ya got that right GUWonder! It's entertaining to see the wolves circling each time a certain TB member posts.

The only other thing I'd add is the folks falling over themselves to claim the title as most loyal/protective of Randy, while forgetting they are hear to represent the members who elected them.

For those in the know, TB Topics is the new OMNI. :D

If this is the new OMNI, it is certainly news to me and undoubtedly politically far more sophisticated than the OMNI of old. I am a babe in the woods compared to the respectable wolves to be found here.

(Addressed to KiwiFlyer)


As a former TalkBoard member who has been posting on this thread and urging that no non M&P posts be counted, I would tumble from having double Evangelist status to a post count total of roughly 3,000.

Please explain to me how I am targetting "other FTers (and other FTers' post counts)."

I'd guess that a VERY large percentage of that 160,000 number either don't know or don't care about this issue. I was referring to flyertalkers who care. Heck a very large percentage don't even know what TB is much less have voted for TB representatives.

But the squeaky wheel get greased, ya gotta be in it to win it, and all that. :)

It's also interesting to see people get defensive out of the blue too, as if they believe the reference is applicable to them or that it needs to be redirected for purposes of political gamesmanship.

This place is interesting. :D

I appreciate wharvey's post, but I doubt any TB members are really still on the fence at this point. We're just waiting out the string now to see how many people abstained or voted no for no other reason than deference to Randy. I have great respect for those who vote no because that's how they feel, BTW.

I wish other posters (I know you didn't reference this koko, but merely quoted someone else) would stop throwing around 160K like it's some meaningful statistic. How many people registered and have posted once, twice....or haven't posted in years? Does putting some posting/logging in filters reduce the active number to 5K? 3K? Less? THAT is the real number of people around here.

My favorite part of this thread are the former TB members who have come on this thread and stated that they voted for or against this in the past, one even intimating that my opinion doesn't count as much as theirs cause I "lost" 2 TB elections. None of this is relevant. Please review the definition of "former" at your convenience. :)

Let's look at it this way. FT is about Miles and Points. Everything else is just fun or general information.

There is no reason to count anything except M & P. IMHO, there is no reason to have post counts at all, other than a minimum number to be CC or OMNI eligible.

This is, and has always been, an ego issue. Some FTers want, demand, desire (use your own word) high and mighty counts and titles.

None of this means a thing. Let's concentrate on Miles and Points and General Information and let those who want mind candy or time wasters or (use your own words) post away in OMNI. Just don't count the posts.

I would love to see someone move to do away with all counts and titles (can I make such a motion, or does it have to be made by TB member who can stand the heat?)

Please vote to keep no counts in OMNI.

Thank you,

Mike

I have a simple question.

Why do you (pro post counters) feel so strongly about this?

I kinda understand the anti post counters sentiments, but honestly don't know why this is such a big deal.

To me the most valuable knowledge I've received from this board has been from OMNI. Sure, I learned how to use the ITA Software Tool and some other neat travel things in the M&P forums, but in OMNI I learned about mortgage tax incentives, how to best understand a rental market, where conservatives and liberals come from when they speak of free trade not being fair trade, etc. etc. I have also made lots of friends in OMNI as opposed to the other forums which remain fairly sterile (which is why they have off-topic threads, like the Delta Lounge).

To me OMNI is an integral part not only of FT but one of the more informative and knowledge-rich forums anywhere. As such I think the knowledge there is deserving to "count" in any meaningful sense of the word. The way we have things "count" around here is to have them increase post count totals.

In short, I'll for OMNI counting. ^

This is not to say that OMNI is perfect. It's not. There are annoyances, there are game threads, there are post-padders, etc. etc. etc. However, all of these issues can be dealt with other much measures, some of which are already in place, they just need to be enforced (post padding in TOS, for instance).

I would like to have an experiment, actually. Eliminate all the non points and miles forums for a time, say 2 months. Let's see how many people come back day after day, then.

Those who are making a real contribution (even if it is just in the form of interesting albeit non-informative posts) would continue to come.

Those who are interested only in raising their post counts would not -- but I don't think that they contribute very much of value anyhow.

I disagree. I think post counts exist because it helps to drive content. It's not the only driver of content, but it is a significant factor. A psychological device, if you will.

I would continue to come. But weekly or so, not 4-5 times a day or whenever I have a free moment. I've heard many people say the same thing. To have such a measure as post count and then only apply it to some areas in a reasonably arbitrary (with justification invented afterwards) and certainly capricious way does nothing to spread goodwill, even if it only affects a vocal minority or posters. Those that would rather see the posts not count -- what does it hurt you? And some seem to have enjoyed this far too much - the schadenfreude is quite evident in some posts in this thread.

I participate actively in a few programs: NW, Starwood, Marriott. How much can we actually talk about ONLY that?

Some can, sure. Me? It would bore me to tears. It's not my raison d'être. And it's pretty consistent, too, as those that hold up their noses at OMNI and other like forums are not my kinds of people, either. Where's the shrug smiley?

Are you talking about post counts or what you've quoted? Eliminate everything not related to miles and points and you don't think there would be a significant dropoff in participation? Really?

FT would become stagnant quite quickly, I predict.