Closing threads which wander off topic.

[El Gordo]

surely by it's very essence a successful thread will spark debate in other areas?

Outside the ad or warning sections I would agree.

Sometimes a mod has to make a judgement call on some issue.That call may / maynot be aggreable to everyone but its a judgement call nonetheless.

Westside.

I think you're missing the point. You're talking about judgment. I'm talking about policy. The point of having a policy is so people don't argue continually about judgment calls.

[Quarterpoundher]

I think you're missing the point. You're talking about judgment. I'm talking about policy. The point of having a policy is so people don't argue continually about judgment calls.

I'm all for having a policy but there is not one. I am responding to those many people who are sick and tired of any number of combinations of people who have some issue or other with each other taking over threads with arse numbing regularity. Straying off topic for a post or two is one thing but not for pages.

[Westsidex]

I think you're missing the point. You're talking about judgment. I'm talking about policy. The point of having a policy is so people don't argue continually about judgment calls.

its your missing the point.Its human nature to argue over these things espeicially in light of the fact that minds are made up regardless.Im saying that whether to lock,edit etc a thread is based on a mods judgement call which is based on a mods interpretation of a particular situation which will differ for everyone.

Westside.

[El Gordo]

I'm all for having a policy but there is not one. I am responding to those many people who are sick and tired of any number of combinations of people who have some issue or other with each other taking over threads with arse numbing regularity. Straying off topic for a post or two is one thing but not for pages.

I think we agree about the problem. Where we disagree is the solution. Yours appears to be to lock threads. I suggested that, at least for ad threads and warning threads, warning the culprits and then banning repeat offenders would be more effective. There would be less collateral damage. I was mostly trying to start a discussion. If you think locking threads is better then I would be interested to understand your reasoning.

[Quarterpoundher]

I think we agree about the problem. Where we disagree is the solution. Yours appears to be to lock threads. I suggested that, at least for ad threads and warning threads, warning the culprits and then banning repeat offenders would be more effective. There would be less collateral damage. I was mostly trying to start a discussion. If you think locking threads is better then I would be interested to understand your reasoning.

I never said it was better. I asked for topic to be returned to its original issue and straight away it was clearly then going to start on a different vain from my having asked that so I am not wasting my time warning people who already have shown that the don't intend to do as I asked. They were trading rubbish back and forth at each other, not posting a cure for cancer. I could ban for an hour or two but that again would cause another brush fire.

All that was needed was to do the simple thing of return to the important topic. I did what I felt was right and it has hopefully started us on the road to coming up with a consensus on the issue of threads going way waaaaaay of topic.

I am happy to respond to rational people such as yourself but not to people who I know have hidden agendas, not interested and have neither the time nor inclination...

[Mousey]

If the main topic of a thread has run its course, and the conversation moves on beyond it as anatural progression, then there's really no reason to lock threads. If anyone wants to contribute to the original topic, there's nothing stopping them. If anyone wants to continue the new tangent, there's nothing stopping them either.

Conversation is normally fluid. A poster might start a conversation about one thing, and several posts later everyone is talking about something else. Generally speaking, there's really no harm being done.

[LLAMEDOS]

Exactly Mr.Mouse ,well put --- as the Guinness ad goes --
" HERE`S TO ARTHUR "

[ber]

That was the policy used on IIE to stop threads going off topic andf well we all know how that ended
up have to totally agree with mousey even in everyday life if u start a conversation with somebody on a certain topic it will invariably branch out in someother direction.That actually is what debate is
about u add different perspectives to a subject

[Stewie]

I agree with mouse and ber but let QPH kill this place if he wants by insisting on keeping threads on topic.

TBH he locked that thread purely because he is small minded and he wanted to annoy sonny off topic is merely an excuse. As someone pointed out Patricia posted off topic on that thread and if he wants to follow that path this place will be as lively as iie without horan.

You will also notice that QPH was not at all concerned when west posted a load of YouTube links one after another.

All that happened is the uncrowned mod dragged it off topic and the taxi driver used it as an excuse to close it.

[DollyDarling]

What the hell is wrong with going Off Topic?

If I wanted a tidy predictable discussion board, I wouldnt be here! The charm here is in the off topics. Its a wonderous wonderland of creative minds. Someone must be bored in their mod chair today!