I use flyertalk occassionally and have never found the format particualrly appealing. Ditto for Slow Talk. I agree that flytalk has so many subscribers because it is unique in its topic. It would be nice to have an edit function and a PM function.

The Fodor's format is the reason many of us have stayed for years. I prefer the current format to any other, and all the bells and whistles you promise with the change are meaningless if the current format changes. I realize that you, Fodor's, do not care about us (your 4:45 pm est post says it all), so please do not expect any loyalty from those of us who are very unhappy with the change. I'll find, and give, my travel advice elsewhere, and hopefully those of us who like the Lounge will set up shop elsewhere.

RIP Fodor's.

<i><font color=#555555>"The members will hopefully remain the same…People hate change, no matter what."</font></i>

I'm sure Internet Brands is relying heavily on this ethos. But as Clifton has smartly articulated, the change that comes with the "industry standard" look of vBulletin software is severe. In visual ways, the change is backward. In function, however, the change may prove positive for many.

It's difficult for me to square the "people hate change" in the context of "people who travel." World travelers know that change is constant. Even the ancient art and monuments we cherish need to be cleaned now and again.

I adore smart change. If change makes things better, then I say bring it on. How one defines "better" is the key issue.

If people can overcome the dramatic visual change of switching to vBulletin, there's always the chance that these folks will love the functionality of vBulletin. Editing your posts and adding photos to your posts are REALLY STRONG user-friendly features. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

As I've said before, this user-interface reminds me of a very clean version of WordPress. Personally, I love working in an all-white space. I've seen some amazing design possibilities with the WordPress software, but perhaps, their coding is not sufficient for a board this size or for growing it further. My days of investigating forum software possibilities are behind me.

Moderation, and attitudes about it, change all the time. For those of us who have been here before the days of registration, we know the wild, wild, west this place once was. I remember a time when several editors wrote me to say "we've been getting complaints," but then they'd add, "even though we agree with you and value your contributions."

Then there was a major editor change, and the place literally fell apart, thanks to ridiculous, aggressive moderation. Almost every single veteran contributor here got banned for criticizing Random House management. The jerk they put in charge of this board didn't hold onto his job for very long, but his behavior had serious ramifications. He spawned many veterans to leave this board and form a new board. Unfortunately, as well-intentioned as some of those lovely people were, that board failed several years later.

In the meantime, this board changed and improved. Some of us who left came back, and we managed to reinstate our old usernames. New editors came on board and introduced themselves. Moderation had a lighter hand.

Recently, upon return from a lengthy trip to Italy, I saw many deleted post notices, far more than normal. Then I discovered that Fodor's sold the site to Internet Brands. New mods and new personalities to govern the newly owned board.

There are some seriously nasty people who make their home here, primarily because they're addicted to the place. The Lounge is the Lounge for a reason. I'm proud to say I have no addictions. Will these people survive in the new environment, under new ownership? Time will tell.

If Internet Brands wishes to rid its Fodor's board of troll behavior, then I welcome that. I've never been afraid to punch a bully in the mouth, but I can easily relish not having the need to do so every other post.

I should also add, vBulletin has an "Ignore" feature.

<so if the lounge is closed due to an issue that could not be surmounted due to the software, we could explore opening it to those who meet certain posting/tenure minimums...>


Uh-oh. The Lounge is toast!

My studio manager just told me that vBulletin is owned by Internet Brands. No wonder they view it as the "industry standard." I'm sure they're quite proud of their butt-ugly software.

He also told me that nobody cares about design in the forum-user world. The numbers of contributors that use these butt-ugly forums belie any notion that "style" matters.

I guess we'll never know until some coder comes along and produces a forum in the style of an iPhone. Then we'll see what king of sandbox people want to play in.

"I don't think I could have said this better. Never liked the vBulletin UI of SlowTrav. Not a sign of creative design thinking anywhere. Whoever the leadership was there (I think her name was Pauline), she lost sight on how to lead with vision, and sold the tired enterprise to Internet Brands in 2007"

Another chapter in how little you really know. When it was sold to IB it was hardly a tired enterprise. The leadership moved onto other ventures, and while the website itself is truly dragging now, mostly due to IB offering the new moderator team little to no financial support, the community of friendships that started there is alive and vibrant, mostly on FB. It was always a smaller operation than this one.

As a matter of fact, there will be a weekend gathering of close to 50 STers on the west coast in early '17.

You always reach my low expectations.

I don't think that I am resistant to change as long as it represents an improvement. On the other hand, having just spent the best part of a year trying to cope with "new, improved" software from Ancestry.com, I don't think I'm interested in a repeat of that. Please reassure me!!!

I am much more interested in the UI than additional features. I post photos to my blog, several other posters do the same, or post links to their photos on other sites, no need to post them here. And I am actively opposed to a PM feature, having been subject to internet harassment via my blog - including a death threat - from a poster here who took exception to one of my comments.

My main concern is that we keep the community of users we have in addition to letting in new blood, especially in the lounge. I would really hate to lose contact with so many people I have gotten to know over fifteen years or more.

thursday, as I understand it, you can block people from PM'ing you.

<i><font color=#555555>"Another chapter in how little you really know."</font></i>

I know enough to know that you have always been a nasty poster. Most of us don't join these forums looking to be liked or in search of so-called friends. Some of us don't lead lonely lives. The last thing I would ever do is join Facebook. I have too much self respect, and I've never admired Mark Zuckerberg.

SlowTrav had a brief moment in the sun. Very brief. But the place was run like a convent. No one was allowed to have an individual personality. No evidence of any respect for creativity. There is a market for travelers who spend more than one week in a place and revisit it over and over again, for helping others do the same. SlowTrav failed them.

Passionate travelers aren't petty enough to care about money. I know many thriving boards that are thriving because of passion for the subject, not the almighty dollar.

<i><font color=#555555>"You always reach my low expectations."</font></i>

Ditto, sweetie.

IBobi, for what it's worth, I second Thursdaysd's post of November 28, 11:20. And CClifton's and AJPeabody's posts, as well.

You mention industry standard. Good grief man, I've been around long enough to have programmed with keypunch machines, and can I just say it: some standards should be ripped off the flag pole. For example: Flyertalk has a horrible way of claiming, after one has just attempted to submit a post, that one is not logged in, even though one is. Meanwhile one's post is lost to the ether, and I am left wondering why I don't just unplug from the entire Internet and go off to live in a shack in the woods. It's too cold in these here woods, and I alas am now too old for such adventures. I know I am a sinner, and all, but please as I said, take heed of Thursday and AJ and CClifton's suggestions.

The moderation here has been great. The right balance between wild west and straight jacket. Pray may that continue on whatever new format you guys install.

What thursdaysd said, on each of her posts.

@ CounterClifton – thanks for your analyses!

@ IBobi -- Thanks for reaching out to us. I sincerely hope that you can find a way that preserves the best of this forum as you shift us to another format.

thanks ibobi!!!!

We have added some moderators in Europe to remove spam.

Hope it's helping!

Thanks, it is IBobi!

We consider it our Saint-Nicolas gift !

That's wonderful news, IBobi - thanks!