OT is good for the whole forum (updat for post count crisis)

[888888]

When I recently heard that the Off Topic Forum might be closed due to some unpleasantness, I was honestly a little shocked. Not only because the OT forum is so great and fun, but because it is very practical to keep it for the good of all the forums.

OT is one of most popular forums on this site. Many people post here very regularly. These same people then go to the other forums such as "Capturing", "DVD-DVDR" etc and help others with their technical problems. It is my opinion that if there was no OT forum, a lot of these kinds of people would not visit the boards at all and therefore not be available to help.

Even someone with a 60% OT percentage still visits other forums 40% and most likely lends their expertise to those new to the hobby. I know that if there was no OT forum, I would visit the other forums MUCH less. This is because when I check the OT forum, I usually go ahead and look at others too.

I think the OT forum has a certain sense of "community" that the other forums do not. This is because there is a personal level that is not possible in the other forums. It think that OT regulars are more likely to donate money to the site than those who just drop in every once in a while with a question because there is degree of loyalty when someone visits a site multiple times a day.

More posters is almost always good for forums. These forums thrive because they are always alive with discussion. You have all been to "ghost-town" forums. No worse fate can befall a forum.

Thank you for your time

[ViRaL1]

The OT forum seems to be more of a lounge for the rest of the site, where posters can congregate and discuss more personal and / or less technical topics. Having it around probably greatly reduces the amount of OT discussion in On-Topic forums. I say keep it here.

[Ripper2860]

Here's my take on it !!

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1018924#1018924

[lordsmurf]

I think OT here allows for some people to form the closest thing to friendship as can be achieved online. I think I've got about 10% OT, and there's good reason for it.

[yoda313]

Hello,

LONG LIVE OFF TOPIC!

Kevin

[DVD_Ripper]

I think OT here allows for some people to form the closest thing to friendship as can be achieved online. I think I've got about 10% OT, and there's good reason for it.

You said it LordSmurf..... It's my getaway from life for the few moments a day ... and I even learn a thing or two here in OT. Not to mention a great laugh ever now and then.

[indolikaa]

Agreed.

[888888]

The recent action taken by those who make the decisions for these boards are, in my opinon, only going to damage it. Like my title thread mentions, without a lively OT board, the whole forum will suffer from possible lack of interest.

While I often fancied myself a "post-whore", I never ever posted something only for the sake of raising my post count. That IMO is no fun. Who cares if you have 10,000 posts with 99% OT, it is still not the same as 2000 posts in "real" threads. So what is the big deal if people do that? Is it really worth turning this board upside down for?

The end result will only be to divide the OT community, alienate members, and ultimately have fewer posters.

The removal of the join date is just plain mind-boggling and there can be no possible reason for it. Next come the avatars, then the usernames (will become random numbers) until you cannot distinguish one member from the other. And then it will be a 100% practical purely helpful form... except nobody will come here any longer. There already are plenty of "anonymous" computer help forums. Those don't work. (note, I am not suggesting usernames or avatars will be taken away, just creating an analogy for what is going on now)

You have a good thing here! A board that is VERY popular. Please don't chase away the people until only the die-hards feel welcome. Post count and join date are things that add a lot to the sense of individuality of members and only make the board blander with their absense. This not to mention the practical aspects that have already been mentioned (helping people with problems).

I am frankly so disturbed by all this that I feel like taking a break from checking it for a few days. Of course I won't do that because I am addicted.

P.S. Why was there a flurry of "I'm leaving" posts recently and all those members decided to stay. I have read your explanations people, but seriously if you say you are leaving, LEAVE, don't waste people's time. If I ever make an "I'm leaving" thread, you better believe I will never show my face here again, for fear of the embaressment of looking like a liar.

[Faustus]

I agree that OT is a good thing. I tend to think of it like this. Its not a party house. But its a place to hang out with some friend and kick back, but remember your moms in the next room.

While I often fancied myself a "post-whore", I never ever posted something only for the sake of raising my post count.

The entire PostWhore thing was part of the problem, its not a term that people are suppose to strive for. Then someone "cool" who post alot declares themselves one, and everyone follows. So I post alot cause I like this board becomes "I post alot because I want my post count up really really high for the sake of it looking cool"

Once enough poeple give into this behavior you can see where this leads a forum.

[888888]

Once enough poeple give into this behavior you can see where this leads a forum.

I don't think people were taking this kind of behavior seriously. I doubt anybody who is not retared can possibly REALLY care about their OT post count. It was just a week long joke that was blown out of proportion.

[Faustus]

And as jokes on forums tend to do, they continue to grow until they become the reality. I've seen it many times. Look I really dont' want anymore changes myself.

On another forum I'm on you see this often, their solution is once the mods find it annoying they declare the action or behavior bannable and just ban anyone who does it. Needless to say their rules and unoffical rules takes quite some time to get used to. Its not a very good solution if you ask me.

I like videohelp the way it is, however think on this. We can warn offenders, but they will just complain that what they are doing isn't against the rules. Then if we ban them its viewed as unfair. The flipside is to make everyone aware of the problems and somewhat change the OT rules. This causes complaints from people who dont like the changes.

Either way we get tons of complaints, either way some people will or will threaten to leave. But the way we choose to do it leaves no doubt as to what we are trying to accoplish, and when we get complaints at least its not against our "Fairness"

[888888]

Anyone who continues doing something repeatedly even after they are warned should be banned. It is that simple.

[indolikaa]

I like videohelp the way it is, however think on this. We can warn offenders, but they will just complain that what they are doing isn't against the rules. Then if we ban them its viewed as unfair. The flipside is to make everyone aware of the problems and somewhat change the OT rules. This causes complaints from people who dont like the changes.

Either way we get tons of complaints, either way some people will or will threaten to leave. But the way we choose to do it leaves no doubt as to what we are trying to accoplish, and when we get complaints at least its not against our "Fairness"

Let them complain. Hand them a 6-pack of STFU and tell them not to let the door hit their ass on the way out.

This all goes back to my rant about accepting individual responsibility. You break the rules, you get carded. You put yourself into a gray area, you take what's handed to you. If you don't like it, get lost.

I'm sorry, flaystus. But this is getting completely ridiculous. Once again, I see moderators having to defend themselves for doing their jobs.

FOX News Alert: Life is not fair!

[lordsmurf]

FOX News Alert: Life is not fair!

You'll never see this happen. It'll mean they've got something right.

[888888]

FOX News Alert: Life is not fair!

You'll never see this happen. It'll mean they've got something right.

Now you're in trouble smurf. That's politics!

[Faustus]

FOX News Alert: Life is not fair!

You'll never see this happen. It'll mean they've got something right.

Now you're in trouble smurf. That's politics!

Hrmm... politics were not mentioned. Interesting that talking about Fox automaticly means talking about politics. (I'm not knocking you for it, just noting the trend)

Even my local fox news sucked from way back. If there was a ghost movie on that night the news blurbs would be "Ghost! are they real! tonight at 10!" Who doesn't have a problem with this behavior from people claiming ot be the NEWS?

But thats way off topic....

[lordsmurf]

Flaystus, you've seen FOX4. That's the one I hate most. "Top story! American Idol! " And then the way they say "Fox ... 4.... News..." is sooo William Shatner-ish. The FOX locals are so much worse than the cable feeds. That's bad enough. Who cares about politics. I'm slamming them altogether.

.....

This is a perfect example of how OT and the site as a whole has shifted in the past year. So many people assume warez and politics and religions, etc. Petty things. Like post counts being the measure of anything. It's almost not fun anymore. I would assume Off Topic was originally a place for things that were "OFF TOPIC" .. not "OFF THE SCALE" of decency, etc.

[jimmalenko]

... starts off in fun and games, ends in tears ...

[Faustus]

Flaystus, you've seen FOX4. That's the one I hate most. "Top story! American Idol! " And then the way they say "Fox ... 4.... News..." is sooo William Shatner-ish. The FOX locals are so much worse than the cable feeds. That's bad enough. Who cares about politics. I'm slamming them altogether.

.....

This is a perfect example of how OT and the site as a whole has shifted in the past year. So many people assume warez and politics and religions, etc. Petty things. Like post counts being the measure of anything. It's almost not fun anymore. I would assume Off Topic was originally a place for things that were "OFF TOPIC" .. not "OFF THE SCALE" of decency, etc.

Fox 4 indeed... somehow I think we are pretty close to each other....