After Hours 'Off-Topic' Thread

we'llallhavetea_old

opinion guy wrote: »

True. But thats my point. Its impossible to have read everything in these 500 page threads. Yet you get hammered for not having done so

In fact I've recently returned to posting in PI/RI on account of this problem - in part because by their nature the threads remain short and you can easily review them. (That and helping people)

tbh i don't think it'll be an issue in an off topic thread, who can pull you up on something like that when there's no specific topic? those people don't bother me, they don't deserve any attention if they're gonna be at that nonsense.

opinion guy

Hmm

I was about to say that the <pointless debate> thread fulfilled the off-topic role in AH. But then I just noticed it had been closed. For shame!!!

Kirnsy

I'd be against it. I think that good posters may become very attached to it and therefore would gradually phase out posting in other threads. IMO if people want to chat they can exchange FB details or PM...

I also think it would end up being the same group of posters using it and would actually be the opposite of being inviting to new posters.

Tar.Aldarion

I feel it's a bad idea, more like an unnessessary thing really. If you were to discuss something I would go for the 'are threads locked too easily due t chat?' angle.

K-9

Kirnsy wrote: »

I also think it would end up being the same group of posters using it and would actually be the opposite of being inviting to new posters.

IMO, that is what will happen. Only people interested in it will post in it and after a while it will be the same posters and will seem cliquish, for want of a better word.

tbh

TheZohan wrote: »

While we're at it why not give all posters read acess to the moderators forum.

eh............whatever - I don't think one follows as a consequence of another.

My suggestion for a compromise would be - start the thread. Have a limit in your head of how many reported posts from it you're willing to tolerate in a given time frame - a week, ten days, whatever. If it exceeds that limit, shut it down, and no-one can say you weren't willing to try. If it doesn't, leave it open.

stovelid

Can't people just flirt in messenger conversations instead? :pac:

mahamageehad

Hmmmm... very divided opinions on this!

So heres my thinking-
I started a OTT in the CIT forum. I don't have exact facts and figures but it didn't seem to stop the number of new threads popping up. All it did instead was take the chatter to one place. The new threads that opened up remained specific to an issue eg. headshops, peoples opinions of CIT, discussion about specific courses and what's covered.

Not trying to say that that is the same thing as an After hours ott. The traffic in the CIT forum is pretty minimal. I understand that, i'm using it as an example of where an ott thread worked. And if it can work on a small scale what's to stop it working on a large scale?

On the topic of cliches next- Yes the CIT bar thread has a number (5 or 6) of regular posters. If you open the thread on a random page you might get two or three people having a conversation. However there are many examples on the thread of where somebody new or at least someone not involved in the current conversation joined in. I also found it a way to feel welcomed into the forum and the get to know other regular posters better.

So my 2c?? I'm for it. I don't see the harm in giving it a trial run. If it fails, or is a nightmare, or changes the tone of the forum just close it. Problem solved. However I do think that saying no straight away can disillusion people, especially if there is support for it. At the time of posting the for and against polls were almost even.

OutlawPete

Set up a Poll in After Hours to gauge opinion on it one way or the other.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055888860

dr.bollocko

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I feel it's a bad idea, more like an unnessessary thing really. If you were to discuss something I would go for the 'are threads locked too easily due t chat?' angle.

I'd even go one step further and say "are threads locked too easily" is a good discussion point.

OutlawPete

stovelid wrote: »

Can't people just flirt in messenger conversations instead? :pac:

Obviously not, hence the suggestion for the thread

opinion guy

So seeing as we now have a fully-fledged debate on this topic in AH shouldn't this thread be locked ?

OutlawPete

opinion guy wrote: »

So seeing as we now have a fully-fledged debate on this topic in AH shouldn't this thread be locked ?

Why?

Admin may wish to comment here when the thread /Poll in AH is concluded.

This thread is not doing doing any harm.

Decisions won't be made in AH anyway, they are made by Admin.

Sarky

Then why put a thread in After Hours at all?

In my own experiences here and elsewhere, chat threads don't confine chatter at all. They only increase it.The funny thing about increasing the places to chat is that the amount of chat is never diluted by it. It only ever increases. Unless, as Dr. Bollocko (I think. Again with the not paying much attention) said somewhere else, it's crushed with an iron fist.

What's wrong with IRC or the legion of messenger programs that exist (and you ALL have at least one of those, I'm betting) to do exactly what a chat thread would, only do it more efficiently and in proper real time?

OutlawPete

Sarky wrote: »

What's wrong with IRC or the legion of messenger programs that exist (and you ALL have at least one of those, I'm betting) to do exactly what a chat thread would, only do it more efficiently and in proper real time?

How would newbies use that, why would anyone use it.

It misses the point with respect.

The whole point of a Bar thread / 'Off-topic' thread is a place to keep "Off-Topic" banter from clogging up the threads.

A place where people can jump to easy enough.

Just like The Beers thread is at the moment, easily accessible and within the forum.

Hey, it's just a suggestion.

I am quite surprised at the sniping from some people actually, there seems to be quite a lot of anger at mere suggestion of such a thread.

It amazes me that the some people would be so threatened by one thread.

It's just for 'Off-topic' chatter, the great 'On-topic' After Hours banter will remain intact, why wouldn't it. No Mod I have ever seen told anyone to stop 'On-topic' banter.

AlmightyCushion

OutlawPete wrote: »

LOL, no they wouldn't

I can't believe some of the stuff being posted.

Post "weird stuff", "rants", "links" and "news articles"?

Come on.

Just put it the charter that the 'Off topic' thread is for 'off'topic chat etc.

If you have a cool story, news article etc, start a thread.

People don't do that on threads at the moment, so why would they in an 'Off-topic' thread.

Cool Vids, Pics & Links is there for most of those things.

Christ, you'll be saying that there will just drug dealing on the thread next

But the off topic threads do take over a forum. For example the wikileaks video. If we had an off topic thread I can guarantee you that someone would have posted it in the off topic thread instead of starting a new thread. This will be the case with a lot of things that would normally get a dedicated thread for them. So this means there are less threads being started and less posts in the threads that are started because a lot of people just mainly stay in the chat thread (this is what I and I imagine others did in the bar thread in BGRH).

Plus cliques are every where. Most forums will have them and they aren't necessarily a bad thing. If a clique is hostile and agressive/antagonistic to newcomers because they aren't part of the clique then that is a bad thing and I hope I speak for all the ah mods (well all mods and admins actually) when I say that shít won't be tolerated. If anything surely an off topic thread would encourage clique-ism (I'm pretty sure that isn't a word) because it will create little in jokes that others/new-comers won't get. E.g. I've regularly seen some stuff spill into after hours that happened in some private forums that I don't have access to (but I know about) and it's always bewildered the crap out of me what those people were talking about. Surely the off topic thread will do something similar. E.g. if there is a running joke in the off topic thread and it spills into another thread, a new comer comes along and sees this and could feel intimidated because they aren't part of the group or don't get the jokes or whatever. Off topic threads don't reduce cliqueness and potentially increase it.

Why can't people use the social groups. We could have an after hours social group created that everyone has access to. It should be no hassle to set up.

opinion guy

OutlawPete wrote: »

Why?

Admin may wish to comment here when the thread /Poll in AH is concluded.

This thread is not doing doing any harm.

Decisions won't be made in AH anyway, they are made by Admin.

Why ? Actually simply because i hate trying to follow the same conversation in two threads at once. Really is there a need for two thread on the same topic ?

OutlawPete wrote: »

It's just for 'Off-topic' chatter, the great 'On-topic' After Hours banter will remain intact, why wouldn't it. No Mod I have ever seen told anyone to stop 'On-topic' banter.

Yeah but the very nature of after hours is to some degree off-topic. Its whats different about after hours compared to other forums. Why does an off-topic forum need an off-topic thread ?

OutlawPete

opinion guy wrote: »

Why does an off-topic forum need an off-topic thread ?

After all I have written in the OP and throughoiut this thread, you still REALLY have to ask why I feel AH need an 'Off-topic' thread?

Read the OP, and the rest of my posts on this thread, my reasons are there.

AckwelFoley

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I'd even go one step further and say "are threads locked too easily" is a good discussion point.

The answer to that is no.

Last night i was drinking.. i started a thread about snots, i believe its still open

opinion guy

OutlawPete wrote: »

After all I have written in the OP and throughoiut this thread, you still REALLY have to ask why I feel AH need an 'Off-topic' thread?

Read the OP, and the rest of my posts on this thread, my reasons are there.

I read the OP. However I'm not you. I don't agree with you. I have my own opinion (hence the name). I don't think this thread you are asking for is necessary.

OutlawPete

opinion guy wrote: »

I read the OP. However I'm not you. I don't agree with you. I have my own opinion (hence the name). I don't think this thread you are asking for is necessary.

So what, have your own opinion, say it a thousand times, that's your prerogative.

Just stop asking me questions that I have already answered many times in the thread.

opinion guy

I didn't ask you any questions. That was rhetorical. if I had asked you a question I would have said: Pete:....blah blah blah ??

OutlawPete

opinion guy wrote: »

I didn't ask you any questions.

Question 1

opinion guy wrote: »

Why ? Actually simply because i hate trying to follow the same conversation in two threads at once.

Question 2

opinion guy wrote: »

Really is there a need for two thread on the same topic ?

Both questions have been answered.

If you can't find the answers, PM me and I'll send them to you.

opinion guy

OutlawPete wrote: »

Question 1

You asked why - not me. I was answering your question. Pay attention would you ?

Question 2

I told you that was rhetorical.


Stop being pedantic



Edit: Pay attention would you ? is not a question in need of answering. It is a request for you to change your behaviour. Just in case you get confused again

Tar.Aldarion

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I'd even go one step further and say "are threads locked too easily" is a good discussion point.

I had that and then edited to be more apt for the thread by putting in the chat bit. But yeah yeah, you get all the thanks, whatever, I dont car. :pac:


Also, use this
http://tinychat.com/boards

you guys can cam each other too!

OutlawPete

opinion guy wrote: »

I told you that was rhetorical.

You had three questions in that one post were you quoted me twice and they were ALL "rhetorical"??

opinion guy wrote: »

Why ?

Really is there a need for two thread on the same topic ?

Why does an off-topic forum need an off-topic thread ?

Of course now you say that these "rhetorical" questions were just a request for me to change my behavior, interesting.

opinion guy wrote: »

It is a request for you to change your behaviour.

I am entitled to start a thread in Feedback just like anyone else and it is not for you to tell anyone that they should change their behavior.

Overheal

And now we're debating the Question Mark

OutlawPete

Overheal wrote: »

And now we're debating the Question Mark

Sure seems that way.

EDIT: Maybe we are better off on the 'Pointless Debate' thread with this one

Chinafoot

OutlawPete wrote: »

Sure seems that way.

Ugh, Pete read the first "question" again. YOU asked opinionguy why here. His "why" at the start of his response was a not a question to you, he was simply saying "Why do I think the thread should be closed in AH? Well because I don't like having to follow two threads on the one subject..." Its bloody obvious what he meant.

You're being very aggressive here which is thoroughly unnecessary and probably not going to do you any favours.

For what it's worth, I'd be with the mods on this one. They're the ones that are going to have to mod it, and tbh "off-topic threads" in my experience end up being conversations between the same few people. There are social groups for you and your mates to use.

opinion guy

OutlawPete wrote: »

You had three questions in that one post were you quoted me twice and they were ALL "rhetorical"??

Jessus. The first question was a repition of YOUR question in order to answer:

OutlawPete wrote: »

Why?

Admin may wish to comment here when the thread /Poll in AH is concluded.

This thread is not doing doing any harm.

Decisions won't be made in AH anyway, they are made by Admin.

Christ almighty pay attention to your own posts would you ?

Of course now you say that these "rhetorical" questions were just a request for me to change my behavior, interesting.

YES the other two questions were rhetorical.

I am entitled to start a thread in Feedback just like anyone else and it is not for you to tell anyone that they should change their behavior.

And its not for you to tell people what kind of questions to ask.

Honestly Pete, your pedantic pickering with me here and K9 on the other thread - do you think you are achieving anything ? Do you think its convincing people that opening a off-topic thread is desirable ? Or do you think it just puts people off this debate ?


You used to be cool Pete, what happened to you ?