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The how to avoid going "off topic" thread

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by CloudBoy101, Feb 15, 2008.

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  1. CloudBoy101

    CloudBoy101 Well-Known Member

    It seems on every topic I've posted in, someone has decided to change the topic into whatever they feel needs to be said. I admit, I've done this myself as well, but here's a full proof plan to avoid any changes of the topic of a thread:

    1)If you notice that someone else has tried to change the topic, just ignore what they posted and continue with you idea on the matter. Why would you be read the topic if you didn't have an interest in the subject?

    2)If someone continually tries to change the topic, kindly inform them that there is a specific topic and they should continue to stay on it.

    3)If you feel you need to say something off topic, but don't know what to do, start a new thread in the correct section, thats what they're there for.

    4)If the thread your reading goes off topic to the point of no return, kindly say good bye to it, because it's more than likely never going to return to it's natural state.

    Hopefully these ideas will help some of you who don't like people going off topic in your specific thread, or a thread you've been enjoying.

    --CloudBoy101
     
    CloudBoy101, Feb 15, 2008
    #1
  2. sir spamalot

    sir spamalot Well-Known Member

    or do what i do:

    [off topic mode: on]

    [​IMG]

    [off topic mode: off]

    this should be stickied
     
    sir spamalot, Feb 15, 2008
    #2
  3. BloodVayne

    BloodVayne Well-Known Member

    Didn't this happen to the PS4 thread? :p . Yeah it's annoying for people who read it. Another tip : avoid posting just to reply to the person above you (except in games or where you're supposed to do just that); it's irritating when a thread turns into a chat room.
     
    BloodVayne, Feb 15, 2008
    #3
  4. iamlegend

    iamlegend Well-Known Member

    Great in theory.....
    Impossible in practice....

    You'll see...
     
    iamlegend, Feb 15, 2008
    #4
  5. Crashtehelf

    Crashtehelf Well-Known Member

    You honestly believe that a single post would stop people from hijacking threads. That's like asking chickens to...mmm, chicken wings. Don't you just love chicken wings? Chicken wings + hot sauce = win
     
    Crashtehelf, Feb 15, 2008
    #5
  6. Crashtehelf

    Crashtehelf Well-Known Member

    Don't you just love polar bears? I love the Coca Cola bears..(Your fighting a losing battle. People will forever go off topic as they do not read rules and such.)
     
    Crashtehelf, Feb 16, 2008
    #6
  7. Born2killx

    Born2killx Well-Known Member

    You're going to get banned, Crashtehelf. Read the rules.
     
    Born2killx, Feb 16, 2008
    #7
  8. Reider

    Reider Modereider

    Agreed, and locked since this looks to be heading in a bad direction anyways.
     
    Reider, Feb 16, 2008
    #8
  9. Seph

    Seph Administrator Staff Member

    In response to this thread

    The problem with human nature and forums is that a forum is not a conversation, a conversation has a specific purpose; if it's idle chatter it's just to entertain and perhaps get to know the other person, however, if you're seeking out information you don't suddenly start talking about carrots and vitamins supplements.

    In many ways a forum is a place for information gathering, a lot of people here have no intention of participating in idle chatting, they're looking for specific information and unrelated posts gets annoying if in excess. Thus why we have the rules of not going off-topic, they help keep the annoyances down for the forums true purpose, namely to provide information to people.

    With that said though, we do realize that RomUlation is also used for more community related things such as the previously mentioned idle chatter and also joking and to a certain extent friendships. All we ask is that this is kept limited to sections where this is intended, for example the general chat and the spam section. Areas such as technical help, the previously linked contest suggestion and even threads specifically about a game or similar should contain information and discussion about that, not something entirely unrelated which was thought of due to some obscure word connotation, stray random thought or internal joke.

    We realize that it would be more ideal with a Wiki for things that are specifically about providing information, but in turn a forum provides discussion of points and shows all of the points whereas a Wiki will be limited to the last editors opinion. Thus why we decided to not use a Wiki.

    We also know that we need to find the proper balance for this, we don't have a magic pill that will solve all our problems so we need to learn and adapt, so far we've found the forums to be way too much idle chatter in places where there shouldn't be any and has thus decided to take a harsh stance on it until it has decreased, from there we'll see about relaxing the moderation some until we find a suitable level where everyone (and especially us, the admins and mods) are happy.
     
    Seph, Feb 16, 2008
    #9
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