OT Threads

[Shpyder]

Guys, a lot of completely OT threads are being posted on the main forum here. They belong in the Coffee Break section of AF. Let's keep things clean by using the subforums, and by keeping anything that's even remotely DSM, but does not fall into any of the 3 sub-forums, on the main forum (meets, new pics, what should I get, beaters, etc...)

[david-b]

Amen...

[l_eclipse_l]

I'm glad your here to clean up everybody's mess Sphyder...it has been rediculous the last week or so. People need to stop posting up complete bullshit threads. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm getting sick of having to go through dozens of new threads a day looking for the real shit, and coming up with 70% worthless threads. The next person to post up a meaningless thread is going to get kicked in the balls.

[xavier3jr]

i agree it has been geting kinda wild here latley..

[defiancy]

I don't agree with this. We are all a community and sometimes I like to share things with my dsm breathren, even if it is not related to dsm. I think that is part of a message board, a community where we can have conversations with eachother. Albiet this is a DSM forum so most of the topics should be DSM related. But we really do need an OT sub-forum so we can have these random OT threads posted there instead of on the main forum.

I like the group of people here and I know alot of people like to see things I have done to my cobra, or other randomness. Just like I like to hear about things in their lives.

The AF coffee break is for the entire AF forums and while it is an off topic section, I really don't care what people from the Chevy forum or the VW forum have to say about this and that. I pretty much only go to this forum because I like the people that are here.

While I agree that we should keep pointless, or really OT threads out of the main forums, I think we also need to petition to get our own OT sub-forum. Or like a General forum. However you can sell it to the AF mods. That way we can move all OT threads wether they are slightly off topic or completely off topic threads there. And leave the main forum for General DSM questions or DSM questions that don't fit in the three subforums.

[gthompson97]

I completely agree with defiancy. I could care less about sharing some of the OT things with the whole AF community, just because I don't share much in common with them. Granted *most* of my OT stuff is DSM related so it's "legal" to post it here, but I still think we do need an OT sub-forum.

I know this is an "informational" forum, but that's what sort of brings us closer together as a community, just some of the OT threads and stuff that we all can laugh at. When I'm on tuners, it's like if you even try crack the smallest joke inside an informational post, they all get pissed. That's why I hang out alot more here and mostly use tuners when I'm looking for something specific and I know it's there. AF just seems like a more energetic place to hang out and isn't just a boring informational website. Just my $.02

[ned032002]

I too agree with Defiancy. Since I've been on this web site I've taken all of you in as family and hearing about what is going on in the world around each and everyone of you makes this site so inviting. Lets not change it.

[ez1286]

I'm with defiancy. I do agree some stuff is a little ridiculous but I like it the way it is.

[NateS]

I also agree with defiancy. I realize my post on the VP's headshot to the 78 year old man was off topic and had absolutly nothing to do with a dsm let alone a car. I appologize for that one. After I posted it I remembered the OT forum on the main page but, I didn't think it would be to much of a deal. I am going to have to agree with the OT forum of our own for our little part of the AF community.

[Thor06]

I agree with all of them. Like when I made my wrench holder and I made a thread about it. I showed you guys as I showed my friends at school because you guys are also my friends. Going into the Coffee Break place or whatever and showing them would be like me carrying my denim wrech holder down the street showing random people. Also I think the OT threads can help us to get to know each other and I think that will help this community grow. I posted threads on dsmtalk and dsmtuners about the midwest DSM meet and I have one person from each interested and a combined total of about 50 views. We have what like 8 people interested and many many more views. I doubt this is because people dont want to go show off their cars at a show/track meet this summer, I bet its because I have next to no posts, no respect, and no part in their community.

[xavier3jr]

i completely agree with the completely o/t thread in eclipse/talon/laser i don't know anyone out of eclipse/talon/laser so if i have something to share i would like to be able to post it here instead of in the coffee break.

[Shpyder]

I disagree with defiancy to an extent.

With so much traffic on the main forum, people simply don't bother posting in the correct sub-forums....that includes non-newbies also. Though an OT thread is necessay, I'm not sure how the main forum should be used as a completely OT thread, like a coffee break place.

As I understand it, posts that can't be lumped into the 3 provided categories go in the main forum (meets, pics, ideas, decisions, parts, for sale, etc), but stuff that can be singled out as completely OT needs to be in the main AF coffee break area (war in Iraq, day at work, etc), or another forum that is not the main forum. I hang out in the coffee break area myself, as does Josh and several other mods and members, you guys should check it out too.

I can't remember there being any onslaught of blatantly OT threads one after the other, before Josh and I came to mod. Things have been slacking on here as of late, with people turning this forum into their own private party with no rules... so many threads popping up that have nothing to do with anything, rants and raves, and complete disregard for the sub-forums. Ofcourse, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, but that is besides the point: it's making a mess of this forum. I completely understand about posting an OT thread that you want to share with your fellow DSMers, but that can be just as easily done in the coffee break forum, which is what...a few clicks away?

I will check with the other mods to see if an OT/Hangout sub-forum can be made for us, since there seems to be more "hanging-out" than technical reviews being posted, which I have no problem with, and am myself a part of. But completely OT threads are making a mess out of the main forum, and that needs to be quelled to a reasonable degree.

-Shpyder

[xavier3jr]

something compleatly off topic yes should be posted in the coffe break. But something about our lives or something i beleave we should be able to post here. I don't want everyone know what i do like it has been stated thease people are like my friends i have outside of the forums, i like to let them know whats going on sometimes to. Would is be considerd compleatly off topic for us to state something about our lives on here to share witht he other fellow dsmer?

[l_eclipse_l]

Originally Posted by xavier3jr

something compleatly off topic yes should be posted in the coffe break. But something about our lives or something i beleave we should be able to post here. I don't want everyone know what i do like it has been stated thease people are like my friends i have outside of the forums, i like to let them know whats going on sometimes to. Would is be considerd compleatly off topic for us to state something about our lives on here to share witht he other fellow dsmer?

What Shpyder means is just keep it reasonable. If everybody posted up what a shitty day they had, we would have 500 threads that don't really pertain to anything DSM.

I wish people would stop bitching about the Coffee Break forum. It was created for just that purpose, so the regular forums would not get flooded with off-topic threads.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about everybody's lives and giving my advice and input. And I agree that we are a tight community and want to share things with one another, but the point if this was to just keep it reasonable. This is an informational forum, is it not. There are rules for a reason.

EDIT: Just wanted to let you guys know, there is an off-topic thread in the Non-Performance sub-forum. It hasn't been posted in since May.

[defiancy]

Originally Posted by l_eclipse_l

EDIT: Just wanted to let you guys know, there is an off-topic thread in the Non-Performance sub-forum. It hasn't been posted in since May.

Yes but it is a thread and it will get crowded and two long. I think an OT sub-forum will be more appropriate.


Also, I agree with what Sphyder said about posting in the correct forums. I think OT threads are cluttering the main forum but most of us don't and probably never will use the Coffee break forum. I don't considering it bitching about it. But I don't really think any of us care what Joe Schmo from the Nissan forum has to say about something we are trying to share with DSM'ers.

The reason for an OT sub-forum is so that we can share things with DSM'ers directly. If we post in the Coffee break we are basicly inviting the whole AF to comment on our threads. When most of us probably don't care what the other forums have to say about it.

Like I said, I agree 100% with what Sphyder said about the main forum not being a dumpster for everyones OT threads. I think it's alright to a degree as long as it doesn't get out of hand. But I feel and I think most of the people on here want an OT sub-forum so we can have completely non-car related conversations.