I've noticed that more and more threads are being derailed and taken off in another direction.

The Michael Jackson thread is the current example, where (to use an analogy) we were talking about apple pie, then we started talking about apple crumble, now we are talking about cherry tarts (ie, paying tribute, questioning personal life, debating about something completely different)



Yes it is, but virtually pissing in someones thread ain't nice. One can be kind and considerate of someone else's request or one can be a git about

Similar threads in the last week or so include mars-bar-man's university thread, CC's iPhone thread, pcernie's One hell of a movie trailer thread. All veering off in what is sort of a related direction, but isn't really what the OP was about (not always a bad case I'll admit, but a potential annoyance to the OP).

It's inevitable, but it would be nice if people thought, and maybe moved to another thread (the Random Sh*t thread might be an easy place to take it), after all, you probably wouldn't like it if it happened to one of your threads.

Honestly? I wouldn't mind at all.

Infact, let this be a carte blanche for anyone to take any of my threads as far off topic as they would like.

I totally agree with you here to be fair.

Yes, I hold my hands up, I have my fair share of derail moments, but I always try to quickly get it back on track.

For an idea, I know it takes away the whole point of a forum, but could someone code up a little chatroom, that the forum could link too? I'm sure this can be done in PHP easily. That way, if people want to discuss random [LIFTED], they can do it there, as there is no thread meaning.

Anyone up for coding it up?

Perhaps it would be better if all responses were sent to the OP (or a mod) for approval before they were posted? Otherwise people may not know they've stepped over the invisible line of acceptability and taken the thread in the wrong direction.

Seriously, it's a forum and people take discussions in all sorts of directions. If you don't like what people post you can ignore them (easy on this forum); ban them or take your ball and start your own forum. Oh no wait...

I agree, the discussion on censorship of posts and staying on topic etc. should have been broken out into a new thread, not derail the thread.

I'm not trying to be funny here, but, most of the mods have better things to do, than to check out posts. They do enough by editing, or telling them off. We're all adults here, lets act like them? Follow the rules, everyone knows when they over step the line, so like I said, follow the rules and nobody gets hurt!

I honestly think that each person is responsible for their own actions, and if they don't follow the rules, thy're going to get a wrap on the knuckles.

It is a forum, but Veato's and your posts about Mark's request to "play nice" had no place in that MJ thread. If you want to discuss something else, why not create a new thread to carry on that discussion.

That is a general discussion on forum policies and the openess of the forum. That really has no place in the MJ thread and just goes to upset the people who were interested in the MJ thread.

Hear, hear!

Bish, I think the post was tongue in cheek, and a reference to timark's comments in the jacko thread.

Sorry, I forgot to include the sarcasm emoticon.

... and so the cycle that existed at Dennis, has now begun at x404

I loved Michael and I will miss him deeply.

Thats okay dude.

I forgot to insert mine too.

Probably inevitable, knowing we almost all came from Dennis forums!

That got a literal laugh-out-loud from me!!