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Thread: Off-topic posts

  1. #21
    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    Sounds like a poll to me... How bothered are you by off-topic posts, and what should we do about it?

    * It's not a problem.
    * It's a problem, but not so bad.
    * It's a real problem and it requires action.
    * Blah
    * Blah
    * Blah

    Perhaps someone who actually thinks it's a problem could fill in the rest and post it...
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

  2. #22
    Registered User Ghost's Avatar
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi
    Sounds like a poll to me... How bothered are you by off-topic posts, and what should we do about it?

    * It's not a problem.
    * It's a problem, but not so bad.
    * It's a real problem and it requires action.
    * Blah
    * Blah
    * Blah

    Perhaps someone who actually thinks it's a problem could fill in the rest and post it...
    I considered this.....

    And it's a valid question. Is it a problem? The FAQ doesn't encourage it, but on the other hand, it's quite moderate in it's language.

    Again looking at the posts so far

    6 in favour of off-topic posts and 3 against.

    So has the balance shifted - and is this a good thing?

    Take care,
    Christopher

  3. #23
    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost
    Just tested a theory
    Clicked on the most recent thread for each of

    Let's talk about dance
    The DJ Booth
    Hall of Fame
    Geeks' Corner
    Ceroc Scotland Book Club

    Only the last two didn't have off-topic posts.

    Should we: give in gracefully, become more draconian, or something else entirely?
    Thread mutation is common anywhere, in any discussion group. I don't think the Forum is any worse than any other discussion group, and I also don't think mutation is always bad - it's a sign of creativity; one comment sparking off a new train of thought, and so on. The classic example is the Singleton's Sofa, which has been rambling on about dozens or hundreds of topics, but is still interesting reading (mostly).

    OK, yes, you could argue that if it's a new train of thought, it should be a new thread, but sometimes life isn't that neat. And if a new topic is more popular than the old, why shouldn't it be talked about?

    FWIW, topics which are definitely single-issue (e.g. the capital punishment / arm the police - type of threads) seem to stay reolutely on track. Topics which are "social" tend to be more loose.

  4. #24
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidJames
    If a new topic is more popular than the old, why shouldn't it be talked about?
    It only bothers me when the new topic is something that we've already talked to death and back, such as:
    * first move footwork
    * smoking
    * hotshots
    * Ceroc(tm) and world domination
    * Ceroc(tm) and lousy teaching
    * Is dancing with < whoever> better than sex?

    Especially when the old topic is something that we've not talked about so much.

  5. #25
    The Gobby one! WittyBird's Avatar
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    so can a smoker be a hotshot then?

  6. #26
    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    Quote Originally Posted by MartinHarper
    It only bothers me when the new topic is something that we've already talked to death and back, such as:
    * first move footwork
    * smoking
    * hotshots
    * Ceroc(tm) and world domination
    * Ceroc(tm) and lousy teaching
    * Is dancing with < whoever> better than sex?

    Especially when the old topic is something that we've not talked about so much.
    AH, but that's where the invaluable Harperlink come in. Seems like a pretty foolproof system to me...

  7. #27
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    Re: Off-topic posts

    Pretty please - try to resist chit-chat in threads that have long term value for reference purpose

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