Enough is Enough: Off-Topic Posting

I just saw a post from a fellow moderator who expressed some concern over a husbandry thread that had very few posts relevant to the thread's topic and many dozens of posts that were off-topic. I've noticed that there is a general upward trend of off-topic stuff going on in multiple forums. While I have no big issues with the "DYK" thread, I'm seeing a general trend here where many threads are being "DYK-ified". I think we need to curb this trend.

There are many, many places on this site for general chat-type posting. We have Chat, Social Groups, PMs, Profile Messaging, and the General Chit-Chat forum. In most forums, CORNSNAKES are the intended topic. General Chit-Chat was set aside by the admin for discussions that do not pertain to cornsnakes. I don't think the admin's intent was for thread titles to conform to forum-topic expectations while allowing for all sorts of off-topic discussions to be posted within the threads. Even in GC-C, some effort should be made to stay on-topic when a clear topic is specified. Hey, I'm guilty of some topic derailment myself in GC-C-- examples can be found in the "Snobs" thread. But at least that thread was useless from the start (that's my defense, and I'm sticking to it).

So please, let's try to curb the off-topic stuff, and especially the chat-type stuff, in the places where it doesn't belong. A new member who is looking for info on a specific husbandry issue shouldn't have to wade through a hundred posts of silliness to find substance in a Husbandry forum thread.

And while I'm at it, I'd like to make a point or two about the DYK thread. I know that a loose, chat-style atmosphere has been tolerated in that thread, but the thread still resides in the public part of this forum. The public part of this forum is supposed to be rated-PG-- you know, family-friendly. There are places here where "adult" topics can be discussed, but they should not be discussed in the public forums or in the chatroom for that matter. I've seen some stuff in DYK that crosses the line. I'm not going to give examples; I'm sure everyone can figure it out for themselves.

I'm not saying that there will be zero tolerance for off-topic posting in the non-GC-C public forums, but I think we need to limit it.

Thanks.

So... which animal did you decide we needed to use in certain threads...? Seahorses was it?
DEAN'S A SNOB
Sorry dean, i couldn't resist
But i do agree that some threads are becoming Snobish andcluttered. Votes for Dean as mod!!! Oh, i forgot; he already is!

torsten said:

So... which animal did you decide we needed to use in certain threads...? Seahorses was it?
[F]DEAN'S A SNOB[/FONT]
Sorry dean, i couldn't resist
But i do agree that some threads are becoming Snobish andcluttered. Votes for Dean as mod!!! Oh, i forgot; he already is!

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You probably should have resisted-- at least in this thread.

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Another item:
The mods are not responsible for refereeing the social group messaging. If complaints are received concerning behavior in those groups, the groups themselves could be put in jeopardy. Just something to think about.

Sorry Dean

Roy Munson said:

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Another item:
The mods are not responsible for refereeing the social group messaging. If complaints are received concerning behavior in those groups, the groups themselves could be put in jeopardy. Just something to think about.

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Richard lead me to believe that the social groups were out of the jurisdiction of the mods, and therefore untouchable.....?????
Can I also add that if someone is unhappy about any social group they can pm the creator of the group, or just leave the group, membership is not mandatory.

snakewispera snr said:

Richard lead me to believe that the social groups were out of the jurisdiction of the mods, and therefore untouchable.....?????
Can I also add that if someone is unhappy about any social group they can pm the creator of the group, or just leave the group, membership is not mandatory.

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I really don't know how it all works, and I don't really care as long as it's not my responsibility. But if negative crap spills out into the public forum from social group discussions or private chats, and I'm notified, then I'm obligated to do something. If there was material or behavior going on in the social groups that proved to be a legal liability for the site, I'm sure the admin would have to review the situation. So "untouchable" may not be a good description of the social groups' status...

Even though some of the social groups are "private" the discussion with in the group is open for all to view, the only thing private about them it the membership and posting within them. That is something that might want to be addressed. Even though I am not a member of any of the "private" groups, I can still read everything that is being said in the group, as well as see any pictures posted in the discussion area.

Roy Munson said:

..... specific husbandry issue shouldn't have to wade through a hundred posts of silliness to find substance in a Husbandry forum thread.

Thanks.

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Interesting choice of words Dean. Subtle. Very subtle.

I'm sorry, Dean.
I guess we didn't realize that it had upset anyone.
You can rest assured that I won't do it again.

:cheers:

mike17l said:

Even though some of the social groups are "private" the discussion with in the group is open for all to view, the only thing private about them it the membership and posting within them. That is something that might want to be addressed. Even though I am not a member of any of the "private" groups, I can still read everything that is being said in the group, as well as see any pictures posted in the discussion area.

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If this is the case, and anyone can go into and view the Over 18 Adult Lounge, than that one needs to completely terminated and removed as this is a family site and the one time I visited it, there were blatant links to pornography. That might explain why the Parental Controls I have set up on my children's computers has blocked this site, even over-riding the access that was previously allowed the last time I had to use one of their computers (and that was pre-Over 18 Adult Lounge). Something to think about...CS.com has an "R" or even an "X" rating...

OT, Andrew, do you feel that you are not of the world?

Susan said:

If this is the case, and anyone can go into and view the Over 18 Adult Lounge, than that one needs to completely terminated and removed as this is a family site and the one time I visited it, there were blatant links to pornography. That might explain why the Parental Controls I have set up on my children's computers has blocked this site, even over-riding the access that was previously allowed the last time I had to use one of their computers (and that was pre-Over 18 Adult Lounge). Something to think about...CS.com has an "R" or even an "X" rating...

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I'm no longer a member of the 18 group, so when I look at it, all I see are the members avatars. I can't see what is being said in the group. So other non-members CAN see the content?

Agreed Dean I will make sure that my posts are relevant to the thread. If I do ever get off topic on accident, or have in the past, I apologize

mike17l said:

Even though I am not a member of any of the "private" groups, I can still read everything that is being said in the group, as well as see any pictures posted in the discussion area.

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That is a very interesting bit of information!

LBoz said:

So other non-members CAN see the content?

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I'm not a member of the Over 18 Adult Lounge, and never have been, but I took a quick peek, yesterday, and ... yes ... the messages, etc., can be seen/read by non-members of that group.

You need to be a member of this group to view its contents

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That is what I get when I try to look at any private groups... :shrug:

Oh that's a bad thing right there, I don't care who you are.

Pasodama said:

I'm not a member of the Over 18 Adult Lounge, and never have been, but I took a quick peek, yesterday, and ... yes ... the messages, etc., can be seen/read by non-members of that group.

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When I was first made aware of the group I went to have a look, read some of the messages, and decided not to join. So I have certainly viewed it without being a member - unless a setting has changed and that's not the case now? I'm not going to click on it again to check, since I'm at work

I know the openness of social groups is what stopped another forum I use having an 18+ group in that way.

LOL To see if I could still view it ... I just checked the Over 18 Adult Lounge and, this time, I could not view the content.

LBoz said:

I'm no longer a member of the 18 group, so when I look at it, all I see are the members avatars. I can't see what is being said in the group. So other non-members CAN see the content?

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It must be a settings thing...(???)...Mike.
I'm not being nosy or defensive or anything else....except part of a solution.
I cannot see anything except the members of any recent "private/invite only" social groups, to which I do not belong. Can read nothing.
IMHO, I believe they serve their purpose. And by the way, I don't feel in the least weird about private social groups to which I don't belong.
I'm a member of two, and should probably honor the invitations to join them more, by visiting them more.

Regarding hijacking threads and going off-topic, duly noted. I apologize for participating in that.

Regarding the DYK, thread, being a major hanger-outer there, Dean and Susan, duly noted. Will be conscious of being more circumspect in future.
Although I must say, I hope there is no penalty for boring the socks off someone with my daily comings and goings.