Split Airline Forums into Subforums
 

plasticman posted an interesting idea in the AA forum to utilize the sub-forum features of this software to help organize posts and better support the different users experience levels. I think the notion has merit and is worth consideration by TalkBoard and probably has application to other large well trafficked forums as well.

Here is the thread.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=594441

I strongly disagree there should be sub-forums. It is relatively easy to skip the posts which are not of interest. On the other hand, making sure that the posts are in the right subforum would be a nightmare. Keep the forum together!

I also do not think sub-forums are a good idea for a variety of reasons:

1. It would mean having to check more forums in order to stay up to date on a particular airline, hotel, etc.

2. Under the current implementation it is very easy to just skim over the threads and choose those I wish to read.

3. It would result in even more non-moderator "posting police" posts declaring threads are in the wrong sub-forum.

4. It would add the additional burden on the actual moderators having to police the sub-forums and further splitting hairs when determining where a thread should reside.

5. Basically opens up a can of worms IMO.

I'm against the idea, and I'm also against the previous suggestion made to have a separate area within AA for "veteran posters" (The New FlyerTalk thread).

Since the new moderators have come on board, AA is a much more user friendly place, and new posters are not being chased off. The forum is working fine just as it is.

If you don't want to read a post, just skip over it. I just don't buy into a change to "support the different user experience levels".

I would be totally against this idea.

This is a board about Miles and Points (for the most part) and - in my opinion - not about new members vs veteran users.

I have become very concerned about how some of our veteran members have chosen to treat new members. We would all be well heeded to remember that we were all "newbies" at one time or another. Where we were once the students here... we now have the opportunity to be the teachers.

I would oppose any attempt to subforum our airline/hotel forums based on user "experience".

William

I agree... Last year there was an experiment on the NW Forum that put all news posts in a news forum...We missed a lot of important information.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it!

I think that sometimes sub-forums make sense, but this proposal would make things get too complicated.