Well, I would assume that if you did as child forums, you could apply a filter to the parent forum and that would include all child forums, right? So what do you lose by splitting it into MP-related and non-MP related child forums?

But as you pointed out, we don't have this type of filtering. Also, even if we did, it really would depend on the mods tagging every thread properly.

JMHO, and it's ok if we disagree.

-David

As someone who usually checks the UA forum at least once a day, I've never had a problem skimming the threads to see what I might want to open. Even when I'm offline for a few days, I don't find it cumbersome to navigate.

By "child" forums I'm assuming you mean sub-forums?

It does get tedious, doesn't it?

A sub-forum for those who need to complain would be helpful, imo.

yes, I think so. I don't know the right term for it, I guess.

-David

Isn't that what OMNI & ORP are for? :p

Seriously, seems to me a shame to contemplate a sub-forum just for b*tching about UA and sets an unfortunate precedent it would seem hard to deny later to other forums.

It's been done before with the MR forum being split in two with the MR Discussion forum being a subordinate sub-forum before later being granted its own forumhood, if that's a word.

I have NO problem whatsoever w/ the UA forum as it is, and am a bit confused on why there is perceived to be a problem. Heck, if complaints re: a program is an issue, basically EVERY forum on FT would get shut down (at least the hotel/airline ones). Duh...

BTW - word I heard is AA is the rudest ;)

Cheers.

Yep, and the photography forum and luggage forums were split out of travel tech, and at one time we had a "general travel talk" forum too. Thanks for reminding us.

But any talk of change to the UA forum to try to make it make it better and more manageable seems to bring out the best in people. hahaha. "please don't change me. I'm used to the way it is now." :D

Sharon: no more computer help for you. hahaha. My proposal was basically MR-realated and non-MR-related sub-forums. Or any cut on it that the talk board wanted to propose or try. I think anything will be better than this huge monolithic thing we have now.

BTW, I think cblaisd's suggestion had some merit too.

-David

examples
 

ok, I re-read the post on how to suggest new forums.

Looking at the first page of threads in the UA forum, with my settings, here's a sample of topics, and how we might sort them. I ignored sticky posts and moved posts. Is this a good enough random sample?


United - Mileage Plus Related Discussion (Anything directly or indirectly related to Mileage earning, use, questions, and program benefits.)

United - Discussions that are unrelated to Mileage Plus (Service related questions, issues, upgrades, baggage, and anything not related to the Mileage Plus program).It wasn't that hard to sort them, and I don't think there were any difficult grey area posts in that batch. (ok, maybe I made a judgment call on the Priority Pass/RCC one, not sure. I'm sure there will be some judgment calls, just like there are today.) These would be the first two new sub-forums of the united forum.

I'm not proposing that we move any existing posts into the sub-forums, but all new posts should be posted to the sub-forums. It will be up to the mods to move existing active threads into the sub-forums if they want to and decide to.

The benefit of the new sub-forums would be to make it much easier for people that want to follow only the MP-related sub-forum much easier for them to do so, without getting bogged down in all the other stuff. We can all read the other stuff too, if we want to, and I will when I have time, but I want to be able to keep up with any MP related promos, etc, in one easy to use sub-forum.

nsx, I'm not sure how fatwallet style filtering would help me here with this real world example.

-David

Anyway, can I interest any of the TB members in championing this proposal?

I really think that it will make FT a better place. Yes, it's change. Don't be afraid of change. :)

-David

Not me, I'm afraid. I'm all for change when it is warranted (I think if you look at the list of TB votes that's kept in a thread around here somewhere you'll see that I rarely vote 'no' to changes), but in this case I simply don't see it as warranted.

As I say, there is only so much talk about MP one can do. But there is infinite talk possible about the UA experience. If you want the MP PhDs to keep coming to the UA forum to talk about MP when issues come up, you have to let them talk about the UA experience in the meantime.

If I thought the balance or tone ever tilted toward Untied I'd be the first to support somethig like this. But imho it hasn't, and the mods have done an excellent job of merging the right topic threads.

JMHO.

I'm still not sure you read the entire OP or the entire thread, because you are reading stuff into this that just isn't there. From your previous reply in this thread it was obvious you didn't read the entire OP.

I thought FT was supposed to be about miles and points. Since I can't seem to get that information in the UA forum anymore, I don't spend hours and hours sifting through the threads to get it.

And there's nothing in the proposal to stop any sort of posts. I'm just asking that they be categorized into sub-forums. one specifically for MP related threads and one for everything else. Or any split that separates the MP related posts and discussion from everything else, like was done in the Mileage Run forum.

-David

How about adding prefixes to the thread title? I know a couple of forum are using them. While they are not always used, BMI offers a variety of prefix options (Newbie Question, Redemption Help, DC Partner, Promo, DC Partner, Call Centre, Rant, OT). Perhaps similar prefixes would help users skim the UA forum for relevant threads without setting up a subforum.

I'm not in favor of sub-forums in general as I don't think they make either the Mod.'s workload easier nor improve the casual surfer's experience as much as proponents expect. Both newbies and veterans unfamiliar with the change aren't always quick to grasp the subtle distinction about where topics should go as is witnessed regularly on the MR forum with threads that are posted there which are more appropriate to the MR Discussion forum.

Just MHO.

If most of the potential users of the UA forum felt as you do, it would probably be time for a split. The split you suggest is the most logical way to do it. At some point that will be what happens, unless filtering tools become available in the meantime. The question is whether now is the time.

What makes this so hard to decide is that the current users of the forum probably prefer it the way it is. People who find it unusable have already left, or never stayed after their initial visit. Therefore we have to guess whether the change would increase or decrease the value of FT to future users. If a substantial percentage of current forum users (meaning the people who didn't give up and leave) is in favor of a split, I would find that persuasive.