NOTICE: Off topic Posting
Tuesday, April 29, 2003 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I'm a cranky guy. Damn cranky.
And one thing that is making me really cranky is that people will make an intelligent post only to see it hijacked by people and turn it into something completely unrelated to what the original topic was about.
I've seen this trend growing lately and it is going to stop now. I don't care how long you've been around the community. If there is a conversation on say designing wallpapers and you turn it into a discussion about third party Photoshop filters, you stand the risk of losing your posting priviledges. If there is a post discussing the finer points of stock portfolios and you turn it into a tirade about Enron, you stand the risk of losing your posting access.
And that obviously goes for posts that are about somethign relevant that turn into cutesy quasi-private conversations between people inside of posts.
And if you want to discuss something, make a post. You can post about pretty much anything you want here in the sense that you can create your own thread. But don't hijack other people's threads. It's rude and it's unnecessary.
We will be adding a host of new forum features to help make having discussions easier to participate in over the long haul. But in the meantime, let's show respect to those who create threads by not immediately turning it into a tangential discussion.
And yes, obviously at some point in a long conversation you will have topic drift. But if you're on post 5 on a thread about HDTV standards, it's not cool to start posting about whether Burger King's Fries are better than McDonalds. Because 1) They're not and 2) it's off topic.
And one thing that is making me really cranky is that people will make an intelligent post only to see it hijacked by people and turn it into something completely unrelated to what the original topic was about.
I've seen this trend growing lately and it is going to stop now. I don't care how long you've been around the community. If there is a conversation on say designing wallpapers and you turn it into a discussion about third party Photoshop filters, you stand the risk of losing your posting priviledges. If there is a post discussing the finer points of stock portfolios and you turn it into a tirade about Enron, you stand the risk of losing your posting access.
And that obviously goes for posts that are about somethign relevant that turn into cutesy quasi-private conversations between people inside of posts.
And if you want to discuss something, make a post. You can post about pretty much anything you want here in the sense that you can create your own thread. But don't hijack other people's threads. It's rude and it's unnecessary.
We will be adding a host of new forum features to help make having discussions easier to participate in over the long haul. But in the meantime, let's show respect to those who create threads by not immediately turning it into a tangential discussion.
And yes, obviously at some point in a long conversation you will have topic drift. But if you're on post 5 on a thread about HDTV standards, it's not cool to start posting about whether Burger King's Fries are better than McDonalds. Because 1) They're not and 2) it's off topic.
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grayhaze
Reply #42 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 4:53 AM
Reply #42 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 4:53 AM
I agree that it's a real issue, and a problem inherent in a non-branching forum design. If the forum were to have the ability to reply to individual responses, and then hide those 'tangent' branches of the topic to the casual viewer, then this wouldn't be the huge problem it currently is.
It took me a while to find the responses to the topic I posted in the 'PC Zone' thread, and it's not fun to have to wade through off-topic responses just to continue a discussion you started. It's a bit like starting a conversation with someone and then another person butting in and stalling the conversation with their own take on a relatively unimportant aspect of your original comments.
If you want to talk about something that isn't directly related to the question or point made by the original poster, then start your own thread. It's only polite.
It took me a while to find the responses to the topic I posted in the 'PC Zone' thread, and it's not fun to have to wade through off-topic responses just to continue a discussion you started. It's a bit like starting a conversation with someone and then another person butting in and stalling the conversation with their own take on a relatively unimportant aspect of your original comments.
If you want to talk about something that isn't directly related to the question or point made by the original poster, then start your own thread. It's only polite.
craeonics
Reply #43 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 5:25 AM
Reply #43 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 5:25 AM
Any thread that had its original point, statement or problem resolved or answered, can go off topic in my book.
Jess McGuay
Reply #44 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 6:16 AM
Reply #44 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 6:16 AM
think part of problem is some of us, myself included, sometimes toss in an off the wall comment when we post to lighten things and then someone else focuses on the comment instead of the thread and responds to it instead of to the thread and as an aside to the comment. As a rule ppls questions usually seem to be answered within a few posts of a thread start so didnt realize was such an issue and to be honest sometimes the reason I DO enjoy this board is how the occational tangent takes off but if it needs to be boring instead that is the moderators call 
I'll comply, one really has no choice if wishing to speak here, but probably much more hesitant to say anything for fear its an attempt to steer a thread
I'll comply, one really has no choice if wishing to speak here, but probably much more hesitant to say anything for fear its an attempt to steer a thread
T-Man
Reply #45 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 6:31 AM
Reply #45 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 6:31 AM
this may sound a bit harsh, but having watched how the message board change over the last few months, i feel it is a required statement. - feline
Feline, I agree with you. Though I am not a skinner myself and I used to take part in many discussions on WinCustomize. However, over the last several months I have found that I do not enjoy reading the messages boards and therefore have not done so on a regular basis and have not been participating.
I hope this new rule enforcement will bring WinCustomize back to the way it used to be and hope that I will once again be able to enjoy visiting here again.
Feline, I agree with you. Though I am not a skinner myself and I used to take part in many discussions on WinCustomize. However, over the last several months I have found that I do not enjoy reading the messages boards and therefore have not done so on a regular basis and have not been participating.
I hope this new rule enforcement will bring WinCustomize back to the way it used to be and hope that I will once again be able to enjoy visiting here again.
Doreen
Reply #46 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 7:02 AM
Reply #46 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 7:02 AM
??? I did not notice anything? what did I miss? anyways this is for cranky boy...
shoot! I was gonna post what I'm listening to but I ain't listening to anything atm argh! hehe
well whatever you guys do is fine by me I still have WC on my link bar and it's on my daily rounds so whatever rules you guys make does not bug me any.
Doreen goes to look up the word "rules" in Dictionary...
shoot! I was gonna post what I'm listening to but I ain't listening to anything atm argh! hehe
well whatever you guys do is fine by me I still have WC on my link bar and it's on my daily rounds so whatever rules you guys make does not bug me any.
Doreen goes to look up the word "rules" in Dictionary...
Sylva
Reply #47 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 7:18 AM
Reply #47 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 7:18 AM
I actually kind of like it when a topic drifts from one thing to another. If you've recieved an informative answer that works by post 2 or 3, I don't see anything wrong with talking about something else in the same thread.
But I also see the point that some people do get frusterated by it. And if a question isn't answered before the topic drifts it is quite annoying.
For those of us who like to see things twist and turn within a thread, if the person posting the original message in a thread puts down that they don't mind if the thread gets completely off topic, would it then be ok to go off topic only within that thread? That way those of us who like to go off topic can still have the freedom to do that once in a while, as long as we respect those who don't like those type of threads.
But I also see the point that some people do get frusterated by it. And if a question isn't answered before the topic drifts it is quite annoying.
For those of us who like to see things twist and turn within a thread, if the person posting the original message in a thread puts down that they don't mind if the thread gets completely off topic, would it then be ok to go off topic only within that thread? That way those of us who like to go off topic can still have the freedom to do that once in a while, as long as we respect those who don't like those type of threads.
Frogboy
Reply #48 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:30 AM
Reply #48 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:30 AM
Topic dift is natural. Once the original topic has run its course, it is natural for it to veer off. That's how it's always been.
What seems to have happened over the past few months is that a select group of "Regulars" seem to have a handful of topics/dramas that they tend to carry from topic to topic.
Now, if you're part of the "inside joke", so to speak, that's probably fun. But for the vast majority of lurkers and other readers/posters, it's not fun. It's not fun to have a topic you've put together hijacked on response #5 or whatever.
As I said in another post, we won't be exiling people for violating this. But we will be taking away posting priviledges (as I've already begun to do).
What seems to have happened over the past few months is that a select group of "Regulars" seem to have a handful of topics/dramas that they tend to carry from topic to topic.
Now, if you're part of the "inside joke", so to speak, that's probably fun. But for the vast majority of lurkers and other readers/posters, it's not fun. It's not fun to have a topic you've put together hijacked on response #5 or whatever.
As I said in another post, we won't be exiling people for violating this. But we will be taking away posting priviledges (as I've already begun to do).
DarkMist
Reply #49 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:45 AM
Reply #49 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:45 AM
If i may ask....Where do we/you draw the line on this?? Are we to have constant guidence, a rule set out or just end up thinking carefully of what to say. Yes many threads get mixed up with varying posts but the only way to totally 'cure' any problem is to remove the thread once the problem has been solved rather than having it linger...but on the other hand leaving threads answer peoples questions meaning they need not post one so either way you do things its simply swings and roundabouts
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #50 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:46 AM
Reply #50 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:46 AM
It will be nice to have the message board back the way it used to be. The last few months have been painful watching the board endure a steady decline. It's putting quite a few people off coming here, even people who have been here a long time.
A number of times recently I've arrived here to find the same topic from the same people in every thread. There didn't seem to be a way round it other than either getting mad or going away (I've done both). Hopefully now it will all be sorted
A number of times recently I've arrived here to find the same topic from the same people in every thread. There didn't seem to be a way round it other than either getting mad or going away (I've done both). Hopefully now it will all be sorted
Jess McGuay
Reply #51 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:55 AM
Reply #51 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:55 AM
well I think, but not sure, that the few times I've gone a tad OT it was in a thread discussing it, the issue or a related issue to it, so maybe I havent actually done the deed and glad they do see a diffrence between Hijacking threads and natural drift which was my concern was all.
Of course those asking for free copies of WB I think DO deserve to be hijacked, beaten up, and forced into small tin cans and buried deep in the ground but thats diffrent.
Just Jess
Of course those asking for free copies of WB I think DO deserve to be hijacked, beaten up, and forced into small tin cans and buried deep in the ground but thats diffrent.
Just Jess
MrGupps
Reply #52 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 9:44 AM
Reply #52 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 9:44 AM
ok i get the picture
So any1 seen any good movies lately?
just playin
what frogboy said does have merit but jam's remark also makes me think
So any1 seen any good movies lately?
just playin
what frogboy said does have merit but jam's remark also makes me think
T-Man
Reply #53 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 9:57 AM
Reply #53 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 9:57 AM
Of course those asking for free copies of WB I think DO deserve to be hijacked, beaten up, and forced into small tin cans and buried deep in the ground but thats diffrent - Jess McGuay
Here is where another one of my pet peeves come to play. No one deserves to be beaten up. On almost every post of these types many of the regulars jump down the posters throats normally by casting very snide and sometimes rude remarks. Its ok to inform this person that what they are doing is wrong and not acceptable. But to call the person names (lamer, idiot, lurker, etc etc) is just childish. I think this is were many problems starting occuring as it became acceptable to lash out at these people and that lashing out continued accross other threads. Treat people with the same respect that you expect to be treated.
Ok, I'm starting to drift off topic so I will end this here.
Here is where another one of my pet peeves come to play. No one deserves to be beaten up. On almost every post of these types many of the regulars jump down the posters throats normally by casting very snide and sometimes rude remarks. Its ok to inform this person that what they are doing is wrong and not acceptable. But to call the person names (lamer, idiot, lurker, etc etc) is just childish. I think this is were many problems starting occuring as it became acceptable to lash out at these people and that lashing out continued accross other threads. Treat people with the same respect that you expect to be treated.
Ok, I'm starting to drift off topic so I will end this here.
feline
Reply #54 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:08 AM
Reply #54 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:08 AM
with regard to the concerns "can i say that" in a thread, common sense should be enough most of the time.
going back to when the message board first started, topic drift (slow drift over may posts, say 50) was normal, and no one minded. personally, the key point was the drift was slow and natural. if you came along afterwards you could read the thread, and it seemed to "flow"
but i think most people can appreciate that if most #5 has no obvious connection to the topic of the thread, this isn't that helpful.
if posts #6, #7 and #8 encourage this total shift of direction then we have a clear case of thread hijacking.
please note, this is just my personal opinion on this, not official policy
however, i think most of us who have read a lot of threads of late have seen this happen.
going back to when the message board first started, topic drift (slow drift over may posts, say 50) was normal, and no one minded. personally, the key point was the drift was slow and natural. if you came along afterwards you could read the thread, and it seemed to "flow"
but i think most people can appreciate that if most #5 has no obvious connection to the topic of the thread, this isn't that helpful.
if posts #6, #7 and #8 encourage this total shift of direction then we have a clear case of thread hijacking.
please note, this is just my personal opinion on this, not official policy
however, i think most of us who have read a lot of threads of late have seen this happen.
feline
Reply #55 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:09 AM
Reply #55 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:09 AM
doh!
that should have been:
(slow drift over many posts, say 50)
that should have been:
(slow drift over many posts, say 50)
Jess McGuay
Reply #56 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:15 AM
Reply #56 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:15 AM
agreed Feline. Its easy to see if its going OT and steer it back as well if its needed.
as for my "Free WB" poster comment I don't advocate name calling but they do amaze me asking here and should be discouraged.
as for my "Free WB" poster comment I don't advocate name calling but they do amaze me asking here and should be discouraged.
Doreen
Reply #57 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:15 AM
Reply #57 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:15 AM
uh oh T-Man is turning this into a Religious discussion... hehe
okay here comes my "opinion" yeah I know it does not count but so what! hehe
I think this will be interesting to see when according to Brad's stats this site gets the most numbers obviously attempting to control a larger number of ppl w/ their various personalities and stuff should be a breeze...
The thing that caught my attention though if I found it also interesting that your own admins such a BoXXi got chastized (please spell check that chastize word for me Jafo) hehe
cuz he made a thread and got chewed out so what exactly is the rules for the visitors "and" Admins on your site regarding posting? is anyone allowed to be themselves? I remember way back being jumped on for going OT so I can relate, I think I out grew alot of that over the years and just jump in the threads that "feel" safe now, but over here after reading this today, I'm alittle nervous what is deemed safe?
but I'm merely typing my opinion, I could not stay away from here unless you banned me cuz my older brothers are all here now
well g'luck Brad I doubt this will be an easy task for you but this site has it's own vibe going on anyway (nooo not a bad vibe or I would not be around just it's own vibe that's all)
okay here comes my "opinion" yeah I know it does not count but so what! hehe
I think this will be interesting to see when according to Brad's stats this site gets the most numbers obviously attempting to control a larger number of ppl w/ their various personalities and stuff should be a breeze...
The thing that caught my attention though if I found it also interesting that your own admins such a BoXXi got chastized (please spell check that chastize word for me Jafo) hehe
cuz he made a thread and got chewed out so what exactly is the rules for the visitors "and" Admins on your site regarding posting? is anyone allowed to be themselves? I remember way back being jumped on for going OT so I can relate, I think I out grew alot of that over the years and just jump in the threads that "feel" safe now, but over here after reading this today, I'm alittle nervous what is deemed safe?
but I'm merely typing my opinion, I could not stay away from here unless you banned me cuz my older brothers are all here now
well g'luck Brad I doubt this will be an easy task for you but this site has it's own vibe going on anyway (nooo not a bad vibe or I would not be around just it's own vibe that's all)
Doreen
Reply #58 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:19 AM
Reply #58 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:19 AM
you need to get rid of that Baker guy he is always going OT! hehehe!
(sorry I could not resist)
Doreen Baker
(sorry I could not resist)
Doreen
Baker
Angel_Wings
Reply #59 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 11:29 AM
Reply #59 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 11:29 AM
Nehyah
Admittedly, I used to hang out here too much for my own good...I probably was one of the most notorious people here as far as going off topic is concerned (and giving people hugs and greeting people along with answering questions when I could or trying to cheer them up if they came onto a thread and seemed down and out). I dunno how many I entered 'early on' and went off topic ...but I used to make a lot of my own threads way back when too. Ah well, live and learn.
I've gotten my warnings before and I've taken heed. -Hence my lack of participation here except to occasionally request advice for skinning WB as I realize [now] this really isn't a place to socialize and make friends as I first mistakenly thought. Some community forums encourage more socializing and some don't. I purchased OD and submitted my work to help support as best I could and I will continue to try and do my best to help but I don't want to be considered intrusive. I got a little too excited in the beginning about WC and the people and it was a place I wanted to visit daily...but now I have greatly curbed my enthusiasm and participation as I realize this isn't a 'hang-out'. I now reserve my exuberance for the other forums I visit and I'm now an co-administrator of one myself (imagine that?) so I understand how it is to be 'hall monitor' on a forum...
So, I'll keep my 'serious face' on for WC. If I slip and smile on occasion you may chastise me accordingly.
Over N out...
/me
Admittedly, I used to hang out here too much for my own good...I probably was one of the most notorious people here as far as going off topic is concerned (and giving people hugs and greeting people along with answering questions when I could or trying to cheer them up if they came onto a thread and seemed down and out). I dunno how many I entered 'early on' and went off topic ...but I used to make a lot of my own threads way back when too. Ah well, live and learn.
I've gotten my warnings before and I've taken heed. -Hence my lack of participation here except to occasionally request advice for skinning WB as I realize [now] this really isn't a place to socialize and make friends as I first mistakenly thought. Some community forums encourage more socializing and some don't. I purchased OD and submitted my work to help support as best I could and I will continue to try and do my best to help but I don't want to be considered intrusive. I got a little too excited in the beginning about WC and the people and it was a place I wanted to visit daily...but now I have greatly curbed my enthusiasm and participation as I realize this isn't a 'hang-out'. I now reserve my exuberance for the other forums I visit and I'm now an co-administrator of one myself (imagine that?
) so I understand how it is to be 'hall monitor' on a forum... So, I'll keep my 'serious face' on for WC. If I slip and smile on occasion you may chastise me accordingly.
Over N out...
/me
Doreen
Reply #60 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 11:52 AM
Reply #60 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 11:52 AM
Angela I have to confess I giggled privately when I spotted you cuz you remind me of me when I first dropped into skin town... hehe
I never seen a prob w/ you, but I already knew some would have a prob w/ you so I sat back and watched as you got beat up alil I could not say anything but I always felt some of your pain w/ you
don't change who you are, if you get banned there's other sites as you said right?
I never seen a prob w/ you, but I already knew some would have a prob w/ you so I sat back and watched as you got beat up alil I could not say anything but I always felt some of your pain w/ you
don't change who you are, if you get banned there's other sites as you said right?
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Reply #41 Wednesday, April 30, 2003 4:49 AM
The humor is very good, necessary and if it is on topic, it is much-much better
I see no danger at all, for no one who has a common sence