What did Thumper's Daddy say?

[novella]

I always found the "stay on topic" thing rather strange. If you were having a conversation with some friends about classic sports cars and the conversation veered onto what's the best road side cafe would one of your friends scream "STAY ON TOPIC!"?????

Conversation are, and surely, should be living organic things. They shouldn't be dusty dead. The quote button is made so you can reply to whatever interests you. It's not really such a big deal to skip over the stuff you are not interested in. Sometimes the thread can get really off topic and into another interesting debate. Hopefully when this happens one of us mods can split the thread.

Another point I want to make. It often comes up that people want this or they don't like that. To these people I say, you want a perfect world. There are things I don't like but I live with them. There are always going to be things that irritate you or that you would rather be done a different way. This is simply personal preference. There are many things in life we don't like but oh well. That's just life. The thing to do is concentrate on the bits you DO like rather than the negative points. Just my 2 cents/pence/insert your currency here.

Live conversations between two people are a completely different thing and not a very good analogy.

Keeping forum threads on topic is a courtesy to board users. It's the only way to keep a forum organized so that it is navigable and makes sense when people are looking for discussions that they want to partcipate in. Going to a thread called The Da Vinci Code and reading 29 posts about hairy asses is not just annoying, it puts off people who wanted to talk about that book, which, presumably is why they came to this forum and clicked on that thread.

IMO, a basic part of a moderator's job is to gently encourage on-topic discussion. If every thread on a forum is full of the same off-topic banter about penguins and biscuits, it becomes uninteresting and useless as a subject forum.

Wabbit, it's not about what some people like or don't like or should learn to live with. Obviously we have some ability to restrain off-topic discussion so that on-topic threads are places where people share and develop ideas about books, writing, and language. Most people who come to TBF say that's what they are looking for and looking forward to participating in. That deserves some consideration.

 

[mr_michel]

just to add an example for novella's last post

this is what our latest introduced new member expresed about it

I've been looking for a forum exactly like this one for ages where there are lots of people discussing books, and am really looking forward to joining in

Nakmeister

 

[StillILearn]

Newb/emoticon warning

I really wish a few of the newer members that have signed on in the last month or so would chime in on this thread. I'd love to know why they stuck around, or what almost chased them off.

I'm kinda new around here, so I'll chime in as a newb. I was delighted to discover this forum, and I love the diversity.

Some of you are sweetie-pies and I'm charmed by your posts.

Some of you tend to be a bit more, shall we say, cynical (if not actually abrasive), in your approach to life, and I feel (quite happily) challenged by your posts.

Some of you are incredibly bright and eloquent and I read your exchanges with awe and delight.

The reason I haven't gone away (and won't-- you can't make me ) is that you all love books as much as I do.

 

[Motokid]

Thanx StillIlearn, I really needed to hear that today...

diversity...that's what makes the world go 'round....and the forum a fun place to be.

 

[StillILearn]

It took me a while to figure out that you're not really a Bart Simpsony Mototkid, Motokid.

 

[Motokid]

It took me a while to figure out that you're not really a Bart Simpsony Mototkid, Motokid.

I love to keep em guessing.....but if I'm not Bart Simpsony...what am I?

 

[Martin]

... so that on-topic threads are places where people share and develop ideas about books, writing, and language. Most people who come to TBF say that's what they are looking for and looking forward to participating in. That deserves some consideration.

Yes, and they get exactly that in every other subfora on these boards.

Cheers

 

[Wabbit]

Live conversations between two people are a completely different thing and not a very good analogy.

Keeping forum threads on topic is a courtesy to board users. It's the only way to keep a forum organized so that it is navigable and makes sense when people are looking for discussions that they want to partcipate in. Going to a thread called The Da Vinci Code and reading 29 posts about hairy asses is not just annoying, it puts off people who wanted to talk about that book, which, presumably is why they came to this forum and clicked on that thread.

IMO, a basic part of a moderator's job is to gently encourage on-topic discussion. If every thread on a forum is full of the same off-topic banter about penguins and biscuits, it becomes uninteresting and useless as a subject forum.

Wabbit, it's not about what some people like or don't like or should learn to live with. Obviously we have some ability to restrain off-topic discussion so that on-topic threads are places where people share and develop ideas about books, writing, and language. Most people who come to TBF say that's what they are looking for and looking forward to participating in. That deserves some consideration.

I really don't think my analogy is off. My comparison was made to illustrate how dull a conversation would be in a group of people that simply stuck to one topic. Now, wouldn't that be dull?

Secondly, "IMO - in my opinion" is totally correct here. In your opinion exactly. Personally, I don't want a forum where the moderators scream at people to not do this or not do that and oh stay on topic!!!!! It's horrible. I am sure a lot of other people agree with me. Some here like it to stay on topic. Some here like it free form and organic. Tastes differ. I would say that the people that like it more organic are by far and away in the majority. I would also say that most people on this forum are very happy with the way it is.

What do you want? A Draconian forum where we mods stamp down with our jack boots enforcing every tiny rule and screaming at anybody that dares stray off topic, or do you want a free forum? It is EXACTLY about tolerating the things that you don't like. Isn't that freedom? Personally I want a forum where there are some things I don't like ( PERSONAL TASTE ) that is organic, lively, spontaneous, friendly, and lastly but very much not least fun! I assume you are all for freedom of choice?

So the rally cry is freedom of choice. The price of freedom is to accept that not everything is YOUR way. That people differ in their tastes and to accommodate everybody there will be things you do not like. The rally cry is freedom. The rally cry is tolerance. The rally cry is " LETS ALL GET ALONG "

 

[lovermuffin]

getting along really starts with taking the individual responsibility of putting the site's interets before our own personal agenda to be right. i assume that all the "heavy posters" have stayed because they love the site. so in order to keep the site flourishing, they need to contribute positively to it. if they're purposely offending people, they need to question there motives and the purpose of TBF.

 

[Kookamoor]

if they're purposely offending people, they need to question there motives and the purpose of TBF.

I don't think anyone who is a regular on this forum really goes out of their way to offend people. I feel that sometimes a comment may be taken out of context, however, particularly when the person a comment is directed at is new and doesn't understand the various 'personalities' around here. The problem is, that with the time delay that inherently comes on a forum such as this it is not possible to gauge a person's reaction to various comments, as we would in real life. That is my contention behind this thread, that we all need to be reminded that being a 'regular' on this forum comes with a responsibility to be nice to others and keep the forum the happy place that we want. If we see something that could be misconstrued, then take action and add a comment, or send a PM. We have mods, for sure, but for every day comments that are thrown out there without necessary foresight, we can deal with this amongst the regular members.

 

[StillILearn]

When I clicked on a thread entitled "What did Thumper's Daddy say?", I wasn't expecting that the talk would be about Anna Karenina, exactly.

(As a card-carrying member of the ACLU, I'm pretty much inclined to lean toward what the Wabbit just said.)

 

[StillILearn]

...but if I'm not Bart Simpsony...what am I?

Heck, Motokid -- I don't know you that well!

Let's take a poll.

What is Motokid, folks?

 

[novella]

I really don't think my analogy is off. My comparison was made to illustrate how dull a conversation would be in a group of people that simply stuck to one topic. Now, wouldn't that be dull?

On the contrary, many people find that a long, involved, extensive discussion of one subject has more depth, yields more understanding and meaning, and is very very fun.

Secondly, "IMO - in my opinion" is totally correct here. In your opinion exactly. Personally, I don't want a forum where the moderators scream at people to not do this or not do that and oh stay on topic!!!!! It's horrible. I am sure a lot of other people agree with me. Some here like it to stay on topic. Some here like it free form and organic. Tastes differ. I would say that the people that like it more organic are by far and away in the majority. I would also say that most people on this forum are very happy with the way it is.

What do you want? A Draconian forum where we mods stamp down with our jack boots enforcing every tiny rule and screaming at anybody that dares stray off topic, or do you want a free forum? It is EXACTLY about tolerating the things that you don't like. Isn't that freedom? Personally I want a forum where there are some things I don't like ( PERSONAL TASTE ) that is organic, lively, spontaneous, friendly, and lastly but very much not least fun! I assume you are all for freedom of choice?

Where do you get all the jack boots and screaming mods? What I said was mods could "gently encourage' on topic discussion. BTW, should I interpret your caps here as a "screaming moderator"?

So the rally cry is freedom of choice. The price of freedom is to accept that not everything is YOUR way. That people differ in their tastes and to accommodate everybody there will be things you do not like. The rally cry is freedom. The rally cry is tolerance. The rally cry is " LETS ALL GET ALONG "

There is a choice, even if the majority of threads stay on topic. It's called General Chat, which I participate in as much as anyone. It's lots of fun. It's also nice to have the choice of joining a spam-free thread about a book occassionally.

The practice of splitting threads that go meaningfully off topic is part of a mod's job. This way people click on a thread with the confidence that they will find something related to the thread title there.

I'm sure not into heavy policing of posts. I've never endorsed that. A little 'gentle encouragement' to stay on topic (as Ell and Martin and Ashlea and other mods have done in the past) is sometimes a welcome intervention.

 

[Kookamoor]

Heck, Motokid -- I don't know you that well!

Let's take a poll.

What is Motokid, folks?

As much as my fingers are itching to type a particular body part in response to that question, I'm going to suggest you start a new thread for that one. I'd rather this thread stay on topic until we've exhausted the present conversation.

 

[Wabbit]

On the contrary, many people find that a long, involved, extensive discussion of one subject has more depth, yields more understanding and meaning, and is very very fun.

Well those "many" people are awfully quiet.

Where do you get all the jack boots and screaming mods? What I said was mods could "gently encourage' on topic discussion. BTW, should I interpret your caps here as a "screaming moderator"?

I'm sure not into heavy policing of posts. I've never endorsed that. A little 'gentle encouragement' to stay on topic (as Ell and Martin and Ashlea and other mods have done in the past) is sometimes a welcome intervention.

And yeah... eveybody listened didn't they?

That wouldn't work and I think you know that. And besides as I tried to point out to you it comes down to freedom. Sure, you would like it less spammy but then their are those that wouldn't. I think we have a good balance here. That's something we may have to agree to disagree about

 

[jenn]

well if we have all agreed to disagree then i feel we should all mosy on over to mr michel's 1000th posts thread and have a shot.

 

[muggle]

Georgie porgie
Pudding and pie
Kissed the girls and made them cry
When the boys came out to play
He kissed them too
He's funny that way.

My sincere apology for my previous post. I did not take the time to read all the posts on this topic and did not realize it was a serious discussion.

 

[jenn]

muggle no apologies necessary. sometimes we need to be reminded of the basics we all learned in kindergarten. be nice, share, wash your hands, put things back where you found them.

 

[muggle]

muggle no apologies necessary. sometimes we need to be reminded of the basics we all learned in kindergarten. be nice, share, wash your hands, put things back where you found them.

Thank you.

 

[jenn]

Thank you.

no worries and i know it's the wrong thread but did i mention how much i like your avatar? it's super cool. if you have a sec post over in the avatar thread.