Hijacking Threads

[OpenNRG]

I don't talk a lot and I type even less so I'll keep it brief.

WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT ABOUT STAYING ON SUBJECT OF A THREAD?

Think before you speak or type. Is it related to the subject of this thread?

Will use the thread I just gave up on as an example. By end of page 5 it goes completely off subject and stays off subject. I gave up after page 8 when it was still off subject.

You have to go through 70-80% of chit-chat garbage to find relevant information.

Go ahead and flame me for speaking out. I won't respond. I don't do cyber spats.

 

[Mr-Sandman]

Hijacking, not hacking...

 

[Jred]

10 total posts and this? I bet you make friends easy.

 

[Sojourner1]

Threads at times can go off tangent it's up to the thread starter to steer it back on course if they feel it's needed. Now if they jump ship on thier own thread it can be the wild west. Sometimes an OP will say something like thanks for the info or that's what I was looking for and the thread will keep going, it's up to you the reader to hang in or jump ship.

Or a wild thought if you're looking for something specific start your own thread with what you might be after.

 

[Ampster]

I sometimes visit three or four forums in a day and don't always look at the title or the original post but sometimes just respond to the last post.

 

[justgary]

I don't talk a lot and I type even less so I'll keep it brief.

WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT ABOUT STAYING ON SUBJECT OF A THREAD?

Think before you speak or type. Is it related to the subject of this thread?

Will use the thread I just gave up on as an example. By end of page 5 it goes completely off subject and stays off subject. I gave up after page 8 when it was still off subject.

You have to go through 70-80% of chit-chat garbage to find relevant information.

Go ahead and flame me for speaking out. I won't respond. I don't do cyber spats.

Having just joined the forum, I will admit that it stunk reading all 36 pages of that thread. But I recommend that you do so because that particular oyster contains several pearls. I saw many places where people couldn't do math or physics or much of anything except post incorrect information, but I held my keyboard until I got to the end.

I will also admit that I am a professional at thread hijacking, and see it as part of the entertainment value and payback for my time spent reading and answering questions. In addition, if a simple question can be answered with a simple answer, why not just answer it?

The thing that really chaps me is when people *don't* read the whole thread, then come in at page 20 and ask a question that was clearly answered on page 2.

 

[Cajunwolf]

Yep, this is a problem, but it's a human nature problem one has to live with. I've managed forums of my own for years and still have one I own going since 2003. Honestly, keeping a thread on a topic is like herding chickens and cats.

 

[ArkRob]

You're not wrong, but welcome to the internet....

 

[svetz]

One of the problems with off-topic posts is when something important/cool gets posted ... but because it's posted where it doesn't make sense; those not interested in the original thread topic won't see it and they miss out on something they'd find of interest. There's no way to navigate to it.

Case in point, there's a cool discussion on biofuels currently in the "would you recommend solar to a friend" thread. Ideally, that stuff would get posted in its own thread for all to enjoy. It's just lost knowledge for most by being posted there.

On threads with topics proven to otherwise descend into uselessness, I ask folks in the OP to stay on topic and ask them to ask the moderators to delete any off-topic posts (e.g., see What Can I personally do to help against climate change?) It won't stop some, but at least they aren't surprised when their posts are deleted.

 

[fratermus]

No one:
OP: [starts cyber spat]
OP: "I don't do cyber spats"

 

[kjswiley]

delete.

 

[45North]

A certain amount of what's happening here is social. It helps to "grease the wheels" for any person-to-person transaction.
But how much is too much? It varies by individual and the OP obviously has a very low tolerance!
YMMV

 

[45North]

Tempted to write something completely off-topic! LOL

 

[Bluedog225]

Squirrel!

 

[OpenNRG]

You know why Will Prowse videos are so informative. He starts on point, stays on point, and ends on point. He doesn't try to be a comedian, rarely gets off subject. You get 14-15 minutes of info out of a 15 minute video.

I'm here to learn, obviously not here to socialize. Needed to plan a system for House and Business. That's done.

Sorry if I offended some.

 

[OpenNRG]

Squirrel!

What does Squirrel mean?

 

[offgriddave]

I'm both guilty of this and annoyed by this. I wish there was a way to insert a 'ninja' comment right below somebody else's that doesn't divert the conversation. Then again, sometimes that annoys me (discord).

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Anybody hear that Meat Loaf died?

Godspeed Mr. Loaf.

 

[MattiFin]

You know why Will Prowse videos are so informative. He starts on point, stays on point, and ends on point. He doesn't try to be a comedian, rarely gets off subject. You get 14-15 minutes of info out of a 15 minute video.

I'm here to learn, obviously not here to socialize. Needed to plan a system for House and Business. That's done.

Sorry if I offended some.

Nature of DISCUSSION forums.
Drifting to off-topic too easily or too fast is not ideal but strict guidelines and moderation also tends to kill the forum in long run. It might work as a stagnant ”library” but any new discussion tend to die off.

Buy a book if you want to stick to topic.

 

[offgriddave]

Do you guys think some vendors are using sock puppet accounts? I'm getting a strange feeling about one in particular it seems every time something seems to go wrong , it goes off topic or somebody randomly shows up to 'praise' them for some bs reason. But on the other vendor posts, it does not happen.