[*Feedback*] Stricter stance on off-topic posting

tuppence

Xiney wrote: »

the problem with sticky threads is they get so long that you can't get a grasp of it.

+1
Yes you're right other times its like groundhog day, with the amount of repetitiveness that can go on! :D
We could end up referencing page numbers soon. Oh another query on haritigans...pls see page 10 that kind of thing!

muffler

A chit chat type thread whether stickied or not is a good idea in it's own right but I believe it wont work too well overall. Its not that thread I would be worried about but other threads that have off topic posts.

What is an off topic post? Some are quite obvious but some are down to interpretation. One user here would consider a particular post acceptable while another wouldn't. I may think its off topic and basquille wouldn't. As I said its down to interpretation at times.

So we get a chit chat type post in the middle of a serious thread and we move it to the chit chat thread. Some people will be happy with that but then on the other hand we could be getting abusive PMs about it or someone going and doing something silly like starting a thread in feedback claiming that the mods are unreasonable by moving their posts from one thread to another.

A chit chat thread is fine on its own but it still wont stop people from posting off topic in other posts.

takola

muffler wrote: »

A chit chat type thread whether stickied or not is a good idea in it's own right but I believe it wont work too well overall. Its not that thread I would be worried about but other threads that have off topic posts.

What is an off topic post? Some are quite obvious but some are down to interpretation. One user here would consider a particular post acceptable while another wouldn't. I may think its off topic and basquille wouldn't. As I said its down to interpretation at times.

So we get a chit chat type post in the middle of a serious thread and we move it to the chit chat thread. Some people will be happy with that but then on the other hand we could be getting abusive PMs about it or someone going and doing something silly like starting a thread in feedback claiming that the mods are unreasonable by moving their posts from one thread to another.

A chit chat thread is fine on its own but it still wont stop people from posting off topic in other posts.

I have to disagree with this Muffler. It's not like yourself or Basq are handing out warnings in every thread because of one post. The only time warnings are handed out is when one post has resulted in the thread being derailed to a completely different subject. So if you see one chit chat post in the middle of a serious thread you'd wait to see if there's a second or third post bringing it off topic and then advise us to take it to the chit chat thread.

I actually think if there was a general chat thread there alot of us would be less likely to take things off topic. At the moment we can only discuss subjects threads are open for. But as someone pointed out in normal conversation you always jump to and fro. You can be in the middle of discussing something and remember something which will take the conversation onto something new. At least if we have the general chat thread we can just chat without having to worry about getting warnings. It would make things alot more relaxed imo.

I think it's certainly worth a try before we decide it's not going to work!

tuppence wrote:

+1
Yes you're right other times its like groundhog day, with the amount of repetitiveness that can go on!
We could end up referencing page numbers soon. Oh another query on haritigans...pls see page 10 that kind of thing!

At the moment we have these questions coming up in other threads. Even if we are saying go back to page 10 it's better than having other threads going off topic.

If people are finding it repetitive they don't need to visit or post there.

With general chat you don't need to get a grasp on it! It's general chat! You can enter it as you like with whatever subject you like! People will just answer you and if they have more to say on the first subject they'll carry that on too. I don't see the big deal!

Mint Sauce

i dont think youll ever avoid off topic posts muffler, even if you have a general conversation thread

but if you start moving the off topic posts from the subject specfic thread to the general conversation thread, i think that can disturb the natural flow in both threads involved, as long as the off topic post is in keeping with the subject or along the same lines, and is only for a few posts, and gets back on track quickly it shouldn't in my opinion be a problem,

now obviously if its a serious subject and said post is not in keeping with subject or belittles the content, then its a differnt mater, i understand the mods have a hard job to do sometimes, and what one poster or mod finds apropiate, may not be viewd the same way as another poster or mod, and i think most posters have the kop on to understand this, and think before they post, is this within keeping,

we are all guilty at times of off topic posting, and have done it my self on ocasions, weather it be mentioning some thing, not exactly on the subject but something similar, or joking about something another poster has said, if they too had joked, but as long as you make an attempt to steer it back, or juct acknowledge your off topic and not make a habit or a blatent attempt to disturb the topic, it should be put down to maybe the natural flow of the conversation

Basq

I will agree that off-topic posting is largely unavoidable but I think the main reason for this thread was to make people more aware that it's becoming a problem as of late.

It's became evident in a large percentage of threads, but I'm somewhat apprehensive to make a 'Chit-Chat Thread'. Mainly because it's too FaceBook / MySpace / Bebo.. ish. It's a good idea in general but think of the nuggets of goodness we'll have discussed in there:

• Was walking down the street and saw white dog-poo. Amazing.. why do we never see that anymore?
• Following on from my 'best sausage' question, anyone know where to get a good rib roast?
• muffler has stolen my Superman onesie again.. he could at least ask for fecks sake!

And well.. you get the idea. It'll also be tricky enough to moderate if it becomes popular, then offensive / questionable material may go un-noticed. And then come back to bite us in the ass.

Oh, and I'm sorry to those who disagree.. but off-topic posting is really NOT "what makes a thread (or forum) good". Much of the off-topic discussion can be "cliquey" (isolate anyone not a regular on Boards) and can make tracking the progression of the original topic difficult over a mound of off-topic replies.

smashey

basquille wrote: »

muffler has stolen my Superman onesie again.. he could at least ask for fecks sake!

Pics or it didn't happen.

Anyway, I think we all know when something is straying off-topic and maybe a little nudge early on to nip it in the bud would be an idea. If needed, start a new thread based on the off-topic comment.

tulipandthistle

I totally agree with you irish-stew. I also think moving some posts from a thread to a chit chat thread would just confuse a lot of people because you'd have half conversations going on all over the place.

Basquille, I would like to disagree with you about the "cliquey" aspect. I don't think it's possible to be cliquey on a discussion board. I have never seen it anyway and never felt that I couldn't join in or was left out in anyway.

smashey

tulipandthistle wrote: »

Basquille, I would like to disagree with you about the "cliquey" aspect. I don't think it's possible to be cliquey on a discussion board. I have never seen it anyway and never felt that I couldn't join in or was left out in anyway.

There are numerous cliques on boards believe me. I've had a battle with one of them in the mod forum.

takola

smashey wrote: »

There are numerous cliques on boards believe me. I've had a battle with one of them in the mod forum.

In fairness though, I don't think you can get away from that. Some of us are regulars in here and would be familiar with each other through posting. I don't think it's so bad in this forum that someone would be put off posting because of it though!

Not like over in the Donegal forum. It's brutal over there!

smashey

takola wrote: »

In fairness though, I don't think you can get away from that. Some of us are regulars in here and would be familiar with each other through posting. I don't think it's so bad in this forum that someone would be put off posting because of it though!

Not like over in the Donegal forum. It's brutal over there!

Some cliques have private fora and if the your face doesn't fit, you're gone.

Donegal is welcoming of all Sligonians. I even had one at my wedding acouple of years ago.;)

takola

smashey wrote: »

Some cliques have private fora and if the your face doesn't fit, you're gone.

Fair enough, point taken but I doubt that will happen on the Sligo forum. We don't have a clique in here. You post on the threads you can contribute to.

smashey wrote: »

Donegal is welcoming of all Sligonians. I even had one at my wedding acouple of years ago.;)

Yes, welcoming of us so you's can use us as sacrificial lambs. We know what happens up in that dark place!

tuppence

Gosh I dont see the clique think either I have to say. Mind you there could be anything goin on by pm but thats up to people and their own business! :eek:(not that I am paranoid or anything.:D)
If theres any jokiness its normally a bonding thing, and if anything I think it would make new comers feel at ease. Certainly not a sense that a leitrim resident cant join in or anything....(pms start!)
I blame the Donegal crew for leading us all astray anyway.

Xiney

I have to agree that I would hate for the Sligo board to get cliquey - like someone pointed out, the rest of boards is full of little cliques.

TequilaMockingBird

What clique? Why wasn't I invited?? Well??

I think this forum is grand, leave it as it is, add a "Nonsense" sticky, and carry on as usual. Less work for the Mods, and more relaxed for the plebs (me). I think there are enough regulars here who know the charter, know the forum, that if anyone is taking the p*ss it would soon be nipped in the bud and reported.

takola

sueme wrote: »

What clique? Why wasn't I invited?? Well??

I didn't get an invite either. I guess our faces aren't right!

muffler

takola wrote: »

I guess our faces aren't right!

The answer to your problems

takola

muffler wrote: »

The answer to your problems

Woohoo! We can buy some of that anti-aging toothpaste (:rolleyes: ) and we'll be sorted!

Do you mind me asking for both yourself and Basquille's opinions are now Muff?

I know you're not too keen on a chat thread, Basq doesn't seem to keen on it either.

So most of us have had our say now etc, What do the two of you think would benefit the forum?

starbelgrade

muffler wrote: »

The answer to your problems

You've been watching 'Queer Eye For A Straight Guy' again, I see.

TequilaMockingBird

muffler wrote: »

The answer to your problems

Attack the poster, not the post. Some day..... *evil smiley*

tuppence

muffler wrote: »

The answer to your problems

Yes i blame the Donegal heads for drawing us off topic. Its the cap that fits in this case.

smashey

tuppence wrote: »

I blame the Donegal crew for leading us all astray anyway.

tuppence wrote: »

Yes i blame the Donegal heads for drawing us off topic. Its the cap that fits in this case.

tuppence,

I'm watching you.

TequilaMockingBird

starbelgrade wrote: »

You've been watching 'Queer Eye For A Straight Guy' again, I see.

Easy tiger.

tuppence

smashey wrote: »

tuppence,

I'm watching you.

I wear said cap too. Thats the way I view the world. Off topic. Oh oh. :eek::D

starbelgrade

sueme wrote: »

Easy tiger.

Meoow.

Xiney

Well, this thread hasn't become ironic in any way....

starbelgrade

Xiney wrote: »

Well, this thread hasn't become ironic in any way....

A thread entitled "Stricter stance on off-topic posting" going off topic... I fail to see the irony in that!

muffler

takola wrote: »

Do you mind me asking for both yourself and Basquille's opinions are now Muff?

I know you're not too keen on a chat thread, Basq doesn't seem to keen on it either.

So most of us have had our say now etc, What do the two of you think would benefit the forum?

Right so. I think this thread has been most useful and some very good points raised. Im going to have to answer this in 2 parts though. As most of you will have seen a large percentage of my posts here are done as an ordinary user with a few then made with the auld mods hat on.

As a user/poster here I think most of the threads are fine. I have been guilty of posting off topic but I try never to do so until the thread has served its usefulness and then its only to throw in a bit of humor or winding someone up maybe. As a user I would be reasonable happy overall with the way things have been going up to now but I do realise that a couple of threads need a bit more moderation. A chit chat thread would not be my first choice to post in and I could see it turning into a thunderdrome type situation where people here may get the idea that anything goes including insults etc. I wouldnt want to be involved in that.

As a mod I have similar views but there are points I wish to make and hopefully they will be taken on board by everyone here. I would just like to point out that I haven't even discussed this with basquille so these are my own thoughts as co mod of the forum.

The onus is on the users here to post appropriately and in accordance with the charter and boards.ie general rules and guidelines. We (the mods)are here to police the forum and carry out any moderation that is considered necessary. Just remember its your forum and its a damn good one so lets keep it that way.

If your post is moderated in any way - edited, deleted, infraction given etc please dont make a song and dance of the issue. We are like football refs - we like to think we do things in a fair and unbiased manner and for the good of the community here.

We will never ever eliminate off topic posting and God knows I have lost count of the number of times I have asked people to stay on topic. Personally I dont have a problem with one off posts but persistent off topic posting in a thread will demand moderation of some kind.

Most of you here will know that I have dealt with a lot of you by PM and offered advice and explanations. Those PMs are private and wont be disclosed to anyone else other than another mod if a second opinion is required. But I would suggest that you all make more use of the "report post" button. If you are unhappy with the content of a particular post then report it. By doing so myself and basquille are alerted to it and the only people that can view a reported post are other mods, Smods and admins. So make use of that facility.

Listen I could go on and on but I have to rush off here. In summary I feel that the forum is good overall, a wee bit of off topic posting wont stop the world from spinning round but we all need to tighten up that little bit.

Oh and as regards a chit chat type thread from a mods point of view Im not entirely convinced that it is the way forward although I am prepared to give it a run for a while to see how it develops. If it was solely my call I would say no however I will pass the buck on this one and run with what ever basquille decides.

starbelgrade

I think this thread is a good example of a good thread - a decent discussion about the main topic with a wee bit off off topic banter & ribbing (some of it very entertaining). Possibly a template for how the forum should be (and generally is)?

Mint Sauce

mmm, its been busy since i signed off in the early hours, as for the cliques smashy and takola, i agree with yas, you are going to get them, i'm, not sure how many regualar posters there would be on the sligo/NW boards, but i also post regulary on another site (what you thought i only visted here ), and there can be some cliques there as well.

where you get a group of people who post regulary enough, you can get some sort of bond, even though we might never meet, you get used to their on line persona, and ocasionaly, i'll be honest, it can sometimes be a little off putting for newbies, but then we're all newbies at some stage, and its just a caes of inviting or encourageing them to jump in and get invloved

muffler

irish-stew wrote: »

where you get a group of people who post regulary enough, you can get some sort of bond, even though we might never meet, you get used to their on line persona

A beers night would sort that