Ignoring off topic and disruptive posts isn't always the best solution. First of all, you pretty much have to read the posts to figure if the posts are dispuptive, and secondly, the reader will often need to wade through a bunch of off-topic garbage to find out if or when the original thread ever gets back on track.
Personally, I've always thought the cure for this would be for A'gon to grant the OP of each thread, the power to delete any post in that thread. The OP could police the content to his or her own sensibilities.
Sure, a few of the threads may end up becoming sanitized to the point of boredom, and some could still end up as free-for-all whoopee sessions, (either of which still could be enjoyable by some). Nevertheless, I believe most of the A'goners here would use the power to delete only when posts start to derail the thread, taking the OP's thread into an unintended direction.
There are a great number of thoughtful posters in A'gon's history that never/rarely share their opinions and expertise anymore. One has to wonder if constantly wading through off-topic tripe, the sniping, the shouting, and immature content; hasn't turned them completely off of A'gon.
I believe readers would gravitate toward OPs that allow divergent opinions to be expressed while disallowing disruptive behavior.
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Personally, I've always thought the cure for this would be for A'gon to grant the OP of each thread, the power to delete any post in that thread. The OP could police the content to his or her own sensibilities.
Sure, a few of the threads may end up becoming sanitized to the point of boredom, and some could still end up as free-for-all whoopee sessions, (either of which still could be enjoyable by some). Nevertheless, I believe most of the A'goners here would use the power to delete only when posts start to derail the thread, taking the OP's thread into an unintended direction.
There are a great number of thoughtful posters in A'gon's history that never/rarely share their opinions and expertise anymore. One has to wonder if constantly wading through off-topic tripe, the sniping, the shouting, and immature content; hasn't turned them completely off of A'gon.
I believe readers would gravitate toward OPs that allow divergent opinions to be expressed while disallowing disruptive behavior.
Toolbox