A General Section?

[Images 0]

Heya,

 

Now I know that if you asked me this question just a few hops back my answer would have been a gruff "no!". That this was a trek forum and should be associated totally with Trek. However, how many times have interesting conversations had to be shut down because they were too off topic? I agree that yes they should be shut down if they're in a section marked "community and treak discussion" but we may have to realise that we're just that, a community. We're not just a bunch of geeks who play Star Trek chat sims, we're geeks AND people! I noticed that during the "say something about the last person thread" we almost immediately gave up trying and just picked up stuff from our avatars. The reason was that we don't really ever get the chance to discuss anything non-trek for too long. I think that the fans of a show that discussed so many topics within its stories should discuss just as many topics themselves. Some topics may be sillier than others but hey, a bit of sillyness never hurt anyone. Now I'm a member of a bunch of other groups including some art sites, there is usually a section left to off-topic chat that allows people to vent their thoughts. Moderation is used of course (can't have nutters getting all crazy) but it allows the community to grow. I wanna be able to talk about how Fred and the gang are doing in Florida after that hurricane or the olympics without putting it into the trek section where the trek stuff should go.

 

Had a bunch of other points but I forgot :D

 

Thanks for Listening to my boring-ass speech :P

 

Images' Player

 

Eric

[Atragon9 0]

Hmmm, well the "Community & Trek Discussion" Board clearly states"

 

"Get to know others from around the fleet! Make yourself at home and talk about the latest trek happenings, or anything else on your mind!"

 

And we DO allow discussions off-Trek here. The only time that threads are closed down for going off topic is when they do just that. If a discussion starts as a Trek thread and ends up as a dissection of Canadian politics (eh?) or high school proms, then it gets shut down. However, we have had threads here about politics and proms and they have continued to their logical conclusions (or you guys got bored with them).

 

Some recent non-Trek and non-STSF topics here include the Olympics, Friday the 13th, the summer box office, Stephen Hawking and colleges vs. universities, to name just a few.

 

I guess this is my long way of saying that I vote 'No' - we don't need a general section since we already have one.

[Images 0]

Yeah but I still think making a section completely seperate from the trek stuff might be groovy. I think chatting canadian politic or proms might be good! It still feels a lil stuffy, I mean nobody's gonna start a topic on their favourite band's new album are they? You pretty much see topic that have some strange link with Trek or the science behind it. :P

 

 

I am SO begging for lightning to zap me aren't I? :D

Edited August 16, 2004 by Images

[willingham 0]

I agree with Atragon here, we don't need a general section.

 

Besides, if we get a general section, we'll have to make a "smoking section" to supplement it.

[Saek tr'Vosh 0]

I agree ..na General sections please....

 

but how about a Colonel section, eh..now that would be cool... :D

Edited August 16, 2004 by Saek tr'Vosh

[Dumbass 0]

OK, I'll bite. What the heck is a Colonal section?

[Sovak 0]

I agree with A9. We are not restrictive to subjects on the board, as long as they are tasteful (i.e. PG rated), friendly (no character bashing) and stay on track. We'll shut down topics that go off topic, or degenerate into harrassment. Other than that, all subjects are welcome!

[Images 0]

Okay i get it! the idea stinks! The towel is thrown. Somebody throw me a sympathy vote for the hell of it please!

[Saek tr'Vosh 0]

OK, I'll bite. What the heck is a Colonal section?

cmon, Van Roy...thats where klink, Mustard and O'Neal would hang out :D

[Darrik 0]

cmon, Van Roy...thats where klink, Mustard and O'Neal would hang out :D

Actually, O'Neil's a general now.

[STSF Precip 0]

::shakes head::

 

And this thread is a classic case of a thread going off topic. It amazes me how many decent topics ( Like Images here) have threads that get sent tangent. Even after an administrator makes metnion of the fact.

 

I don't believe the creation of a General Section would stem the tide of threads gone amok. In my opinion rather, out of respect for the original author of the topic...that posters SHOULD stick to the topic at hand, and not allow the thread to degenerate into nonsense. I believe if our community were willing to take that step, we could have many interesting non-Trek related discussions of Sports, Trivia, or Global issues right in this very section.

 

In short folks..please stick to the subject.

 

Precip

[Seiben 0]

hey, how about an Off-Topic section?

This IS the off-topic section! Can't you read?

[Saek tr'Vosh 0]

Oh..c'mon....

 

First of all, the topic...by images admission, was sooo ready for lampooning.

 

Second, global issues are one thing...health concerns are another...it all comes down to when and where to have fun..and this is supposed to be fun... :D

[Captain Huff 0]

Don't forget... that communication within the community isn't limited to these boards. Back in the old days (when we simmed barefoot in the snow uphill both ways) we didn't have no stinkin boards! And yet... we managed to bond SOMEhow. :D IM's, PM's, private chat rooms... email, cellphones, and eventually Vegas...

 

The best part... Nothing is rated, censored, or closed for being off topic, off color or just plain off.

 

JUST my two cents. I *do* like the stsf community boards, but I also like talking without structure. ;)

[Dumbass 0]

The best part... Nothing is rated, censored, or closed for being off topic, off color or just plain off.

Foot? :D

Edited August 17, 2004 by Dumbass

[William Laiden 0]

Hey, William Laiden is back :D

[Dumbass 0]

welcome back :P i didn't make an announcement when i came back for the fear of boos and hisses :D plus i got a 20% warning that won't come off of me

I'm a little disappointed. I don't have anything on my warning level yet, and I'm a jerk. :)

[William Laiden 0]

lol! I just checked, and my warning level is at 0%. :D

[NDak 0]

Don't forget... that communication within the community isn't limited to these boards. Back in the old days (when we simmed barefoot in the snow uphill both ways) we didn't have no stinkin boards! And yet... we managed to bond SOMEhow. :P IM's, PM's, private chat rooms... email, cellphones, and eventually Vegas...

 

The best part... Nothing is rated, censored, or closed for being off topic, off color or just plain off.

 

JUST my two cents. I *do* like the stsf community boards, but I also like talking without structure. :D

Here, here Huffy!

[Merina 0]

That would be a great idea.