Off-Topic posts

[Karen_G]

Hi all,

The issue of Off-Topic posts has been raised by a few members now, so I was hoping to get a general consensus about what you all think about this. If changes to the forum are needed, can anyone suggest ways in which the forum could be changed, but still keeping the friendly, relaxed and fun atmosphere that we have now?

Thank you

Karen

[stet]

Maybe we just need an "Off Topic" section of the forum. Most other forums that I visit have one.

[evilkeen]

We could do, which would cater for the random topics that people sometimes start, but I think the thing that people don't like is when an on-topic thread goes off-topic just through natural conversation, which IMHO is not necessarily a bad thing!

[Z3r0San1ty]

wouldn't general chat just be the off topic section?

[cornettracing80]

i believe off topic conversations could actually keep threads alive that may actually be 3 comments long and not be kept current developing a multiple thread problem...
if you try to eliminate background chatter it will reduce "community" feelings
i am not impressed by this seemingly "embarassment tactic" being used over one angry post by one of my close friends on here...people vent all the time...



Steve

[Kheldar]

Let be what is. If someone wants to get back on topic, all they would need to do is to make a post on topic again, and we're set. Easiest solution.

[Lodgecrest]

Hey

Did anyone see Eastenders last night!

[Karen_G]

i am not impressed by this seemingly "embarassment tactic" being used over one angry post by one of my close friends on here...people vent all the time...
Steve

Hi,

I'm really really sorry This thread was honestly not meant to embarrass anyone!

Over the past 12 months, we (mods and Admin) have received a number of PM's asking us to do something about the number of off-topic posts. i.e topics that start off on an puzzle related theme but then change to a completely unrelated topic. We discused it a few months back and decided to leave things the way they are. An invaluable member of the forum brought up the issue of Off-topic posts within the 5% club and raised a few good points, and as I have been contacted via PM/email on a number of occasions about this issue, I thought it would be a good idea to run a poll to see what the general feeling is. So although the member's post prompted me to run the poll, I really didn't mean to run it to prove a point. I just thought that the issue had been raised too many times to ignore, I wanted to know what the general consensus was, so we could change the forum rules accordingly.

This is my doing, not the other mods, and I'm truely sorry if I embarrassed or offended a certain person in any way I hope you are not too mad at me

Best wishes,
Karen

[bluesign2k]

Yeah, well you better be sorry!!!
(joke )

lol. Don't worry about it. I know that the intention was not to single anyone out etc etc, and thats not the way I took it to be either... so no need to be sorry

I realise it's a touchy subject when the board is so quiet anyway, I just find it frustrating having to sift through pages to find stuff. The search tool is okay when looking for secific posts but cant really be used to follow conversations. I only spoke out because I thought it was a good topic that I could see was gona crash and burn... which it has.lol n/m

I thought (and still think) the poll was/is a good idea, and though clearly it would be nice if the poll went "my way" (so to speak), I confess I don't know what the best way to resolve the issue would be... maybe something to discuss after the poll is over (if necessary)

Chris

Anyway... back to the poll...

[jazz]

Hi,

For me this is sad, I am not a member of any other forum but I do spend my time here as I find it a good stress release from the world. Life is for living and is far to short for it to be serious. Ok people go off topic but hay that's life, you've lived a sheltered one if it's never happened to you. Not all things if you look closely some times, are off topic I have found hints hidden in them. I want to come here because I love to live and have fun(Wish I had taken a career as a Clown ) My rule in life " I work to live not live to work".

Now to put it simple and straight to the point, If I can't come here and have a laugh with all the crazy characters I have met and grown to love, then I'm off. I spend my whole day having to be serious, but not in here please,pretty please

A very sad Clown indeed

[Dooners]

Jazz,

I couldn't have put it any better...well apart fom the clown bit -they are way too scary ...

[cornettracing80]

i didnt know that Karen got so many off topic post complaints.....sorry karen ..i have a good idea who made alot of the off topic posts that got reported..

[Karen_G]

i didnt know that Karen got so many off topic post complaints.....sorry karen ..i have a good idea who made alot of the off topic posts that got reported..

Hi Steve,

The topics have always gone off-topic even before you got here! I actually started the off-topic posting in the 5% thread that brought up the subject again! Besides, the PM's were not complaints as such, we've just had a few members asking if we could stop the off-topic posts.

As I said in the 5% club, I personnally like the off-topic posts, I think they keep the forum alive and fun. In natural conversations topics drift all the time, and I think it would be a shame to stop people from saying whatever comes into their mind (within reason that is! ) just because it's not on-topic. However, I do understand Bluesigns point of view also, as I've found off-topic posts annoying when I've looked back over old posts for something specific.

Anyway, we'll see how the poll turns out, I have an idea that may solve the issue without stopping people posting what they want, but I need to see what the other mods think of it first

Karen

[Karen_G]

Hi All,

I've spoken to Ade, Bingabonga and Evilkeen and we've come up with a plan

How about we leave the forum as it is, except that when a topic becomes off-topic, the mods split the posts? This will leave the original reason for the post clean, it will allow people to post what they want without worrying about going off-topic, and once split it will allow the off-topic posts and also the original on-topic posts to continue.

We'll try to be consistent in labelling the topic heading for the new off-topic thread, maybe "Off-Topic+(title of original thread)" and we'll include a link to the off-topic thread within the original on-topic discussion so that people following the off-topic posts can find them easily. Therefore threads stay focused, people still following the off-topic thread will know where it's moved to, and those that don't like the off-topic threads can ignore all posts starting with "Off-topic".

We won't be able to go through the entire forum, but if you know of an old topic that you would like spliting, please let us know. We'll keep an eye on new posts and we'll split any that change topic considerably, please contact us if you think we have missed a topic. We're not going to split individual posts, this only applies to threads where the discussion topic has changed considerably over a number of posts.

We hope that helps the issue. Please let us know if you don't like the idea or have any other suggestions,

Thank you

Karen

[Karen_G]

P.S. I've just tested this idea by splitting the January ISIS search thread, we started talking about general ISIS free searches and membership issues - Please see here:

Off-Topic >> January Search
The now On-topic January search

Karen