I'm Seeing This More And More Often In The Forums.

[+SixTen]

I think it's a good idea...

 

1) Yes, this is a geocaching forum...but everyone needs a break from everything at some point...

2) As someone stated earlier in this thread, there are a lot of people who roam these forums and a lot of on-line friendships are created...having an off-topic forum helps promote what a lot of us have found so appealing in geocaching...the community...there is more to the community than geocaching...

3) There would be more than just 30 people posting in an OT forum...just because there are 30 people who combine for the most posts in AS, doesn't mean they would be the only ones who would post in an OT forum...a lot of people stay away from the AS thread because a) it's too large there is no single topic to reply on c) It changes topic too often...in a OT forum, there would be topics that would appeal to some people...and others to other people

 

Yes, there are drawbacks...like the moderating of the forum, but I think that could be easily worked out..

 

A good way to look at an OT forum could be like this:

A group of co-workers...who all share the same thing, working for the same company, frequently like to go out after work and get dinner and drinks together...they do this as a break from the common bond that brought them together (the job)...and to learn more about the people as they are away from the job...while they are there the seldom talk about work...in fact it is usually frowned upon to talk about work outside of work...

 

-SixTen

[Pipanella]

I belong to another message board (http://www.dealofday.com) and there is a General Chit-Chat forum which is frequented OFTEN. The purpose of the site is to share deals and steals, but we do have more to our lives than that, and the GCC forum allows us to do just that, and keep the deals part for what it is intended.

 

Friendships ARE formed, and it's nice to have a place to go ON THE SAME SITE to share things other than geocaching. We are multi-dimensional human beings. Off-topic forums allow us to express ourselves in other ways not related to geocaching, although that is what brought us all together.

[+Snoogans]

Hmmmmm, the great majority of the posters to this thread were not around the last time I got up on this soapbox.

 

Funny how the same positive things get said by people with a different perspective.

 

I'm very happy to see that this hasn't become a flame fest.

 

I accept that there may NEVER be an OT forum. I just don't get the reason behind it.

 

[+Snoogans]

When I clicked on this thread I was surprised to see it started with a quote from me (I am the one who did that AS statistic note). Apparently it had "started" something I didn't know about. When I was looking at AS numbers, it wasn't meant in a negative way at all. I actually look at AS sometimes and think I've posted once or twice there. To me, AS is like the Empire State Building - it's so big, and it's impressive. Like the Empire State Building I am curious to know who build it, how long it took, how much metal and concrete, etc. Didn't mean to rile any feathers, sorry.

You didn't START anything and no need to be sorry. I liked your post. I liked it so much, that it got me back on a topic that I was pretty sure *I* would never start again. Thanks.

 

[+Renegade Knight]

This site is private and as such does not need to listen to it's members. If you don't like it, go start your own dadgum site and your own dadgum forum and be as off topic as you want. The decision to not have an off topic area was discussed and rejected. That's all anyone needs to know about it.

 

Some of this was true, however it does not at all represent my own opinion. I just wanted to play for the other team today. After all you can be more rude about it when you do. :>

Edited June 30, 2004 by Renegade Knight

[+Ambrosia]

I'm not so sure about changing AS. One of the reasons that it is so appealing is that it is loose, relaxed, and non-specific. If you sectioned it off into different topics, it would defeat the purpose, and I don't think it would have the same sense of community.

 

I've always ignored AS, like a lot of other poeple. Mainly for the reasons that other people have stated. It was too big, it seemed to be posted by a certain group of people, I didn't want to have to read all the other gazilion posts.... But then one day I did post on a whim. And whaddya know. It wasn't that hard!

 

You don't have to look back that far to get a feel for what is going on. You can skim a lot and still get the big picture. Everyone likes each other, and they like anyone who decides to post there. It is not clickish, and if you don't understand some of the inside phrases, they will tell you if you ask.

 

By the way-if you hadn't noticed-all of the threads have "inside language". Even this thread keeps referring to "OT Threads". If anyone came on who doesn't post regularly, they wouldn't have a clue what that meant.

[+Nappy10]

By the way-if you hadn't noticed-all of the threads have "inside language". Even this thread keeps referring to "OT Threads". If anyone came on who doesn't post regularly, they wouldn't have a clue what that meant.

I didn't have any idea when I first came on, but I figured it out. It just takes a little thought (god forbid).

[+Snoogans]

This site is private and as such does not need to listen to it's members.  If you don't like it, go start your own dadgum site and your own dadgum forum and be as off topic as you want.  The decision to not have an off topic area was discussed and rejected.  That's all anyone needs to know about it.

 

Some of this was true, however it does not at all represent my own opinion.  I just wanted to play for the other team today.  After all you can be more rude about it when you do.  :>

LOL!

 

I wondered what you would have to say about this.

 

An interesting aside; I looked up my old poll (We all have so much in common.) and the results are GONE! I'm guessing that is because the poll feature is now turned off, or from the transfer to the NEW forum format last year.

Edited June 30, 2004 by Snoogans

[lowracer]

I have to agree, an OT forum would be great.

What would it cost? What harm would it do?

 

In the meantime, how about an off-topic geocachers Yahoo! group? Then you could get your silliness in the daily mail, without logging in, without moderation, and without some frog watching over your shoulder, making sure you stay on the topic of off-topic.

[+Snoogans]

By the way-if you hadn't noticed-all of the threads have "inside language".  Even this thread keeps referring to "OT Threads".  If anyone came on who doesn't post regularly, they wouldn't have a clue what that meant.

I didn't have any idea when I first came on, but I figured it out. It just takes a little thought (god forbid).

Good idea! I modified the original post. Thanks for pointing that out. I forget about that sometimes....

[+Renegade Knight]

OT means Off Topic.

 

Then when the post makes sences I realize they mean On Topic.

[ju66l3r]

I'm not so sure about changing AS. One of the reasons that it is so appealing is that it is loose, relaxed, and non-specific. If you sectioned it off into different topics, it would defeat the purpose, and I don't think it would have the same sense of community.

Who said AS had to be changed, simply because an off-topic forum is created?

 

There is room in an off-topic forum for a completely gibberish thread. Right next to it might be a thread about "who likes video games" and so on.

 

AS is currently only good for the attention deficient who live for either piecing together the past day's thoughts in 2-3 post chunks amid other 2-3 post chunks or for those who want to know the last 30 minutes of thoughts from the group...since to know any more would require thumbing through pages of posts.

 

An off-topic forum is good for pushing all of those things that can't be posted here but would continue to foster a tight-knit community stemming from a love for this game but growing from a love for each other's other interests and thoughts.

 

Instead, when these thoughts are brought up here, they are turned into big bright targets to paste on the admin's back who decides to shut it down. Close a non-geocaching thread here? You're a big bully. Of course, we can't tell you that...it'd probably get shut down.

 

Mods should want an OT forum as much or more than the general poster.

 

Groundspeak will not create an OT forum here because they want this site to be about "Geocaching" and not the "Geocaching Community".

 

These are the facts.

 

Why don't the facts like Groundspeak?

[+New England n00b]

As someone who reads AS from time to time, I don't particularly care for the attention deficit insult. Up until now this thread was civil. What is wrong with continuing to post in a postive manner, even if you disagree with AS or Groundspeaks policies>

[+Nappy10]

Who said AS had to be changed, simply because an off-topic forum is created?

 

AS is currently only good for the attention deficient who live for either piecing together the past day's thoughts in 2-3 post chunks amid other 2-3 post chunks or for those who want to know the last 30 minutes of thoughts from the group...since to know any more would require thumbing through pages of posts.

I agree that AS doesn't have to be changed and can peacefully exist in an OT forum just the same as it is in the geocaching topics forum now. However, to say AS is only good for the attention deficient is going too far. I can understand how some want to share non-geocaching stories and experiences (as well as everyday conversation) with those in the geocaching community. Currently, AS provides such a means. I think there are four viewpoints beging shared:

 

(1) Those which think an OT forum is not necessary and AS is completely fine where it is. No need to change anything.

 

(2) Those that think AS is perfectly acceptable but it would be better suited if placed in an OT forum.

 

(3) Those which think AS is a giant mess which could be more user friendly if the individual topics started their own threads under a OT forum.

 

(4) Those which think AS is a giant mess, has nothing to do with geocaching, and should be closed.

 

I tend to lean towards #2. But the term "attention deficient" is a bit harsh, I think.

[+Torry]

AS is what it has become. It is a happy home for some. A sideshow for others. A great source of amusement for many. A pain in the gluteus maximus for a few. A minor nuisance for a few more.

 

It continues to exist and grow and expand due to its very nature. There are very few rules other than the boundaries of basic common decency. There are no finite topics or areas of concern to be hashed and re-hashed until all lose interest and allow it to die.

 

There are several good tidbits worthy of a laugh or two. Try searching "Sniglet" or "Top 10" and see what you find.

 

It is one of the few places on this site that allows feedback and critique of other threads. Since AS is not bound to a single topic it can be flexible in discussing posts and posters on other threads.

 

It is also not all that difficult to ignore if one truly wishes not to go there.

 

Lighten up, Francis!

Edited July 1, 2004 by Torry

[+CO Admin]

I dont have the dead horse pic but it would work here. This is becomming a punching bag for AS.

 

Thing are the way that they are. They are not changing anytime soon. This thread has degenerated into a flame fest about AS.

 

Respect: Respect the guidelines for forum usage, and site usage. Respect Groundspeak, its employees, volunteers, yourself, fellow community members, and guests on these boards. Whether a community member has one post or 5,000 posts, they deserve the same respect.

 

Personal Attacks and Flames will not be tolerated. If you want to praise or criticize, give examples as to why it is good or bad, general attacks on a person or idea will not be tolerated.

 

I am closing this thread.