Self Moderation of the On-Topic Forum

I recall people were throwing around the idea of renaming this place to serious discussion or something similar and getting rid of the rule about on-topicness. I don't know if that would be a popular alternative to OTC, I don't recall it being put to a vote.

That could work... so its basically for formal conversation as opposed to strictly on topic conversation?

EDIT: Someone could always declare at the start if they wanted a thread to resist derails... on the other hand, I'm not sure that Yack Fest couldn't handle serious conversations.

edited 23rd Sep '11 3:50:47 PM by GameChainsaw

I think the one thing no one likes about OTC is its on topic rule, though I could be wrong.

It's not that the format is incompatible, it's just that people prefer to keep their srs and their shitposting seperate.

That and, the two forums hate each other for reasons I really don't understand all that well.

edited 23rd Sep '11 3:52:35 PM by BlixtySlycat

I've posted more than once in this thread demonstrating that that's just not true Blixty. The reason I come here is the on topic rule; this is a place away from the endless children shitposting in Yack Fest.

edited 23rd Sep '11 3:53:38 PM by CaissasDeathAngel

...I don't hate Yack fest. Since when do people here hate Yack Fest? I even post there occasionally!

...

Ah, now its coming out. Right, can I suggest an alternative?

Can people just grow the fuck up and stop using the word "hate" to describe relations between two different sets of regulars to differently designated forum areas?! Before we all lose a treasured part of the forum?!

edited 23rd Sep '11 3:55:27 PM by GameChainsaw

edit: nevermind.

In any case, to be perfectly honest here, if we're going to have to do an overhaul or whatever, shutting it down is just easier. I doubt Eddie's going to be convinced not to anyway, so...

edit: ^look at the post directly above you and you'll see what I mean.

edited 23rd Sep '11 3:55:19 PM by BlixtySlycat

I think most people really "self-police" that is, trying to loop back around to the original topic fairly well. I know that I try to do that, although it's awkward at times :)

But yeah, there's going to be tangents in these types of conversations, especially when you have fairly intelligent people. There's no way to completely avoid it. So it should be, in my opinion, in the words of my father, "Keep it to a dull roar". Slight tangents are fine, but when a discussion is horribly off track for a sustained period of time, close it down and let the off-shoot get a new title.

Which is pretty much what happens now.

From what I generally understand OTC is for some form of serious dicussion in it's various flavours. The Yack fest side is for topics that you might not really care if things get silly or even derail. Ie not a place for anything you want serious consideration on.

I don't "hate" the on-topic-ness of OTC, in fact I like it, and would post here more often if the threads interested me.

Oh, and Yack Fest is not 100% shitposting.

Just 90%

(God damn it...)

Guys, please? I don't want On Topic to go, and getting into a pointless feud with the guys in Yack Fest is not going to help.

I'm not going to pretend here, this kind of stuff annoys the hell out of me.

I frankly don't like OTC much, but I respect its regulars' rights to have a place to talk, the back-and-forthing is pointless, people, stop it.

I do not hate Yack Fest either by the way, and I don't know anyone here who does. I do post there occasionally, but the on topic ness of OTC is much more to my style, with the proportion of shitposting to reasoned debate being much more in the ratio I prefer here than there.

Not saying there's anything wrong with either style, but the notion that the on topic stuff is what people hate is a pure YF mentality because we are pretty self-policing (albeit, not enough it would seem) and that we keep debates relatively controlled is what keeps OTC burgeoning.

Whatevs, then.

I am not wholly sure what the problem is here, so I don't know how we're expected to fix it.

We've got the Old Folks home, doesn't that fit the "serious, adult conversation" bit?

Sort of.

I dont know, I think OFH is more a relaxed forum for "mature" people. The OTC is only place you can talk about serious stuff imo.

OFH is so a handful of people can feel more mature than the rest of the forum.

And that is about all it is. I wouldn't be opposed to a conversion of OFH into an OTC substitute but I get a feeling a lot of the people there would.

Linhasxoc in Post 44: No one is asking for mod-level activity from everyone. I have no idea where that came from.

Teuf in post 45: Telling us why you hollered will help. "Can a mod take a look here?" isn't very helpful. "Tempers are rising and the discussion is turning ugly starting [[anchor link here]]" is. Anchoring a holler to the OP of a twenty page thread with a note saying "I think this should be locked" isn't.

As will keeping in mind that of all the mods, Camacan and Bobby are the only ones who aren't in one of three time zones: Eastern, Central, or Pacific. And we all have other commitments besides this site. We don't sit parked on the Hollers thread hitting refresh, waiting for a Holler to come in.

Game Chainsaw in post 50: That's precisely what we're asking for. Thank you. The number of threads spun off because they threatened a derail has increased, and it's great. We need more of it. What we're asking now that you guys call us in when a problem is a smouldering ember instead of waiting till it's a raging forest fire.

Blixty in post 53: "No derails" is the only rule that is different for OTC from the rest of the forums. The only one. If you don't like that rule, then OTC is not a place for you to be posting.

and in post 62 and 64,: I am completely confused and puzzled here. Why does it bother you so much that there are parts of this forum that aren't to your taste? And OFH is not so that there's a place for some posters to feel superior, thank you very much.

edited 23rd Sep '11 4:19:13 PM by Madrugada

Y'see, OTC has always been about having something specific to discuss. You come here when there's a particular issue you want to talk about. As such, these issues can be stuff people tend to feel very strongly about, and tend to be fairly heavy and, at times, pretty gloomy. The fact that people come here feeling quite strongly that they do not want the thread derailed, tends to indicate they've got something weighing on their mind.

I feel the same thing applied ot IJBM in a way. People tended to come there expecting a fairly serious conversation, the IJBM just took a more "negative" slant on it. Or at least, that applied to people like me; I visited IJBM, not so much because something was bugging me, but because I wanted "full and frank" discussion on it.

Unfortunately, could that not also lead to a somewhat confrontational mindset?

EDIT: That is considerably more reassuring Madrugada, I'll be sure to keep my eyes open after hearing that.

edited 23rd Sep '11 4:16:39 PM by GameChainsaw

Personally, I'd be happy as can be to just have a "Wasteland" section of the fora tucked away in a corner somewhere..

Excuse me? I am defending the OTC'ers right to have a subforum even though I don't like it. What are you talking about?

I would rather not argue with a mod, but I will just say that that is my opinion on the subject. Sorry.

Maddy: I know even with people listing specifics and being detailed it can take time. I do know you guys are not on 24/7 and are not available.

Honestly if you want self policing to be truly effective it needs prompt mod back up. As has been mentioned before you guys can no be around as often as may be needed. You will all insist you can handle it then tell us you can't be everywhere.

Sounds like we need more moderators to respond to problems. Especially with the mod population spread out across the fora and focusing on various parts. Add in some of the mods are in different times zones and have different hours of activity you get thin mod presence at times. As I have said in the past the wiki and site combined seem to be growing larger then things are set up to handle.

Thank you Mr. Hunden.

This man has his thinking cap on.

Thirding that sentiment.