My motivation to keep my post count down, SlowTrekker , is pretty simple--I just want to retain my "Original Member" status so Rudi (who is just a lowly FlyerTalk Evangelist) will continue to be soooooooooo jealous of me. :D :D I am totally jealous of him in every other aspect of life--granchildren, retirement, a Chalet in Wengen, and all of the other really important stuff in life.

Seriously, I have tried to read most of the posts in this thread (it is hard to keep up) and have come away with the feeling that the purpose of the motion is strickly to limit the number of folks who have "Evangelist" status through silly fun and games on OMNI. I am cool with that.

As RandyPetersen recently reminded me, there actually was a time when OMNI filled many of the functions now filled by Community. It was the fun, sharing place of FT.

I sure wish I knew how to use the "Way-Back" machine so I could find some examples. ;)

Punki, you are such a nice lady. I have benefitted from many of your postings. I wish there was a way we could put "---Original Member" after your name and then

"Evangelist" under it when the time comes.

Your posts are too valuable to be rationed. You shouldn't have to be in fear of loosing your valuable title.

To defend the counting games on Omni. Believe it or not they are a great way to blow off stress (for some of us). I didn't start to do it to increase my personal post count or to put myself up for public ridicule, which unfortantely has happened in some posts here.

I have a very high stress job. Being able to take a one minute break now and then is of great value to me. I used to munch on sweets, snacks and chocolate to have the same benefit.

Omni counting games are much better for my health.

However the vote works out, I hope we can all mend fences when it is over.

Nobody in this thread should have to justify whatever games or diversions they participate in on FT.

I've been involved in many FT games and have made a lot of good friends as a result.

This motion was never intended to detract from that enjoyment.

If it passes, we no longer get post credit for our games. But many of us have been through this before and I lost in excess of 3k posts last time around.

I seriously doubt this motion will pass this time but if it does, I lose another 3k or so posts. Somehow I'll survive.

But as you stated, oldpenny16, I'd hope we could mend fences when this is over and continue to make FT the premier IBB site that it is.

I think WAY too much is being made out of this. So, without specific analysis, I vote toward removing the past and future OMNIcount. I do so on a paper, but not chad-producing ballot, and the ballot cannot go through a Diebold counter.

Would anyone consider the idea of having “post counts” optional?

Those who want one can have one as part of their profile.

Those who do not want one can choose to have it deleted.

This is just a thought...

I think there is a small enough demand for this that the HOM would be happy to zero a members post count periodically.

I am not talking about “zeroing it out”.

I mean delete it from the profile altogether, including the word Posts: — in other words, leave the entire space blank.I launched a thread that was similar to this idea...

The FlyerTalk Hall of Fame — Who Would You Nominate?

...and was I sorry that I launched it, considering the backlash I received as a result.

I thought it was worth a try, but I suppose that it was a mistake.

Hey, this is the internet! Post counts don't equate to knowledge, "goodness", or anything other than how many times a person has posted. Personally, I don't care if post counts show OMNI or not. I don't care if they are done away with entirely.

I guess I don't see this as much of an issue...so I don't see a need to change the status quo.

OMNI used to have regular moderators, and still has some willing volunteers to moderate. It's up to Randy what happens with OMNI and moderation there.

I agree. I participate in The Game to meet other FTers virtually. Quite a few of whom I have gone on to meet in real life.

Also travel related topics come up regularly. I try to help when I can. Since a diverse group of FTers post there (everyone is welcome), I get exposure to other airlines, FFPs etc that I might not ordinarily get. So I both give and receive travel information and advice in The Game.

Hi!
 

As, so far as I know, the only poster coming to you from the SDA Airport, I'd just like to say the following:

1) This is the silliest suggestion ever.
2) This is the silliest response ever.

If the goal is to remove "post padding" (a trivial concern) then by all means, do it right. Get rid of every post count everywhere. Problem solved across the board.

An approach which singles out one sub-forum but doesn't deal with the behavior en toto will simply push those who engage in this to other forums on the board. There will not be an increase in quality of posts elsewhere, simply more "Hmm.. interesting, I'd not thought of that." or "Great post by the OP!" comments in threads all over everywhere.

Since post count is not related to ability to run for TB, or access to additional forums (besides OMNI), it's only in the mind of the very impressionable that such an artifical measurement will convey "status". Truth be told, these same people could be as convinced by a clever comment under the name (where we list program affiliations) or by a sig line, or by the nickname itself.

And if you DO take post count that seriously, I suggest you take a few days away from your computer and go outside and look at the big blue sky for a while. Get a little perspective on how much it really means in the big scheme of things.

Regards,
-Bouncer-

It seems I am too late to for this vote, but hey I have been busy travelling.

Is the "problem" is that some people could be mislead by high post counts into thinking someone is an expert? (Personally I do not use post count to indicate how I should/shouldn't trust an answer to be correct.) If so, then I agree with what at least a couple people have posted here - even having 10000 travel related posts in say United doesn't make someone an expert on say Delta.

With that in mind, there are two obvious solutions which would seem to me to be fairer and possibly simpler than the proposal being voted on.

A) Don't show post count at all.
B) Show post count for the relevant forum (assuming this can technically be done, which I assume to be the case given apparently similar stats have been given to Talk Board). If someone has 10000 United posts and only 1 Delta post then in the UA forum show 10000 and in DL forum show 1.

Actually, all of the current group of Evangelists arrived at their status through means other than serious miles and points posts. I can't think of one Evangelist who has never posted an off-topic comment or responded to an off-topic thread, who hasn't posted on any forum (such as Community) unrelated to the earning of miles and points. It just doesn't happen. We all get there through a mix of informative, community, silly and fun posts -the only difference is that the mix is rather different between different Evangelists as to where the balance is - but all of us have some non-points and miles posts in there somewhere.

TBH, a 'pure' Evangelist, while they might be useful to have around, would be a really rather dull person anyway ;)

At first blush I really like this idea.

If you go with the per forum post count, why not just show both a per forum post count and a total count. That way you get the best (or worst) of both worlds. :eek: