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idea: why dont we split off topic in two?

Z

ZippyDan

Platinum Member
i just got done reading the locked thread where the mods warn about the new mallet of justice and lots of people get sent to timeout 🙂

and i thought...

it seems a lot of people like OT the way it is... and i can see that point of view, there is a lot of goofy humor here even if it is sometimes walking a fine sarcastic line bordering on inane and offensive. this kind of forum can provide endless entertainment (even if its just from seeing how stupid people can be) and seems to provide anandtech with a lot of traffic. also, some people just dont enjoy have to walk on eggshells in a public forum

it also seemed like quite a few people were supporting the new heavy hand. and i also see a good argument for a more rational, more intelligent, more polite off topic, where people can really exchange ideas and advice and polite arguments on all kinds of topics that dont really belong anywhere else on anandtech. where you dont have to worry about taking the time to sift through piles of crap to find something useful

so i see these two types of people (or three types? the third type being like me who enjoy both) and i automatically think: why dont they just make two off topic forms

1. Off Topic Inane - Post nearly anything you want with minimal rules... basically what it is now
2. Off Topic Intelligence - Serious discussions in a polite atmosphere with plenty of moderation... what Off Topic used to be

what are the downsides of this? imo i only see it solving a problem without creating a new one. is it more work for the mods? is it more bandwidth? i dont think so, but i could be wrong.

sorry if this is a repost 😛

~Zippy!
 
Originally posted by: ZippyDan
i just got done reading the locked thread where the mods warn about the new mallet of justice and lots of people get sent to timeout 🙂

and i thought...

it seems a lot of people like OT the way it is... and i can see that point of view, there is a lot of goofy humor here even if it is sometimes walking a fine sarcastic line bordering on inane and offensive. this kind of forum can provide endless entertainment (even if its just from seeing how stupid people can be) and seems to provide anandtech with a lot of traffic. also, some people just dont enjoy have to walk on eggshells in a public forum

it also seemed like quite a few people were supporting the new heavy hand. and i also see a good argument for a more rational, more intelligent, more polite off topic, where people can really exchange ideas and advice and polite arguments on all kinds of topics that dont really belong anywhere else on anandtech. where you dont have to worry about taking the time to sift through piles of crap to find something useful

so i see these two types of people (or three types? the third type being like me who enjoy both) and i automatically think: why dont they just make two off topic forms

1. Off Topic Inane - Post nearly anything you want with minimal rules... basically what it is now
2. Off Topic Intelligence - Serious discussions in a polite atmosphere with plenty of moderation... what Off Topic used to be

what are the downsides of this? imo i only see it solving a problem without creating a new one. is it more work for the mods? is it more bandwidth? i dont think so, but i could be wrong.

sorry if this is a repost 😛

~Zippy!
Click to expand...

Sorry dont think number 2 will ever happen
 
ooo my thread was moved. thanks. as long as the right people see it 😛

edit: ...er i just clicked the "Mark this message as the answer" button cuz i had absolutely no idea what it did and id never seen it before and i thought it was just a link to somewhere else and now i dont like what it did 🙂
 
Common sense is needed.

#1 ignores the terms of service which very few idiots very know how to read.
 
Originally posted by: ZippyDan

1. Off Topic Inane - Post nearly anything you want with minimal rules... basically what it is now
2. Off Topic Intelligence - Serious discussions in a polite atmosphere with plenty of moderation... what Off Topic used to be
Click to expand...

#1 = ATOT
#2 = Ars Lounge 😉



 
off topic was never anything close to number 2, it used to be worse then it is now, just in a slightly different way, i say we revert to the good old days myself
 
if they had the guts they'd just turn off offtopic/pn completely for a year and see how the site fares.

if the site ops believe in what they think they could try it. i don't see why not. i'm not sure whats stopping them since they are obviously of the opinion that ot/pn should not exist. it would return it to a pure hardware/software site. there is no purer action. if ot/and pn have bothered them for years why do they continue? doesn't make sense.
 
i don't like the idea of a 2nd OT . . . one dumping ground is enough
[two, if you count P&N . . . which i suggested . . . and i am trying to live down] 😛

What is it about "polite" that people don't understand? Or maybe "less rude" :Q
(that is really all the admin is asking for) 😉
:thumbsdown:
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
if they had the guts they'd just turn off offtopic/pn completely for a year and see how the site fares.

if the site ops believe in what they think they could try it. i don't see why not. i'm not sure whats stopping them since they are obviously of the opinion that ot/pn should not exist. it would return it to a pure hardware/software site. there is no purer action. if ot/and pn have bothered them for years why do they continue? doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

If they did that, Video would take their places 😉
 
1) This forum was never meant to be the way it is now.

2) There are loads of places... millions of them... all over the internet that people can go to be stupid, immature and offensive.

3) This is a privately owned website & is subject to the rules of the owner & all the 'rights' ppl feel they are entitled to are not guaranteed here.

4) OT, AFAIR, was meant to be a place that contained stuff that did not strictly fit into other forums and was a bit more personal. Not a free for all contest to see who can be the most vuglar and childsish... or see who can push the envelope the furthest.

5) See # 2

🙂
 
the problem is the recent trend of strange nostolgia for a time that never was. ot was never enlightened discussion in fact it used to be worse because it was before all the political garbage got split off. and we've seen what p&n is, political discussions are just amateur punidtry gone amuck on the web. it breeds hate bitterness outrage and anger. i mean who really is convinced bush is an idiot now that wasn't convinced of such 5 years ago? i'm glad it got split off from ot. ot is for silliness, people don't go to ot to get angry.

as for it being private of course they have the right, but they should probably think about how ot is what probably helps keep the other forum catagories alive. there are only so many posts you can post on say a motherboard or such before you go elsewhere. and frankly thats probably why they haven't killed off ot as much as they seem to hate it. and by some standard everything is stupid and immature. adults discussing how to spend hundreds of dollars to play video games for hour after hour is stupid and immature to some degree. shouldn't you be with your families or developing your business/curing cancer/furthering your education/enriching your life instead? just be self aware of the place of such a forum and website. don't make it more than it is.
 
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