hcadmin Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 The issue has risen once again recently thanks to some political threads so it may be a good time to take the pulse on people's thought's here about off-topic threads. I'm not looking for a vote yet - just to generate some discussion on the topic. Simply, would you prefer to have a strictly on-topic forum? And the more challenging portion, what would qualify as on/off-topic? We've generally felt that although strictly on-topic forums make for better content, people also socialize and do things other than make music and might want to talk about it with people they get to know. Having a single off-topic forum with everyone else from the site would in effect be a different community. For these reasons, we've usually been OK with off-topic stuff. The hard part of limiting the off-topic stuff is drawing a clear line of what's off-topic. Should threads like "Why do you like Radiohead?" go? Maybe something like "Can someone compare Ableton Live with Sonar?" should be moved into a software forum? I think the real objections I received had to do with political threads. While I originally didn't think just restricting political threads would be viable, I'm warming up to the idea. I did see another thread discuss the possibility of a separate off-topic forum just for people here, which I'd be willing to try. I don't erally like the idea of having off-topic forums for each major category in the long run though. It's a difficult issue, and though it'd be easy for me to just decide, I'd like there to be a consensus among the actual users. We'll never make everyone happy of course, but I'd like to try and do the best we can! Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EerieDreamZ Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Great post I dont think there would be much good done with a completely off topic forum for KSS. Mainly because we already have the Open Jam. Some people are just plain lazy and can't be bothered to take their boring diatribe over there instead of posting it here. With the amount of postings that go on in open jam, I'm not surprised you haven't started Open Jam #2 to cut down on the volume. In the long run, I think there should be allowed the ocassional thread of humor, but when it gets insanely out of hand, deletions are in order to keep everyone sane AND in the right frame of mind for the forum chosen (KSS) My two cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Dear Scott, Thank you for your thoughtful analyse and we all are very grateful for HC and it's high quality. Banning political threads altogether seems a bad idea to me. Having a separate OT KSS forum also seems bad, as it would in effect become a separate place with separate people, as OJ is now, and the power of an emotional response to a KSS member's travails (such as when we all gave Smokin-Man support during his divorce) would be lost. KSS would become purely technical, and that seems a bad thing. Frankly, I like things the way they are. You could post a sticky: only one political OT thread at a time. That would be fine until the political season is over. Thanks again for the best site I know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by Smokin-Man Great post In the long run, I think there should be allowed the ocassional thread of humor, but when it gets insanely out of hand, deletions are in order to keep everyone sane AND in the right frame of mind for the forum chosen (KSS) My two cents Exactly. For example, when "p120dude" reaches 5000, I would expect you to delete it and no one would object to that, I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EerieDreamZ Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 and Smokin-Man will always be eternally grateful for that support during that period of my life too Others get help like that here too. I think what a lot of people are afraid of is seeing this forum getting overrun by OT. The occasional humor thread (p120dUde for example lol) lets people blow off steam every now and then. Its when you see 10 such ot political threads, along with 10 more funny ones that it gets annoying for all the serious musicanfolk out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Analog Kid Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 I'd like to see tolerance for OT by the Forum members, but also a degree of self policing. I suggest we start a thread for political views and try to put any pertinent clippings or whatnot into that thread. I think, as a Moderator, Scott, that when you do censure posts, you should strive to be as circumspect as possible... ie, dont cut a whole thread when its only one post that should be deleted. I think moderation shouldnt be censorship, but I've come to expect a certain reaction from you... as long as it is applied fairly and evenly i have no problem I also see a certain few who complain consistantly, but i wouldnt worry about them. These few, simple ideas, I strongly feel, will let the forum continue its focus, yet still show consideration for its members and give them a creative outlet that benefits all the HC community. If we start policing all OT, the forum will die... but if we self police, and keep the political (the main problem with OT proliferation) stuff to one thread, and if Scott only censures the bare minimum and doesnt cut whole treads of peoples inputs for one persons posts... I think the forum will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EerieDreamZ Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by Birdienumnum Exactly. For example, when "p120dude" reaches 5000, I would expect you to delete it and no one would object to that, I would think. Birdie... how COULD you???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by Smokin-Man Birdie... how COULD you???? All things must pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Analog Kid Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 heh, I still havent posted on that thread... last time i even read any of it was when there was like 1300 posts.... Even after all this time I think the picking on P120 was an overeaction. He's dumb, but he's a kid, and my conscious doesnt let me insult and belittle a kid. the fun stuff was OK, but, i guess that whole thread rubbed me worng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Puta Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 hey scott, nice to see that you are thinking with us on this issue! i think banning political stuff might be a good idea, at least untill after the elections.i also like the idea of allowing just one thread for political rants. maybe a sticky? concerning other off-topic subjects i think the forum pretty much regulates itself. i also think they help to add some soul and sense of community to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Allerian Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 I want to give a little considered feedback to this. I posted about too much OT political stuff becuase at one point, it was just consuming the entire board. In reality, I do enjoy a lot of the 'regular' OT stuff posted here. More than that, I enjoy all the topics about gear I don't have, especially the software topics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Puta Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by Birdienumnum Exactly. For example, when "p120dude" reaches 5000, I would expect you to delete it and no one would object to that, I would think. i would! it's the longest thread about a keyboard ever! well, and some other stuff... anyway, the p120 thread's superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EerieDreamZ Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by Puta i would! it's the longest thread about a keyboard ever! well, and some other stuff... anyway, the p120 thread's superb! and sUpeRb sTrInG rEsoNaNcE is definitely ON topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Get ready, Scott...the 5000th post is on the way! [edit] Game over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members toorglick Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 I don't have a problem with an OT thread or two per page. It's when you have multiples of it going on, or you have serial posts(or posters) of multiple OT threads appearing at once to spread their political point of view. I don't come here to discuss politics with people, I do that elsewhere where it's welcome and encouraged, I come here to talk about keyboards, synths, and samplers and related technologies, processes, methods, etc., etc. I think what you need in this forum is a moderator, someone who can discern between a valid topic and an invalid topic. You know, "Why do you like Radiohead" is a valid topic to me because it is music-related fundamentally and, since it's here in this forum, can easily turn into a discussion about synths or whatever. "Bush Lies!" is not a valid topic for conversation in this forum at all; that's what Open Jam is for. You also need a moderator to weed out the abusers. I can't expect a non-regular to figure out who are the people who post once in a while, and then serial post nonsense OT topics, and then turn around and claim "but I participate in non-OT threads" when they're really pulling your leg. Or, the P120dude stuff, which was really pretty mean crap for a while against an obviously ignorant kid; it didn't need to go as far as it did and still leaves a bad taste in my mouth about this forum. IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SirGarrote Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 my vote goes to "anything goes".....meaning anything thats not totally obscene/dirty/etc. if you dont like OT posts, dont read them. rock, -G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EerieDreamZ Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by toorglick I don't have a problem with an OT thread or two per page. It's when you have multiples of it going on, or you have serial posts(or posters) of multiple OT threads appearing at once to spread their political point of view. I don't come here to discuss politics with people, I do that elsewhere where it's welcome and encouraged, I come here to talk about keyboards, synths, and samplers and related technologies, processes, methods, etc., etc.I think what you need in this forum is a moderator, someone who can discern between a valid topic and an invalid topic. You know, "Why do you like Radiohead" is a valid topic to me because it is music-related fundamentally and, since it's here in this forum, can easily turn into a discussion about synths or whatever. "Bush Lies!" is not a valid topic for conversation in this forum at all; that's what Open Jam is for. You also need a moderator to weed out the abusers. I can't expect a non-regular to figure out who are the people who post once in a while, and then serial post nonsense OT topics, and then turn around and claim "but I participate in non-OT threads" when they're really pulling your leg. Or, the P120dude stuff, which was really pretty mean crap for a while against an obviously ignorant kid; it didn't need to go as far as it did and still leaves a bad taste in my mouth about this forum.IMHO. NO MODERATORS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yoozer Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 You know, it's good to see you drop in from time to time . Simply, would you prefer to have a strictly on-topic forum? Strictly? No. However, when I see 5 OT threads where all the rambling works divisive, the fun of the forum's spoiled a bit for me. The "don't click if you don't want to see it" doesn't work then because it obscures the more important part of the forum, which is KSS - after all, nobody came here to discuss politics, because OJ was a much more fun battleground for that (I assume you're preparing for the total slaughterfest that's going to be there in November). Open Jam just doesn't work for a lot of the KSS folks, which I understand fully - the general atmosphere is much better here (and it's also generally the other side of the spectrum talking here ). And the more challenging portion, what would qualify as on/off-topic? It's not so much the offtopic/ontopic separation, it's the amount that bothers me. I'd rather have a 20-page OT thread from Mike51 that goes like "Bush sucks, news at 11" than -10 separate threads- about campaigns, {censored} liberals, gun nuts, and why hiphop isn't music because Jesus says so. Since you're here anyway, we have a desire for sticky threads, too. Lots of useful information otherwise gets lost, and the forum can still be lively even though there's a good part of reading material that explains a lot. I mean, questions are nice and answering them and learning something in the process is mainly why I joined, but typing out hundreds of similarly phrased stories gets kind of tiring. Maybe you could assign a temporary moderator who could start a feedback thread to determine what stickies there should be, to filter out responses like "bump " from the existing Synth Demo and Composition threads, so they'd finally stop drowning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EerieDreamZ Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 There was a really cool thread posted by Plastic-Baby a while ago that had tons of great info on it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 1) We can't say "no moderators" because we already have one, Scott. 2) A sticky about self-policing on OT threads could be the very first sticky posted here, and very useful it would be. 3) IMO the sticky should say: one political OT thread at a time and only around five general OT threads at a time. Self-policed. 4) We don't want too many stickies, but a few others would be useful, such as The Composition Thread, with some stuff weeded out. Otherwise, to repeat, I kinda like the way things are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kirumamoru Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 This forum does not need moderation except for when there are extreme problems. Right now, there are no extreme problems. I think that the best way to deal with political threads is not to read them or post in them. Kiru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boom Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 A strictly on topic forum would be very boring. I mean how much conversation can you have about keys, synths and samplers. I've been on this forum for a few years now, and it's all been run into the ground, I've heard it all. Occasionally there is an interesting on topic discussion, but it't mostly the same boring BS. "What to buy with $2000?", "I'm a clueless newbie with no idea of style or art, what can I buy to sound like NIN?" "What's the best synth for under $400?" "What electric piano sounds the BEST?" "What synth sounds the BEST?" Sure, these are all valid questions and have their place. I don't mind seeing the same question 5 times in one month. But all of the old timers here know the answers to these questions and have no problem helping other people out, but you can only talk about a topic so much. {censored}, if every post I ever read was only related to synths, shoot me now please. We can only talk about synths so much, it's nice to have a little spontanaity. If this forum were limited to on topic, I would probably stop visiting and start a blog or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeez Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 Oooh! A sticky!!! Seriously, I don't think the OT threads are that bad. Sure, they ruin the fun when they drown out the more interesting (to me) topics about music and making music. When there are heaps of OT threads, I just spend my time elsewhere anyway. No you're here though, I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of "We want some stickies!" At the moment, I can think of two important sticky threads: The Composition Thread, andFAQ / Info for newbies / Read this before you post. Forever, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boom Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 Originally posted by Jeez Oooh! A sticky!!!The Composition Thread, andFAQ / Info for newbies / Read this before you post.Forever,Kim. The KSS Synth Demo thread is a good candidate for a sticky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mytee2.0 Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 its tough for me to answer. I dont want an on-topic only forum, its nice having people talk about their personal lives, post funny stuff, pictures theyve taken etc etc... but it gets REALLY annoying when the OT threads become completely pointless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.