[Tony]

In recent weeks we've had a rash of discourtesy by members who have taken threads WAY OFF TOPIC and the threads were never able to recover. This is venomously mean to the original poster and serves no purpose for the community. Furthermore, subsequent posters usually join in and move the topic of the thread on in the direction the first off topic poster took it.

So, in the future, the first person to take a thread off topic may be subject to 15 days of moderation...that is, having their posts reviewed by moderators before being put up in the forums. The remainder will just get an infraction for being off topic.

There is no reason to go off topic. We even have an entire thread devoted to off topic posts. If you have attention deficit disorder or any other problem that would keep you from staying on topic in a thread, GO TO THE OFF TOPIC THREAD!

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community ON TOPIC!

[Lishy]

You are very bossy Tony lol

[Tony]

Originally Posted by Lishy

You are very bossy Tony lol

You have absolutely no idea how lenient I am. About 95 percent of posts that violate the rules go without infractions simply because there is not enough time in the universe to handle them.

I personally think it is rudeness in its worst form to butt in on a conversation and take it in an entirely different direction. I know you were joking with your post above but it's an excellent example of how people take threads and move them off topic....from a post about off topic threads to me being bossy....now let's see what movie the next poster in this thread wants to talk about!

[jasminetea]

Don't you think that's just human nature though? Any conversation, whether on line or not, will eventually change course and in doing so will many times result in an even better outcome.

It seems that you've created an awful lot of work for yourself and the other moderators by not being more tolerant. Its easy enough to give someone a warning if they go too far, but the majority won't be going off topic out of malice and to penalise posters so harshly when they're only being human, will create resentment as has already been proved.

[JamesM]

Actually, if I were to discuss a movies, then it should not be considered off topic...as someone mentioned movie.

Humor intended and no disrespect.

I do agree that the off topic is a problem. And sometimes it is hard to keep completely on topic if it is a simple question. For instance, if I ask a question such as "What should I do...my wife won't have sex with me?" (Sound familiar? ), and someone begins asking me a bunch of questions that probe my behavior and our past together and her past, then this becomes off topic to a degree. Yet as the OP, I would find it helpful.

So, I guess my question regarding being off topic, are you saying that a complete change of subject and if the above thread were started and someone began talking about prostitutes and the good time which can be had, would that be off topic?

Perhaps a better idea of what you might consider off topic is helpful.

[Trojan John]

I think he may be referring more to the numerous political posts that become a sparring match between two or more persons.

[Taramere]

To me, off topic is when people start having prolonged social banter in the middle of a discussion thread - and show no interest in the actual topic. Say someone with an interest in books started a thread asking people what books they'd read which they felt had changed their lives. Then after a page of discussion you get something like:

A: The karma sutra changed my life
B: You can come and change my life anytime, A
A: Is that an invitation???

And so on. Someone will make a harmless joke, the recipient maybe feels an obligation to respond in order to show friendliness/goodwill...and next thing you know everyone else who enjoys off topic banter is over the thread like a rash and the discussion has gone down the tubes. I actually don't think LS is nearly as bad as it used to be for that kind of thing, since the introduction of the Off Topic thread in the Watercooler - but it still happens, and it's easy to get embroiled in it for the sake of being friendly, without meaning to be rude of disrespectful to the OP.

I don't think people generally do it with the intention of being rude, but if someone's put effort into trying to start a serious discussion about something they're interested in/passionate about, it's annoying when it gets completely taken over by regulars panting over eachother. On the other hand, some level of banter is natural when people are relating to eachother as humans.

I like what I've seen on another board, where the thread starter says their bit then provides a clear focus for discussion. In responding, people might make or respond to a joke....but they'll follow it up with an on topic contribution to prevent derailing the thread.

[Thaddeus]

Frankly, I think Tony's abundantly patient, especially when it comes to the political boards. Besides, it's his board, he can moderate as he sees fit.

Conversations do have an organic tendency and wander around from time to time, but I personally find it irritating when what starts as a thread ends up as a slagging match between a few people (like Trojan John mentioned above) so I think warnings and moderations are probably a good way to go.

I'll do my part.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by jasminetea

Don't you think that's just human nature though? Any conversation, whether on line or not, will eventually change course and in doing so will many times result in an even better outcome.

It seems that you've created an awful lot of work for yourself and the other moderators by not being more tolerant. Its easy enough to give someone a warning if they go too far, but the majority won't be going off topic out of malice and to penalise posters so harshly when they're only being human, will create resentment as has already been proved.

So you're saying it's only human to be extremely rude??? Chiming in on a thread with a post that has totally nothing to do with the conversation....that is just plain mean. You wouldn't do that in real life and keep friends very long.

Since there are a handful of members who have no consideration for the rights of others to have their threads move on unhampered by off topic statements and meaningless banter, I am hoping that once people get 15 days of moderation they will be able to remember to be courteous and respectful of others. I was raised in a different era, I suppose, when we were taught to obey rules (guidelines) and to respect people's conversations (threads) by not changing the subject to something we wanted to talk about.

ANYBODY, AT ANY TIME, can start their own thread about whatever they want to talk about. If they don't want to do that, they can go to the off topic thread. If they just want to chat, there are many chat clients on the Internet designed for that purpose.

And you think I'm not tolerant??? The GREATEST MAJORITY of off topic posts are left up and not even deleted and no infractions are given. I, better than anybody, know that most threads cannot go for more than ten posts before they move on to other subjects. The new penalty is designed to correct the most flagrant violations.

Thank you for your comments.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by JamesM

...And sometimes it is hard to keep completely on topic if it is a simple question. For instance, if I ask a question such as "What should I do...my wife won't have sex with me?" (Sound familiar? ), and someone begins asking me a bunch of questions that probe my behavior and our past together and her past, then this becomes off topic to a degree. Yet as the OP, I would find it helpful.

I am completely able to know when this happens and to let it pass. Posters need to learn how to stay on topic in a reasonable fashion, that's all.

[ReturnToSender]

Thanks for this There have been many times I see a topic Id like to respond to, but the last part of the convo has nothing to do with the OP, and I realize what I was going to say wouldnt really contrinute at that point. Or if I do post, its looks out of place, ironically enough, between all the posts about something else entirely.

And so even if the topic did interest me and I too am curious about the response to it...I find the thread to be of no real use and avoid it. Which is kind of a bummer.

[boldjack]

It is human nature , in any discussion or argument, to go off on tangents. I agree it would be rude to stay there, but most of the time, it is unintentional. If you are to "punish", every poster, who says anything , not strictly on topic, you will have very short threads, indeed. And fewer and fewer posters. The trick is , as I see it, to have some mechanism, for bringing a thread back on- topic. Perhaps there should be a "topic review, option that people can use to make everybody aware that this is happening.

[carhill]

I've found a good habit (not followed exactly all the time) is, when typing down here in the quick reply box, to look back at the title bar and the thread title and reflect upon whether my post is relevant to that topic. Thanks for the reminder, Tony.

[2sure]

Take a thread off topic and get 15 days moderation....

Its like the scared straight program.

[boldjack]

BTW, I am as guilty as anyone.