Consider limits on thread starts
 

I just spend a little time posting this warning in about 20 new topics started by www.iflyswa.com:

ALERT -- In the span of a few minutes, the original poster has started around 20 threads posting similar requests for information and opinions. Perhaps he/she is sincerely interested in getting answers to these questions, but be aware of this before you spend time helping out this FTer with your thoughts and expertise.

I believe this person was pulling a prank. It's bound to happen again. To avoid this in the future, please consider imposing a daily limit on the number of threads someone can start -- 3-5, perhaps? Maybe more for long-time FTers.

And how about a waiting period before newbies can begin new threads?
 

Here's another, related problem: Lots of newbies (and even some oldbies who haven't figured out the Search feature) begin by starting whole new threads of the form: "Has anyone ever stayed at the _______ ?" Where the hotel being asked about is something like the Westin Miyako Kyoto, the London Hilton Paddington, the Westin Times Square NYC, etc., i.e., a very well-known, heavily discussed hotel on FlyerTalk. Or, "Starwood hotels in ______?" Where the city is a major city such as London, NYC, Chicago, etc.

In other words, new threads are started every day on topics that have been posted on dozens, even hundreds, of times before, in some cases within only a few days (or hours!) prior.

This wastes human and computer resources and makes it more difficult for those who DO use the Search feature to conduct their research on the ever-proliferating number of threads covering their topic. And how many times do you think that people who have stayed at a particular hotel are going to keep re-posting their experiences when a newbie comes along and starts a new thread on that hotel?

This is only one set of examples, of course. Whenever exciting new promos come out, there are multiple threads started about them. And so on.

Very often, it's much better to just find an existing thread and (if necessary) reply to it (thus bumping it up) rather than start a whole new one. But people who are new to FlyerTalk don't always realize that.

A partial solution might be to disallow the starting of new threads by newly-registered posters, until some amount of time has elapsed -- say, two weeks, or whatever seems reasonable -- with the user being prompted to search the existing threads on FlyerTalk if they are seeking immediate answers. Of course, this will frustrate some people, but it might have a net benefit overall.

The growth of FT has accelerated enormously (well over 40,000 registered users, and scads of new ones registering daily) and the problems associated with such growth may require implementing new rules or limitations, such as suggested here, to cope with this growth.

Has anyone considered setting a "waiting period" before newbies can post? That might encourage them to use the search function!

Did you read my post just above yours?

I was suggesting a waiting period before newbies can start new threads. Perhaps there should be TWO waiting periods: a short one (say, one week or so) before a new user can post, and a longer one (say, two weeks or so) before a new user can start a new thread.

However, in this case, www.iwflyswa.com has been a member for some time now, so newbie posting restrictions would not have helped.
Also, some newbies may have been lurkiing for a while, and just now decided to register to post. A two week waiting period could lose some valuable posts.

Isn't there currently a one-minute limit preventing people from posting multiple times in a short time frame? A solution could be to leave that in place, while adding another limit of 5-10 minutes for posting new topics. (If that is possible in the current version of the software.)

In the case of the recent postings, most of them were fairly relevant. (I had clicked on a few that seemed interesting.) However, the brevity of the actual post and the lack of signifiicant response made it nothing more than a waste of time.

I don't think this problem is anywhere near important enough to warrant a restrictive rule like this.

Plus, I don't think this is an issue for the Talkboard.

Scott,

I agree with you that this is not a problem that needs to be dealt with, but disagree that it is not a TB issue.

Isn't the TB supposed to take feedback from members and pass thier recommendations along to Randy?

As Randy is already active in determaning rules for who posts where and when I personally think this should just be part of that ongoing action.

Has anyone considered a "must read previous posts in thread before I post to thread" rule? That might encourage people to avoid redundant posts!

Heh. Or the 'new thread' button could be reprogrammed to bring up the search box . . . @:-) :cool: :-:

Has anyone considered taking time out from their busy schedule of bossy bloviations that contribute nothing and growing a ****ing sense of humor?

Since you refer to a lack of a sense of humor...I was just kidding :).

No need to get defensive and aggressive :).

May I :) advise you :) to use a few :) more smilies when :) you are making :) a joke, as not :) everyone seems to understand :) your sense of humor :)

Well, apparently gleff did :).

What advice are you giving alanw? You think this is the tone in which we should talk to each other here? Thanks for your opinion as a moderator and TalkBoard member. :)

As I quoted you, I have no idea why you think I was talking to AlanW.

I already gave my opinion several posts ago. What is YOUR opinion, or are you just here to make jokes nobody understands? :)

I find it rather telling that you feel the need to make a comment about my post, whereas you do not seem to have a problem with alanw's post, which pretty clearly is not in the spirit our host would like to see on Flyertalk.

With regards to the thread starter's proposal, I would think that that is something that is completely up to Randy and his staff, how they would like to handle this. I pretty much agree with what you said about it.

I have no idea what you are talking about, is there some secret message in AlanW's post that I am missing? ;) :) :D :cool: :p :rolleyes:

If you wish to start a career as a comedian...well, don't quit your day job just yet.

Or perhaps I could become an attorney, obviously can't be too hard.

You're trying too hard for it to be very funny.

Anyway, let's stop this conversation, there is no point to it. If you want to keep making insults and lowering the level of the conversation further until you have reached "Yo Mama" jokes, feel free to use e-mail or private messages. I don't think there are too many people who would want to keep following this.

Since you refer to a lack of a sense of humor...I was just kidding.

No need to get defensive and aggressive.

I did not.

It is obvious that you were trying to be funny, but don't worry, I am sure you have other talents...like computer skills.

BTW, I would suggest that a moderator close this thread since it has gone off-topic.

Anyway, let's stop this conversation, there is no point to it. If you want to keep making insults and lowering the level of the conversation further until you have reached "Yo Mama" jokes, feel free to use e-mail or private messages. I don't think there are too many people who would want to keep following this.

Exactly. Good to see that we are in agreement. Seems like you are a quicker learner than one could think after having read most of your posts.

I could not have said it any better ;).

I could not disagree with this more.

Is the Talkboard about micromanaging to such a degree? So what if people ask about "have you ever stayed at the XYZ hotel"? If you see this, be a nice host/hostess and point out where the answer can be found. Show the person how to do a search.

Limiting "newbies" (why not say New Members? The term "Newbies" sounds a bit patronizing to me.) has what benefits exactly? Just because somebody registered last week, doesn't mean that he/she is new to this board.

New members breathe life into Flyertalk. Restricting them as though they all are on some type of probation seems counter-productive.

^ ^ ^

Let's keep it civil and on-topic, please. :) :)

I feel we should not make a bunch of new rules to adress the misdeeds of one or a very small minority of posters.

It's kind of like creating a bloated government agency and funding it will billions of dollars to create the illusion that it is doing something in response to the action of say 19 or so passengers... ;)

Very well put. And I'm sure many of us could dig up examples where somebody's very first post was a doozy. Meanwhile, I suspect imposing limits on new member posting might have a chilling effect on new membership to FlyerTalk. Sure, this might weed out some very sophomoric novice efforts, but it could also deter some promising newcomers. I, too, wish that everyone -- whether a newbie, a grizzled vet, or somewhere in between -- would make better use of the search function, but I think we all should be wary of artificial restrictions of newcomers, even though they sometimes vex us when they make their debuts.

Ya' mean we don't have a post/thread "limit" at present ;)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=169

Really! :D

Who knows? :)

-Mark

Why were so many threads closed (without explanation)? :confused:

Is it because they
- were postings of news articles (I could kind of understand that, but I thought some of them were relevant to people who are interested in travel technology) or

- because there were so many posted in a short timespan? or

- because the moderators did not like the person who started the threads?

:confused:

According to the explanation here, it seems to me that at least the threads about the AMD/Centrino (wireless technology), "Longhorn builds portable protection", "Apple Fan Sites Buzz with Talk of Photo-Ready iPod" were suitable for the forum?

Huh? :confused:

Threads about similar topics were not closed...e.g. "Buying an IPOD?".

Oh well...this is probably derailing this thread here, but it is a bit confusing to see why these threads were closed like that.

Not that it is a huge deal by any means, but it's strange.

The TalkBoard DOES NOT OVERSEE OR MAKE POLICY FOR THE MODERATORS. Not today. Not any day. It's not happening. Complaints/Questions/Concerns about such things go to Randy or to the other responsible parties at WebFlyer.

If anyone wishes to keep asking us about moderation policies, you might as well also ask us why your upgrades didn't clear. Or why your stocks are doing poorly. Or what we're going to do about Iraq.

doc, IMHO this is clearly not a Talkboard issue and therefore not the appropriate forum for your post. If you have a problem with the actions of a moderator, take it up with that individual.

Well, if this isn't a TalkBoard issue, should it have gone under "Suggestions" instead?

And I disagree that newbies "breathe new life" into FlyerTalk. Quite the opposite. They tend to post repetitive stuff -- the same old-same old -- because they don't realize what has already been posted over the last six-plus years. They tend to THINK they are posting brand-new, wonderful stuff until they start to discover the wealth of info that is here.

Anyhow, could someone move this whole thread into Suggestions, if that is where it belongs?

I guess Flyertalk should just be for "old timers" like yourself then? :rolleyes:

Quite a sweeping generalization here, no? I've seen many instances where quite a few new members have posted some valuable info despite being a "newbie" and many where an "old timer" has "posted repetitive stuff -- the same old-same old -- because they don't realize what has already been posted over the last six-plus years".

Things like this happen to everyone (even me) so why single out one group? You can a) Direct them to the correct thread or b) Ignore it and move along

Can't we all just get along...newbies and old timers??? :)

I think that's called "learning," something that most people welcome and appreciate.