkmail has attracted a lot of new participants to this thread, and not everyone will go back an read all posts in the thread, I'll repost what I posted earlier:
If the main use case for the Smokers Lounge is to have very short threads with wiki-like posts rather than having active discussion threads, why can't the information for different locations/hotels/airports/etc. be collected and maintained in a wiki post in a larger and more frequented forum instead of having a separate forum?
As tcook052 pointed out, the more forums there are, the more fractured FT becomes.
A separate "eating at JFK" forum targeted at a niche group and with individual threads for each restaurant would probably generate the same wiki-like threads as the Smokers Lounge.
Separate niche forums for "eating at JFK", "eating at EWR", etc. would probably generate just as much traffic as the smokers lounge forum, and quite possibly even more traffic, but that doesn't mean that such forums should be started since the information can be collected in wiki posts in larger forums. The same applies to the wiki-like posts in the Smokers Lounge. Why not have a single wiki instead of a separate forum if the main intent is to inform rather than discuss?
As tcook052 pointed out, the more forums there are, the more fractured FT becomes.
A separate "eating at JFK" forum targeted at a niche group and with individual threads for each restaurant would probably generate the same wiki-like threads as the Smokers Lounge.
Separate niche forums for "eating at JFK", "eating at EWR", etc. would probably generate just as much traffic as the smokers lounge forum, and quite possibly even more traffic, but that doesn't mean that such forums should be started since the information can be collected in wiki posts in larger forums. The same applies to the wiki-like posts in the Smokers Lounge. Why not have a single wiki instead of a separate forum if the main intent is to inform rather than discuss?
Sep 13, 2016, 8:32 am
#107
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AAdvantage, Continental
Posts: 8
This strikes me as just another thinly-veiled attack against smokers. Well, not so thin.
Sep 13, 2016, 8:45 am
#108
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: 14,178
Talk-mail sure seems like a sure way to trivialise a subject.
Again, there has been no attacks against smokers in this thread.
Again, there has been no attacks against smokers in this thread.
Sep 13, 2016, 10:08 am
#109
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: OCONUS
Programs: Presidential Airways High Value Target, Catfish Air Flare, Hootch Honors Gold
Posts: 9,050
Former smoker. I'd like to see the forum stay. Closing it will only spread the requests for information across multiple other forums. Granted it's not a very busy forum, but a lot of the information is static by nature. People aren't debating the pros or cons of smoking, vaping or what have you. It is, by it's nature, going to be a lower posting environment simply because smoking is on the decline. But it's still a valid and valuable resource both for those Flyertalkers who do smoke, or who may want to avoid specific areas or properties because they permit smoking.
Regards,
-Bouncer-
Regards,
-Bouncer-
Sep 13, 2016, 10:44 am
#110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
I still don't see a compelling reason to close that forum.
Sep 13, 2016, 11:01 am
#111
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Looking at the latest round of posts on this subject, I'm seeing an overwhelming majority of people (something like 35-2) wanting the forum kept open. I'm also not seeing any compelling or new evidence worth closing it.
Sep 13, 2016, 11:12 am
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
Same here.
Bruce
Bruce
Sep 13, 2016, 11:44 am
#113
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NW Florida
Programs: VX Gold, WN CP, Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 21
Although I do not smoke, it seems cruel to delete a thread that helps those who are looking for a place to make their travels as smooth as possible. If it is deleted, it will be started again at some point. Allow it to remain.
Sep 13, 2016, 11:58 am
#114
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2
Keep Smoking Forum
I find this information valuable. I don't see why limited use should shut it down. It's not as if keeping it means losing something else. For smokers it's valuable and for the rest of us, we can ignore it.
Sep 13, 2016, 12:21 pm
#115
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SEA, ORD, SFO
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AA PLT, DL GM, SPG GLD, Hyatt GLD, SPG GLD
Posts: 202
I'm a non-smoker, and don't see why we would want to shut it down if it helps a sub-set of FT users. And believe me, I've had my share of being royally pissed off by inconsiderate smokers (but that's NOT the question here).
On the practical business side of things: If there are smokers willing to continue to curate it, why would you stop offering this content? Doing that only diminishes the overall value of the site to current and future FT community members.
I'm also an IT guy, and certainly see no technical reason why shutting it down would be beneficial. The hosting resources required for keeping this forum are trivial.
On the practical business side of things: If there are smokers willing to continue to curate it, why would you stop offering this content? Doing that only diminishes the overall value of the site to current and future FT community members.
I'm also an IT guy, and certainly see no technical reason why shutting it down would be beneficial. The hosting resources required for keeping this forum are trivial.
Sep 13, 2016, 1:03 pm
#116
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
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
- 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
Sep 13, 2016, 1:47 pm
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
Great news!!!
Bruce
Bruce
Sep 13, 2016, 2:39 pm
#118
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,928
If I post that there are smoking areas airside in Bucharest, and give a general description of where they can be found, there is very little that needs to be added. I don't expect every FTer who smokes and flies into Bucharest to add anything to that thread unless he discovers that the situation has been changed or, if the thread is an old one, to confirm that smoking is still allowed there.
It is enough that he has seen the thread amd knows in advance that he will be able to light up to make the thread a valuable one, even if my post is the only one in it.
Sep 13, 2016, 5:07 pm
#119
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Asia Miles, Mabuhay Miles
Posts: 1
I just learned of the Smoking Forum. Thank you for keeping it open.
Sep 13, 2016, 5:15 pm
#120
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: The World! Home Base = DCA/IAD
Programs: HHonors, Hyatt GP, Marriott, Varying Levels w/ UA /AF /DL /SQ /AA
Posts: 2,666
I saw this in TalkMail and am chiming in because I always do what email tells me to do.
I vote for keeping it open.
I vote for keeping it open.