Threads running "Off Topic"

[Easydrinker]

I'm not quite sure how other sites work,or indeed why other Mods here do it; for the most part , the Mods here only chat publicly, if at all.
Personally I do it because I found myself with a little spare time,a little knowledge and a desire to help others.
I welcome dissenters and nay sayer's here,but do ask that they are prepared to give their reasons,that we may all learn from them.
I have only been here for a short while,but have managed to rock the boat a few times.
And have been invited to absent myself for doing so.
I don't give in to bullying. It brings out the nasty in me. And I owe this site some apology for some prior posts.

In line with Jimmy's philosophy, we are the friendly forum.

I actually like to see threads grow and evolve,even off topic.
We are not here because we like to abide by rules.

I am simply asking currently active users of this site to give their opinions upon if an off topic thread should be allowed to run.
Give a reason or two if you wish,but your opinion matters,to me.

Now,I would not hesitate to delete a post from someone trying to sell a rabbit in the "build your own" section,we have to have some integrity!
But,I firmly believe that our own founding father would be happy in the knowledge that the members of this site were singing from the same still sheet,(variations allowed of course).

How my fellow moderators may respond to this,I can make some guesses.


Robert.

[packapoo]

Just FWIW only.....Australia's East Island has a home distillers forum that I think would lead the world in ability to go off topic......This site is just a babe in that regard.

[Toper]

I, myself, have been guilty of wandering from the main topic and thrust of a thread. I also feel that I might well have even felt vaguely aware that I was doing so at the time

I apologise.

I think this is a point well raised with quite some justification.

[Easydrinker]

This thread/topic is NOT intended to be a witch hunt, with pointed fingers.

I usually am aware when I take a thread off topic.
I did it elsewhere a few minutes ago.
The world did not end.
But the post that I made did not seem, to me to be spurious, but seemed to flow on from other, previous posts, while having little to do with the original one.

If a topic goes off in a new direction, then sometimes it is not too difficult, to extract some posts and start a new thread.

Robert.

[Benoit]

I think if it flows naturally then it's not so important, we are having a conversation after all & this is what happens. If people get caught up carrying on a conversation from another thread that just makes life confusing then by all means move them so the original thread makes sense, I wouldn't object if I had been guilty of this anyway.
Maybe if the thread starter / original poster asks in the thread for the responses to get back on topic then there could be cause to step in, it is their thread after all! I think a quick PM from either the OP to a mod or a passing mod to the OP just to ask if a clean up would be preferable would solve it. I don't see stuff going off on wild tangents on here & more often that not most people who say "could you please answer my question" tend to snap things back straight anyway.
This place has always felt like mates sitting talking in the pub, I'm all for keeping it that way

[Easydrinker]

[quote="Benoit"]
This place has always felt like mates sitting talking in the pub, I'm all for keeping it that way

Possibly the best description of this forum that I have ever seen!

Robert.

[Phantom]

Meh! see I don't mind if something goes off topic really. It's easily done, because whatever one reads, can easily prompt a thought or idea. Sure it might not be obviously relevant, but will usually have a point.

I also like Benoits description and will happily let things flow in that organic sort of way you find when having a drink with mates.

After all, we all have different levels of knowledge and experience, so as long as things stay polite and considerate, I'm happy to let them run.

Sure, I've been here a longish time, but that doesn't make me any kind of expert - what I do know, is that the way I run my stills works, well for me anyway. Others do things a little differently, but WTF as long as they're happy that they are managing to make something reasonable/drinkable to their satisfaction, then go for it

Just my tuppence worth........

[Frank]

IMHO, (in relation to this long-running, demonstrably-civil, conversational and well-regarded web forum ).....
if it aint broke, dont try to 'fix' it.