being off-topic

[smalltalk]

Again we see large clusters of off-topic posts in OT-forums, covering page after page after page. It's tedious just to scroll down. Guess there is nothing to be done about people being OT (and sometimes I get carried away myself ).

But I found a nice story to illustrate the situation:

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The first monk said, "Oh, no! The candle is out." The second monk said, "Aren't we not suppose to talk?" The third monk said, "Why must you two break the silence?" The fourth monk laughed and said, "Ha! I'm the only one who didn't speak."

http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/zenstory/silence.html

 

[sween32]

where better to have threads that wander off-topic then in the off-topic forum?

 

[smalltalk]

Sure a topic can be viewed from very different angles. But once in a while, threads turn out to be a mere treadmill. Just drop a buzzword, and hell brakes loose, esp. if someone wants a fight.


Well, is it just my imagination or are there really sometimes spin-off threads?

For example:
If I start a thread on human evolution, then a spin-off could be: are the Great Apes really endagered?

If I claim Military Expenses are to high, the a spin-off could discuss: is health budget/education budget to low?

If there is an thread on european issues, there could be a spin-off on Nazis and Jews ...

You get the picture.

 

[sween32]

yeah i get the picture. but what i don't get is... are you with spinoff threads or against them? because if you're against threads getting off-topic, i would think you'd be for creating spin-off threads to keep the other thread on-topic. to me it looks like you're against both of them.

 

[smalltalk]

I am pro spin-off threads.

 

[Drewcifer]

Originally posted by sween32
where better to have threads that wander off-topic then in the off-topic forum?

But even in OT people should try to stay on the topic of the thread. I wasted a half an hour of my life reading "European's Real Attitudes". It could have been an interesting thread if it wasn't for the 80% of the posts that had nothing to do with the subject.

If you want to talk about something else, start a new thread!

 

[CurtSibling]

There comes a time when I cannot abide some of the trolling and bashing certain posters drop into the debate.

If the Mods are not present and no-one else will uphold decency and justice, I will!

 

[Dralix]

It's not just trolling and bashing, but spamming as well. Sometimes threads degenerate into two or three posters going back and forth with little one liners like they're in a chat room. By then it's usually not even close to the original topic.

 

[Hitro]

I agree that complete threadjacking is a mess, at least unless the original topic has come to end by itself, but I think that some thoughts that are related to the topic, though maybe not completely on topic, belong there.
There are often two or three people engaging in discussions that sometimes include pretty long posts also including off topic material.
But I think that is okay, otherwise there would be loads of new threads where just two people post all the time.

I've up to now never had a problem with it, the mods handle it very well in my opinion.

And a little borderline spam between people who know each other increases the atmosphere in the forum in my opinion. I usually include that in posts that also contain more on topic text, alot of others do that as well.

 

[smalltalk]

Curt, I do approve of
>upholding decency and justice

But wouldn't one or two response posts be enough?
Am I mistaken, or is it true, that even you yourself got tired of the 'discussion' at some point?

How many people will follow such a long thread? Did you actually -read- phillipes ICQ log? Well, I guess most people will only read first and last page. Some will only read the subject of the post and then proceed with flaming.

Also, we have seen two threads started on the same subject within a day. ('Do you still play?') In fact, I might be wrong in believing people are actually -reading- threads at all.

(BTW, I'm not at all referring to you alone, perhaps some of the other posters will show up here too and give us their opinion/excuse. Just think of how the left/right wing thread turned into a libertarianism thread.)

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

Enough is enough.

If you see posts that don't belong, than press repost post button, feedback ISN'T the area for this to be addressed.

Going off topic is breaking forum rules, not a subject for "debate", but it can't be corrected if you don't report it.

 

[ainwood]

I'm not so sure that its an issue with going "off topic", but rather going off on a tangent for the sake of starting a new thread.


Not that I've contributed to off-topic for a couple of months now