Off-topic posts

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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"Off topic" can be rather hard to define, sometimes as some topics have many ramifications not to mention the odd word of greeting to someone you are familiar with or haven't heard from in awhile- speaking for myself I was off the forums for awhile but now I'm back and just renewing old acquaintances. I agree it's certainly in bad taste to type 10 pages about something completely unrelated. Sometimes as I've noticed in other forums you get situations where two or three people think they "own" the forum and make the rules. As far as I know all forums are public domain and open to anyone who is not abusive.
 

Vanni Fucci

Senate Member
Dec 26, 2004
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the-brights.net
What do you mean by other forums, other boards?

Yeah, I've noticed a recent influx of posters from canada.com...something about that forum being broken or such...

Which is ok, they seem to be quite intelligent, and have something worthwhile to say...

But I have to agree that the mid-thread, off-topic chit chat is a bit annoying...

Private messaging has been implemented on this forum for a reason, dammit...:angry3:
 

Said1

Hubba Hubba
Apr 18, 2005
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Das Kapital
"Off topic" can be rather hard to define, sometimes as some topics have many ramifications not to mention the odd word of greeting to someone you are familiar with or haven't heard from in awhile- speaking for myself I was off the forums for awhile but now I'm back and just renewing old acquaintances. I agree it's certainly in bad taste to type 10 pages about something completely unrelated. Sometimes as I've noticed in other forums you get situations where two or three people think they "own" the forum and make the rules. As far as I know all forums are public domain and open to anyone who is not abusive.

Nothing wrong with saying hello, how are you - I do the same since I tend to come and go.

Sometimes thread go off topic when they've run their course, too.
 

Spade

Ace Poster
Nov 18, 2008
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Brrrrr! It's sure cold out there! It took me five minutes to shake the snow off my boots and defrost my glasses! Is this the "Jesus" thread?

PS
Can one be off-topic in an "Off Topic" thread?
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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Nothing wrong with saying hello, how are you - I do the same since I tend to come and go.

Sometimes thread go off topic when they've run their course, too.

Yep, Sir Rupe and I had a couple of words about the format of the forum (for one I was asking how to start a new thread) and a couple of "remarks" were passed. No big deal.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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Brrrrr! It's sure cold out there! It took me five minutes to shake the snow off my boots and defrost my glasses! Is this the "Jesus" thread?

PS
Can one be off-topic in an "Off Topic" thread?

You're always a card, Spade:cool:
 

Andem

dev
Mar 24, 2002
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I agree that bringing a thread off-topic is extremely annoying and has an effect on the quality of the discussion about such a topic. That's why when I redesigned the forum, I added "write on wall" to the post. If you really want to greet somebody, somebody's wall is the perfect place. Alternatively, you can post a thread about something or somebody (if you have something nice to say) in the lounge.
 

hermanntrude

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jun 23, 2006
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I like parsnips.

When i was a kid I used to hate parsnips but my grandad told me my hair would cur if i ate up my parsnips and thus began a long and beautiful relationship....
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
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Square pegs in square holes, round pegs in round holes. Conform or suffer.

That is all
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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I agree that bringing a thread off-topic is extremely annoying and has an effect on the quality of the discussion about such a topic. That's why when I redesigned the forum, I added "write on wall" to the post. If you really want to greet somebody, somebody's wall is the perfect place. Alternatively, you can post a thread about something or somebody (if you have something nice to say) in the lounge.

Thanks, I will try to do that in future.
 

Nuggler

kind and gentle
Feb 27, 2006
11,596
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Backwater, Ontario.
A bit racist there, you and those parsnips!! Go ahead, deny it.

Now, my dog ate carrots, and it's fur turned red.

Top that topic off topic.

or not

8O
 

Spade

Ace Poster
Nov 18, 2008
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I love golf!
Putt this here
It's not really square and round, it's rectangular prismatic and cylindrical.
 
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Spade

Ace Poster
Nov 18, 2008
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Parsnips could grow on a golf course; in general, they don't. But, in Bermuda, feral chickens grace the links. Triangulation, I think.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
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Can one be off-topic in an "Off Topic" thread?

Of course. If the off-topic thread doesn't fit in to the scope of other sub-forums, and it gets posted here, that doesn't make it a free-for-all.

If the off topic thread is about subject X, and I bust in going on about subjects Y, Z, A and B, then I'm pretty much off-topic in an off-topic thread, no?

:lol:
 

Spade

Ace Poster
Nov 18, 2008
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Now, suppose the off-topic thread were about off-topic posts. Could an off-topic post in the thread on off-topic posts in the off-topic category be off topic?

Whoops, i cut myself shaving, anyone have a topical dressing?
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
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Now, suppose the off-topic thread were about off-topic posts. Could an off-topic post in the thread on off-topic posts in the off-topic category be off topic?

Whoops, i cut myself shaving, anyone have a topical dressing?

Of course. Talking about the war in Afghanistan for instance would not be talking about off topic posts. :lol:

Evolution of threads is fine, but interjecting completely unrelated matter is poor netiquette. It's like spam.