Off topic posts

[Bryce]

Why is this discussion on a CPCWiki forum at all? Aren't there enough political / history / economics Fora out there to discuss this kind of stuff. I'm sorry, but I'm seriously considering moving to a Forum where 8-Bit computers are the subject of discussion. Off-Topic for me is when you discuss 80's TV's instead of 80's computers, not heated battles about history / economics / wars etc. This category has got totally out of hand.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Not really, there's already another board for the stuff you mentioned. Off-topic is off-topic, as in anything goes. We could add a rule about "no politics" if more people agree with this view, but I've been enjoying these discussions myself and I don't see either a problem or things getting out of hand... But maybe that's just me.

[Bryce]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for open discussion, even when it's off-topic, but I've noticed two worrying trends lately:

1) Most of the user conflicts and arguments have happened when we start discussing subjects that are non-CPC and possibly sensitive subjects for some, depending on where they are from.

2) I have logged in a few times lately, where the majority of new posts were nothing to do with 8-bit computers. If I were a new user, looking for somewhere to meet like-minded enthusiasts and saw that, I'd probably click the "Back" button and see what else Google had suggested. It's not a good advert for the Forum.

I know these discussions are of interest to you, because of your education/other interests, but I really think we are veering too far away from the core purpose of the Forum.

Bryce.

[redbox]

Although I have found the threads interesting, I do understand what Bryce is saying... and it would be a shame for some people to have an argument in the off-topic thread which affects them helping each other in on-topic threads.


But it is interesting talking to people you meet, no matter how you've met them.


I'm on the fence on this one 

[Gryzor]

Well, as far as your first comment goes, flames were started *in* the forum proper, and based on things CPC. Or maybe I remember wrong?

Regarding your second point, Off-Topic posts account for 0.06% of the total. Of course I can't calculate the trends, but I'm just saying. You do have a point though.

So -are you suggesting shutting down Off-Topic altogether? I'd hate that. If nothing else, most of the OT posts are not on sensitive issues.

One solution I could suggest is to make it a closed board, accessible only to those who ask it... how about that? And my suggestion about a poll on 'sensitive' topics stands.

...or maybe have an open OT board and a closed 'OT-Sensitive' one?

[Edit] ooops, need some coffee. Not 0.06%, but 6%

[Bryce]

6% is a lot.

Maybe it's just my view of a Forum, but I also don't know any other Fora, where their Off-Topic gets that far off-topic. I just think that off-topic should be "Related but off topic", ie: 80's Adverts/TV shows, What computers did your school have?, What was the largest pair of flared trousers you ever dared to wear? . It doesn't have to be shut down, just brought back closer to the core.

If you do decide to make it "closed but still way off topic" then please add me to the people who don't want to access it.

Bryce.

Edit: I just checked some of the other Forums I read/post to: Hifi-Forum, Electronics Forum, Micro-controller Forum and Physics Forum. None of these have an off-topic section at all.

[Gryzor]

No need to add you anywhere, it would be an opt-in rather than an opt-out feature.

I'll let a few days pass so that passions are not inflated, then start a poll...

[Bryce]

The problem is that, when you look at the latest posts list, it would be more useful if you saw the latest topics with activity, cause as of right now you could take a look at the list and see just a lot of new post in one single topic.

That's exactly what I was referring to. When you arrive on the wiki and the latest posts list is full of WWII and Eurozone solutions, it's difficult to imagine you've arrived at a CPC Forum.

Bryce.

[McKlain]

Also a 20 items list wouldn't hurt anyone 

And, does SMF have a link to the latest active topics like phpBB has? (like this: http://www.amstrad.es/forum/search.php?search_id=active_topics for example)

[Gryzor]

Yeah, but that's an exception! In any case, I agree it would make more sense to show the last active topics. I'll see to it.

[AMSDOS]

Why remove something which makes us people, sure we all love the CPC, though are we so obsessed with it that it's a constant activity? I agree with some topics are boarding on the line of unsuitable.

Spoiler: ShowHide

I didn't say "Countries Win Warts" for example and I simply do not agree with that line of thinking when one considers that people die from those Warts and Families, Relatives and Loved ones have to deal with their loss - how's that a win? That's the crazy thing about it when I consider that. I don't know maybe it's because I've been though people who were a part of The Holocaust and heard their eerie stories and how they came to Australia to get away from those bad memories they obtained over in Europe.

I guess it's possible that if someone has an interest somebody else will have an interest in it, but I don't ram my other interests down people's throats, cause chances are, everyone else will fall asleep. 

[Bryce]

It's not a case of removing something which makes us people. It's more a case of keeping the CPCWiki true to its core purpose. I like eating Pizza (as many people do), but I don't expect my local swimming pool to have a table in the pool so that I can eat it while I swim. The Pool was made for swimming, if I want to eat Pizza, there are lots of other places I can do that. The Wiki / Forum was created for the CPC.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

I'm sure you knew that the next post was gonna be, "what's wrong with pizza in a pool"?

Seriously, why not?

Your argument is a tad extreme (a forum is a place of discussion; off-topics are discussions, too. A better analogy would be an Italian restaurant serving souvlaki), but I agree to some extend. Got to admit, I'm a bit hesitant about the duration and length of that last OT discussion. But this leads me to another question: if it had stayed to a couple of posts (hey, we're people with warts after all), would we be having this conversation?

[Bryce]

Yes we would . And yes, a Forum IS a place for discussion, BUT Forums also have names, so that you know what will be discussed there. If the restaurant just said "Food" above the door, then Souvlaki on the menu wouldn't suprise me, but if it says "Luigi's Pizza Parlor" then I expect Pizza when I walk through the door.

Bryce.

You think Pizza in a Pool is a good idea??? You've obviously never seen a private pool after a serious party then!

[MaV]

You think Pizza in a Pool is a good idea??? You've obviously never seen a private pool after a serious party then!

You have a pool?

Right guys! Pizzas for everybody! I'll pay. We'll meet at Bryce's!

[Bryce]

A pool? In Germany, are you kidding? If I had one, it would be frozen over for most of the year

Bryce.

[redbox]

A pool? In Germany, are you kidding? If I had one, it would be frozen over for most of the year

I have a pool in my house.


It's approx 6ft by 2ft in size and my son regularly 'swims' in it.


This pool I refer to as a 'bar-th'.  Not 'baa-th' because I ain't no northern monkey 

[MaV]

A pool? In Germany, are you kidding? If I had one, it would be frozen over for most of the year

Aw! Right!

Guys, turn 180deg, we're headed for Gryzor's! The pizza will be cold by then, but the water is warm for sure.

[Gryzor]

Can you just bring a pool? And I'll contribute the pizza.

[AMSDOS]

It's not a case of removing something which makes us people. It's more a case of keeping the CPCWiki true to its core purpose. I like eating Pizza (as many people do), but I don't expect my local swimming pool to have a table in the pool so that I can eat it while I swim. The Pool was made for swimming, if I want to eat Pizza, there are lots of other places I can do that. The Wiki / Forum was created for the CPC.

Bryce.

Can't be much of a Swimming Pool cause our little Local Pool had a few Tables!    But it's not really advisable to eat Pizza then go Swimming. That would be like placing your Bank Account details on this forum!    (except you wouldn't die). Since your pool is frozen over though would it be possible to Ice Skate?