I understand that the software is in the Beta stage, but what about the posts and members? Will the posts disappear when the forum goes live? Will "Original Members" become unoriginal? Will post counts be reset to zero? Will those with Silver (or higher) status be reduced in rank to buck privates?
I wouldn't expect to see those kinds of changes, it would just serve to tick off the users who have become the foundation for this new forum. Not something they'd want to do.
I think it is very unlikely. What is the purpose of all the content building now if everything is going to disappear? I am more curious whether ads for MP will appear on FT after the official launch
Basically the beta is so that people really can't get angry when something breaks or does not work. We all know coming in that everything is not up and working, and have the opportunity to help mold the clay that is MilePoint before it goes into the kiln on March 1.
Randy has already said status & status points earned will never go backwards for anyone. I'll see if I can find the post(s).
Nothing that you query about here will happen except for one item. If you earn the title of being an original member—you'll remain original member. As I have posted elsewhere, our algorithm is such that once you contribute to MilePoint and earn any such status, we will not take that away from you. The only thing that will disappear from public view, though it remains part of the archive for us to continue to examine and make sure we have cataloged everything, is the comments in the Beta Feedback forum as well as anything else related strictly to Beta in Community and Talk To Me. The intent there is to clean things up and upon launch not all but certainly most of those comments will have been addressed and in the case of general comments, at least listened to. But as you well know Dovster, an Army of frequent flyers still does need buck privates, corporals, Master Gunnery Sergeants and more. However we will see that there is a very limited number of top brass and drill sergeants so that this remains a man's (and women's) Army. But other than that, let's march forward.
Hey! Finally I caught Randy in a factual error! No, an "Army" of frequent flyers does not need Master Gunnery Sergeants. A "Marine Corps" of frequent flyers, of course, would. (The U.S. Army equivalent of a Master Gunnery Sergeant -- E-9, lower grade -- is a Sergeant Major. What the Marine Corps calls a Sergeant Major -- E-9, upper grade -- is a Command Sergeant Major in the Army.) Ah, you don't know how good that feels!
Sorry Dov, as you might know, I remain a proud military brat. My Father was a Master Gunnery Sergeant, 32 years in USMC and nothing against the other branches of the military, but ... rank never leaves to non-comms.
And as Dov knows better than most, traditionally one of the real strengths of the Israeli Defense Forces has been that they give the lower ranking personnel great autonomy so they can respond quickly to on-the-ground situations. Other armies, in theory, try to move the smartest people or best leaders up the ladder- the Israelis try to make sure their individual tank commanders, sergeants and captains are some of their smartest, and hopefully most ethical, people. That concept creates quick response and flexibility and if done properly keeps problems from spreading or magnifying. It hasn't always worked as planned, and there are issues of scalability and training, but the concept is sound.
Randy, When I joined my confirmation letter thanked me for joining the new beta program and said I would be an original member or I could get a Tshirt. ? However, I am listed as a new member and not listed as an original member Why did my confirmation letter say that?
You will be if you post a few more, and people like what you post. About an hour after you hit 25 points you'll get the status. note: the thresholds aren't fixed, so that number could change at any time. They're testing the system, it started loose and will tighten up. That said, once you are granted status, it's lifetime, not like with some airlines we know!
Flying-gal, you will be an original member even if you never make another post. You currently have 20 points. You get 5 more points after you have been registered for a month. 25 points before May 1 makes you an original member, so you will get your t-shirt.
Actually, flying-gal, you have been "promoted" from New Member to Member. I'm pretty confident you will be an Original Member before the official launch. The algorithm is subject to change, but it seems to take 25 status points (and about an hour for the system to update) to "earn" OM status. You might want to take a look at this thread: http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/how-did-i-miss-being-an-original-member.925/page-18#post-24984
If you come on BRT 11 in June, I may do a t-shirt as a give away instead of a cap. You see, I have a potential problem with some of the wording. The caps that I used on BRT 9 and 10 said Brooklyn Reality Tour and www.flyertalk.com
I am guessing that Randy wanted to give those who find out about MilePoint only after it goes live a chance to be original members.
To tell the truth, I don't think Randy had any idea that he would have this many members during the Beta period. He probably figured on somewhere around 200-300, with an explosion in those numbers after he starts publicizing the site.
