A suggestion for the Mods... Add a 'Not-On-Topic' emoji...

Buffalo Bob

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I see many threads quickly spiral 'off-topic' following a comment that is well-intended, but irrelevant to the discussion at hand. These are often quite useful comments in the right place, such as either a new thread or a more closely-aligned existing thread. Not only does the original discussion often get derailed, but very valuable off-topic comments often do not get the visibiity and attention they deserve.

I think it would be great if we had a 'not-on-topic' emoji, wherein other forum members could politely inform posters that their comment would be better placed elsewhere.

Thoughts?
 
My story begins in nineteen-dickety-two. We had to say dickety because the Kaiser had stolen our word twenty. I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. Then after World War Two, it got kinda quiet, 'til Superman challenged FDR to a race around the world. FDR beat him by a furlong, or so the comic books would have you believe. The truth lies somewhere in between. Three wars back we called Sauerkraut "liberty cabbage" and we called liberty cabbage "super slaw" and back then a suitcase was known as a "Swedish lunchbox." We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell 'em stories that don't go anywhere - like the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. Give me five bees for a quarter, you'd say. Ah, there's an interesting story behind that nickel. In 1957, I remember it was, I got up in the morning and made myself a piece of toast. I set the toaster to three: medium brown.Now where were we? Oh yeah: the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
 
My story begins in nineteen-dickety-two. We had to say dickety because the Kaiser had stolen our word twenty. I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. Then after World War Two, it got kinda quiet, 'til Superman challenged FDR to a race around the world. FDR beat him by a furlong, or so the comic books would have you believe. The truth lies somewhere in between. Three wars back we called Sauerkraut "liberty cabbage" and we called liberty cabbage "super slaw" and back then a suitcase was known as a "Swedish lunchbox." We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell 'em stories that don't go anywhere - like the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. Give me five bees for a quarter, you'd say. Ah, there's an interesting story behind that nickel. In 1957, I remember it was, I got up in the morning and made myself a piece of toast. I set the toaster to three: medium brown.Now where were we? Oh yeah: the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
1774450392577.webp
 
I see many threads quickly spiral 'off-topic' following a comment that is well-intended, but irrelevant to the discussion at hand. These are often quite useful comments in the right place, such as either a new thread or a more closely-aligned existing thread. Not only does the original discussion often get derailed, but very valuable off-topic comments often do not get the visibiity and attention they deserve.

I think it would be great if we had a 'not-on-topic' emoji, wherein other forum members could politely inform posters that their comment would be better placed elsewhere.

Thoughts?
Not the worst idea I’ve heard. @Joe is the man who can make it happen
 
My suggestion would be instead of an emoji, any member viewing a post as off-topic and better suited elsewhere for more exposure or for whatever reason, could just post a comment stating where the off-topic post might be better suited.

The emoji doesn't solve the issue of the off-topic post possibly getting the attention it might deserve because the off-topic poster is not provided that info, only an emoji.
Also, an emoji is harder to overlook or ignore.
 
My story begins in nineteen-dickety-two. We had to say dickety because the Kaiser had stolen our word twenty. I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. Then after World War Two, it got kinda quiet, 'til Superman challenged FDR to a race around the world. FDR beat him by a furlong, or so the comic books would have you believe. The truth lies somewhere in between. Three wars back we called Sauerkraut "liberty cabbage" and we called liberty cabbage "super slaw" and back then a suitcase was known as a "Swedish lunchbox." We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell 'em stories that don't go anywhere - like the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. Give me five bees for a quarter, you'd say. Ah, there's an interesting story behind that nickel. In 1957, I remember it was, I got up in the morning and made myself a piece of toast. I set the toaster to three: medium brown.Now where were we? Oh yeah: the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...

Hey, @BrianBigNFun! Thanks for coming up with a perfectly great illustration of what I was talking about, and a hilarious read to boot. Much appreciated!
 
Not the worst idea I’ve heard. @Joe is the man who can make it happen
But how will I take it off topic? :)

As long as it doesn't increase the number of duplicative threads. I'm sure I am guilty of not searching the existing threads adequately - I've got to get better at searching thread topics and adding new threads only when it hasn't been discussed elsewhere. Just sayin'... ☺️
 
Not the worst idea I’ve heard. @Joe is the man who can make it happen
So, what is the worst idea you've heard?

Wait, is that considered off topic? 1774461179997.webp Damn, this is going to be difficult!
 
I really hope people don’t think I’m generally negative haha

I’m really quite a curious optimist

I just dislike illogical arguments

(Also, I like @socktucker)
I think it was just last week you were ending every line with a smiley face, just so readers didn't think you were being critical. ☺️

Those days are over? ☺️

Good - they were interrupting the flow of your comments. ☺️
 
My suggestion would be instead of an emoji, any member viewing a post as off-topic and better suited elsewhere for more exposure or for whatever reason, could just post a comment stating where the off-topic post might be better suited.

The emoji doesn't solve the issue of the off-topic post possibly getting the attention it might deserve because the off-topic poster is not provided that info, only an emoji.
Also, an emoji is harder to overlook or ignore.

You raise a valid point, but I think your proposal would put an unfair burden on the replying person to search for an appropriate thread for the errant post, while the emoji is essentially asking the errant poster to find what they think is an appropriate place for their own post. Also, a reply by one individual is just one reply. If I were to make a post that is unrelated to a discussion, and then saw a whole slew of 'Not-On-topic' emojis, I would quickly come to understand that it's just not one person's opinion that my post was off-topic, but rather a gentle reminder from a wider audience.
 
I think it was just last week you were ending every line with a smiley face, just so readers didn't think you were being critical. ☺️

Those days are over? ☺️

Good - they were interrupting the flow of your comments. ☺️
I dno man

I’m just going to start commenting with 👍 a lot I guess lol
 
You raise a valid point, but I think your proposal would put an unfair burden on the replying person to search for an appropriate thread for the errant post, while the emoji is essentially asking the errant poster to find what they think is an appropriate place for their own post. Also, a reply by one individual is just one reply. If I were to make a post that is unrelated to a discussion, and then saw a whole slew of 'Not-On-topic' emojis, I would quickly come to understand that it's just not one person's opinion that my post was off-topic, but rather a gentle reminder from a wider audience.
Good point.
You've won me over.
I vote for the emoji. :)
 
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