General Off-Topic Rant

[MathNut]

	Quote:	Nil
	Apparently, I am not the only one confused by this new ''direction''.

Sorry you are annoyed/confused, but it is not a "new 'direction'" at all. Honest! It's been going on for absolute yonks. I think people just don't tend to notice it until it happens to one of their own threads.

	Quote:	Mud
	Dude, it's not the number of thanks, but the ratio of thanks to posts. So Off Topic is a good thing, as you can blather on while maintaining your ratio . C'mon man, even in jest, we can't say such things about mods. They are the lifeblood of the forum, the salt of the earth, the epitome of honor and the righteous way. I for one welcome our mod leaders.

Sarcasm my friend, sarcasm

Keep up the good work people

[Nil]

	Quote:	MathNut
	Sorry you are annoyed/confused, but it is not a "new 'direction'" at all. Honest! It's been going on for absolute yonks. I think people just don't tend to notice it until it happens to one of their own threads.

New direction: I meant that thread that have been into a specific section for ever are not moved into Off-Topic section when bring back alive.

Thread about wedding rings or birth, or labor who always been found into Family Matter are now found in Off-Topic.

Look, I am happy you gave me answers, even if it is to admit a lack consistency. Since you are just an human being, you can't do much about it but I believe that it won't fall into deft ears.

Thanks again

[Mud]

	Quote:	Cata1yst
	Sarcasm my friend, sarcasm Keep up the good work people

I know, I know, I was just blatheri- MODS, when is this thread getting moved!? I demand service. And I'm a Yank so I pay 15% gratuity.

	Quote:	Dougal's Breakfast
	I'm a bit confused... in what way is it a problem for a thread to be assigned to Off-Topic? It's still on the forum, visible for all to see, available for all to respond to, isn't it? Am I misunderstanding something here?

I dont care about thanks etc and I don't think it's a problem per se. I sort of have an issue with the name though. A thread has a topic as designated by the OP and posts that are off that topic are designated as "off topic". A forum for Off Topic presupposes there is a topic to this forum in general, and that that topic is Switzerland, and to be "on topic" all threads should be about Switzerland in some way. I don't really get that though. The forum is basically composed of say 100 (50? 200?) regular members who make up most of the posts. They're almost all either living in Switzerland, or Swiss folks living somewhere else, or incredibly interested in Switzerland. Most posts are inevitably going to be Switzerland related in some way. In my opinion, if a regular poster posts at all, it's relevant to the forum. If somebody has a child, or they die, is that off topic? In my opinion no. It couldn't be more relevant to the members. This forum isn't just a repository of Switzerland related information and whatever the definition of signal:noise, I've never heard an adequate defence of it.

[Deep Purple]

	Quote:	Dougal's Breakfast
	I'm a bit confused... in what way is it a problem for a thread to be assigned to Off-Topic? It's still on the forum, visible for all to see, available for all to respond to, isn't it? Am I misunderstanding something here?

Exactly my thought. I am usually guided by the thread title or OP rather than which forum it is in. In fact I hardly ever look at that column in Today's Posts when I log on.

The only time I realise is if I cannot thank a poster.

[Deep Purple]

	Quote:	Nil
	Exemples of things that are not directly related to Switzerland but are still in the Family Matter section: High risk pregnancy and cerclage Interesting new approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS) Cute things kids say http://www.englishforum.ch/family-ma...istamines.html Natural Allergy Reduction Tips for Pregnancy I can go on and on like that. So what makes a thread fitting in there and an other one not? Random? Poll? How one's feel?

You are right that these should technically be 'General Off-Topic' because they do not specifically relate to Switzerland.

I guess that they may have been left in the Family/Health forum because they specifically relate to that subject, except the Cute Things Kids Say. That seems to be clearly General Off-Topic.

If someone were to seach for information on a family or health matter using the 'search specific forum' function they are not likely to select General Off-topic, but would almost certainly go for the Family/Health forum.

[Nil]

	Quote:	economisto
	I dont care about thanks etc and I don't think it's a problem per se. I sort of have an issue with the name though. A thread has a topic as designated by the OP and posts that are off that topic are designated as "off topic". A forum for Off Topic presupposes there is a topic to this forum in general, and that that topic is Switzerland, and to be "on topic" all threads should be about Switzerland in some way. I don't really get that though. The forum is basically composed of say 100 (50? 200?) regular members who make up most of the posts. They're almost all either living in Switzerland, or Swiss folks living somewhere else, or incredibly interested in Switzerland. Most posts are inevitably going to be Switzerland related in some way. In my opinion, if a regular poster posts at all, it's relevant to the forum. If somebody has a child, or they die, is that off topic? In my opinion no. It couldn't be more relevant to the members. This forum isn't just a repository of Switzerland related information and whatever the definition of signal:noise, I've never heard an adequate defence of it.

Economisto puts really well my thought about the whole thing! Sleepless nights took my whole english and hability to make something clear out of my mouth (or my keyboard). I am happy that he brings it because I couldn't.

But yes, that is my biggest concern about things going ''Off-Topic''.

[TiMow]

I haven't got time (or inclination) to wade through +/- 50 posts, but have the gist from reading the first few.
My question is .... does it really matter?

All the "fluff" posted by fluffies should end up in the vacuum cleaner anyway as in the main most of it has a limited shelf life. If the Hoover bag of the forum is Off Topic, then sobeit.

Unless someone is gathering information for social sciences projects, or just interested in what goes on in other peoples heads and lives, in case they might be missing something, half of the threads are just general chit-chat for people with a bit of time on their hands.

The forum has different uses for different people:
- some require info. regarding the variety of aspects of moving and living here;
- others want to rent, buy sell, give stuff away;
- and many just enjoy a good old moan, chat, let off steam, mass debate, cyberspace socialising, and banter and piss-take - because most of this can be done in complete anonymity.

So it really is not important what forum heading half the stuff appears under (the same as its not crucial to life here to thank, groan, give out blobbie badges in some imaginary world).

For me, it's where I can communicate in my mother tongue, with people that have at least, a small tie of commonality to the place where I live.

[Faltrad]

Teacher here: if a thread is off topic, one should not write it anyway

[MusicChick]

	Quote:	MathNut
	offtopicked

I think this word is even better than defriend.

I never felt ownership to a thread I started. I think notorious thread starters do have an agenda, or at least those who feel like they own it, and I am not sure if it 100% would be just mere communication. People like to stick out, lead, be visible. Maybe we could concentrate on what is actually being said, not how visible it is, because when you actually step away from all of this, we are all very very visible. On topic or off.

I wouldn't really sweat it. No mod is doing this to discipline users or get off. There is no time. When we see something should be moved, it gets done, next...There are so many little details and rules. What is actually seen is maybe 5% of what gets done and that is pretty ideal. I wouldn't take it personally, Nil, really, it's just a degree of adhering to a definition of clean up, some like it Swiss way, some are more chill, some more preventative, some just cruise post action when others are asleep so they can focus better, we are all different. It's not us sitting on watch towers, covering every inch of vision at all times. Mods go about their normal lives while actually keeping this community as a priority, too, it is quite impressive how balance/moderation/common sense/cuttin slack/ordnung can be achieved in such speed and in a virtual world while we have to and love to function in real world, too. Nobody is crying for thanks. But when a user is upset at thread being moved, when it is still visible, when people can add their opinion (if there is no thank count, you can chip in and say why you agree, no?)...I think it is a tiny bit misdirected. Not all threads moved to off-topic are seen as noise, not at all, and not all mods will have time to explain why things get quickly shipped into other depts.

[Nil]

	Quote:	MusicChick
	I think this word is even better than defriend. I never felt ownership to a thread I started. I think notorious thread starters do have an agenda, or at least those who feel like they own it, and I am not sure if it 100% would be just mere communication. People like to stick out, lead, be visible. Maybe we could concentrate on what is actually being sad, not how visible it is, because when you actually step away from all of this, we are all very very visible. On topic or off. I wouldn't really sweat it. No mod is doing this to discipline users or get off. There is no time. When we see something should be moved, it gets done, next...There are so many little details and rules. What is actually seen is maybe 5% of what gets done and that is pretty ideal. I wouldn't take it personally, Nil, really, it's just a degree of adhering to a definition of clean up, some like it Swiss way, some are more chill, some more preventative, some just cruise post action when others are asleep so they can focus better, we are all different. It's not us sitting on watch towers, covering every inch of vision at all times. Mods go about their normal lives while actually keeping this community as a priority, too, it is quite impressive how balance/moderation/common sense/cuttin slack/ordnung can be achieved in such speed and in a virtual world while we have to and love to function in real world, too. Nobody is crying for thanks. But when a user is upset at thread being moved, when it is still visible, when people can add their opinion (if there is no thank count, you can chip in and say why you agree, no?)...I think it is a tiny bit misdirected. Not all threads moved to off-topic are seen as noise, not at all, and not all mods will have time to explain why things get quickly shipped into other depts.

Thanks for you input Chick!

I don't see it being personal. I don't think I am such a persona in here that people take time to pay so much attention to me!

I realised a while ago that some stuff were moving to the Off-Topic section without any consistency compared to other threads like I gave as exemples. I couldn't see the reason and the point of it.

Economisto and Deep Purple brang valid good points about the Off-Topic ''definition''. Which I was trying to say.

I find it silly to have great topic about something that touch you in life (birth, death, sickness, etc) next to a topic like My balls are bigger than your balls (just in case, guys, this thread doesn't exist).

Off-Topic by definition is kind of silly, useless, to foul around, etc. And so many thread are ending there that are much more than that.