Gang,

Lets not make this personal... I have soft deleted a few posts... lets keep this on topic of the motion... and not attacks/off topic comments.

William

Thanks wharvey for cleaning that mess up.

The issue at hand is whether or not to count Omni posts in an overall users post count? What's the big deal about post count anyway? What impact does it's existence have anywhere, including FT? What if "post count" under a person's name disappeared entirely? Would it matter?

I've read through most of this thread and can't figure out what the fundamental issue is. Can someone explain to me why this is an issue?

Is it that people are wasting their time and flooding Omni by creating useless threads that clutter Omni to make them feel important for having a high post count?

The fundamental issue (at least as I see it), is that a unilateral change was made without consulting the membership or the TB. In spite of the excuse that it was a "technical glitch" from 2004 being corrected, another member was able to locate posts that would indicate the 2004 decision had been reversed.

Furthermore, we've had a TB member go on the record in this thread as saying he would never suggest Randy change a decision unless he felt it was a "colossal blunder". Doesn't say much for doing your job of being elected to represent the members.

We also had a moderator basically tell people that if they disagree with any unilateral action, they should just get lost.

So for me, the fundamental issue is not the counting of OMNI posts, but rather whether we as the membership want to accept the behaivior exhibited by the forum administration and certain current TB members. I see this motion as taking a stand and making it clear that we don't appriciate unilateral action being taken without explanation (and I sincerely hope that at least 2/3 of the TB will have the guts to make that statement).

I think the best option would be to eliminate post counts altogether.

I do understand that some people equate post counts to knowledge on the subject. (miles and points) I can see where post counts for OMNI would dilute that.

So I have an idea that may not even be feasible but here goes...
Can it be set up that the post count would show only the posts in that forum.

For Instance I am looking for advice on AA's ff program, I get a response from three people, one of these people has 3500 post in the AA forum,the other two less than 50. Chances are that I would look a little closer at 3500 post guys suggestions.

Does that make sense ?
Is it even feasible?

Dan

You mean the owner (at the time) and host (at present) of a website took an action, right?

Can you reference on the website or maybe in IB's financial filings where, exactly, it says that Randy (and/or IB) need permission to take an action?


I am curious as to what recourse you believe exists if you don't "accept the behavior?"

Again, I reference "A Few Good Men."

Randy was kind enough to establish the Talkboard, in essence, as a sounding board. He makes a freaking command decision, and that very board (or some minority thereof) immediately jumps him over it. If nothing else, this whole thing is going to demonstrate the patience of our host from Colorado Springs versus the average man--the latter would have put a stop to this nonsense already.

Once this business (IB/FlyerTalk) is a court of law and I'm a defendant/lawyer instead of a customer/user, I'll consider your quotation the slightest bit relevant.

I simply don't get your last sentence. Kind enough? I just don't get it. Maybe someday FT will be considered a business by everyone rather than some "gift from a benevolent host." I'm sure that's how IB sees it.

Hey... remember Rich, if you don't like it, just leave ;)

I'll assume then that you would answer "Yes", "no", and "none"--in that order. I'm going to further assume that nobody will actually take those questions on with a serious tone.

But the salient part of that is indeed "Being a user." There is a single (And simple) recourse if one disagree's with Randy on this (or any other issue). It involves not sending any views or revenue at FT. My hypothesis is that people won't leave over OMNI post counts, those that would are not going to impact either the ability of IB/Randy to generate content and/or monetize said content, and that any insinuation to the contrary will almost invariably come from someone whose post count will (or has) taken a significant reduction due to Randy's decision.


I'd bet money that the IB folks are not the least bit worried about what's going to happen to their franchise if Randy does not capitulate to the really vocal minority and count OMNI posts.

However, I'm open to ideas: if you would, can you quantify (in $$$ or lost content in-RE: miles and points) what will be lost if OMNI posts are not counted?

Since I've been on FT, people have occasionally abused Randy's kindness and patience. This (in my mind) qualifies as one of those times. YMMV, of course.

The TB is (according to the website):

If members of the general FlyerTalk population feel that Randy's decision was an error in judgment, it would certainly be appropriate for the TB to recommend he reconsider that decision. Afterall, the entire purpose of the TB is to advise Randy of the wishes of the members who elected them.

Well, FWIW, Randy did at one point tell me to go ahead and more or less 'do what I felt like I needed to do' with regard to this motion. Perhaps because he realized that a super-majority would now be needed to reverse his decision.@:-) ;)

I'm sorry this issue has become so divisive, although I suppose that was the inevitable outcome.

Again, the point of this motion is that Randy invented the TB to provide user feedback. This motion will provide that feedback.

So as much as folks want to paint me or this motion as being ungrateful, a test of patience, etc, I'll take those hits if it means doing the job I feel I/we was/were elected to do.

Are we voting to reverse his decision? I didn't think we could do that. I believed the motion was about asking him to consider reversing his decision - which is a rather different beast.

Didn't you know that the membership tells the host/owners what to do here? ;) (DYKWWA?!?) "Fetch me a martini!" "Put those Omni post counts back in!" "Where's my lunch?!?" "Chop-chop!"

Other FlyerTalkers probably feel quite a bit differently. :p

Just providing clarification in case anyone was confused - I wouldn't want to raise anybody's expectations about what exactly this motion is able to do!

Sheep knows his views are the only ones which matter ;) :p

Just to clarify:

Actually that has nothing to do with my comment to you. My comment to you was based on my personal belief that i do not go out of my way to infringe upon any members right to post their personal thoughts or actions unless that thought or action is flaming or harassing another member. I did not feel that your actions were flaming or harassing me and my own thoughts in any manner so why would i ever consider trying to filter or edit them. In this matter, you are enjoying the very same privilege as any other member.

My decision did not hinge on any majority or super-majority, it hinged on what i thought is best overall for FlyerTalk. Just like all the other decisions I've made over time for FlyerTalk. I'm not one to debate myself or suffer from analysis paralysis and well before the book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, practiced this method in the growth of FlyerTalk.