Can you people lighten up on threads going off-topic?

[Yorick Brown]

I mean, so what? Who's it hurting? And if the thread maker doesn't care, why should you?

It really freaks me out how can can get so uptight about a thread going off-topic, esp. when in most cases it'll probably resume back to normal, like it's some great offense.

[Richard]

Rules are rules.

[Yorick Brown]

Okay but WHY is it a rule?

How can a thread going off-topic be so offensive that it's a written rule that must be enforced?

[wotw2112]

I see the point of having that rule...but it is the nature of a good conversation to inevitably go off topic...

I never have a problem with it but I do have a problem with the "off topic" cops who get angry.  A simple reminder will usually suffice.

[esplin]

just think if someone new joined the forum, clicked a thread called "fave animorph character" and the topic was how short ax's tail blade was on the covers by then, they would have to read the whole thread just to figure out the topic. Thats why its a rule (at least what i think)

[wotw2112]

I've had to do that a few time to catch up...that's what makes new topics so awesome!

But I can see your point.

[Tyler]

Rules are rules.

Exactly.

Besides, all that ever happens is a mod comes in and just says "offtopic guys," and we all go aboot our business. No one gets hurt, and the topic remains truthful to the title.

[Phoenix004]

Maybe it doesn't hurt anyone, but it does tend to confuse people. As Esplin said, if a member clicks on a thread about a certain subject, they generally want to talk about that subject, not whatever you guys happen to be discussing off topic. If we didn't remind you guys not to go off topic, then we'd eventually have millions of topics that are all completely off topic, in which case there's not much point in having separate threads is there? 

And if you're reading this Yorick, you weren't banned for going off topic. You were banned for being a jerk.

[Chad32]

It's a good rule to have, but is quite often broken. That's how real conversations go, after all. You start talking about one thing, but conversations can so easily get derailed. Then you talk about something else, and eventually it can leade to talking about something that has nothing to do with the original topic, whatsoever.

This is why Mods don't usually hand out warning points for something like this, unless it's excessive.

[goom]

in my opinion, if you need to go 'off topic', create another topic..
that simple, and it doesn't clog the original topic.

either that, or post in the 'off topic topic'.