Topic

Live forum: http://www.thornvalley.com/commons/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762

HolyArrow

28-01-2008 07:14:08

It's not a big deal, /and it's not my forum, it's everybody's, and everyone has the right to talk about what they feel like as long as they don't break rules/, but have you ever started a topic on a forum and then when you simply look into the last (either reading the middle or not) and noticing that the topic changed drastically?

A hypothetical example (not referring to any specific) would be a NIMH related topic leading into say... a conversation about the elections. I've seen something related happen, and as the starter of the topic for some of them I'm amazed how that can happen. I guess sometimes the transition is justifiable (although you have to read all of the posts to see whether or not it is), but it's interesting how different a topic can change in a forum that gives opportunities to choose what you want to talk about.

What do you think?

leejakobson

30-01-2008 11:24:59

lishrugs ok maybe so but at least you always get interesting conversation here.

Whiskers57

30-01-2008 18:12:09

What do I think?
Human Nature, I not only do I do this myself, But I see it in all areas of life, a subject is started all goes well, but then, some key words will be heard and remind the person of another subject to be said, thus reminds another person of something else and so on...

Being on a forum you would think It would give you the time pay more heed to the topic, but alas not so, we still do it.

Maybe not as bad as in real life talking with folks in real time.

leejakobson

01-02-2008 11:48:06

yeah it is human nature I can not tell you how many times I went on and on about stuff that came to my mind in which seemed to have nothing to do with the start of the conversation.

Tzolkin

06-03-2008 22:17:25

According to how a topic got the way it is, it could be either derailing or hijacking. Some forums have rules against the latter, which is where someone comes in and suddenly changes the topic because theirs is similar.

Derailing is where the topic drift off the topic of the original poster all on its own, with no-one in particular at fault. Some forums' members try to correct this if they see it happening, and some just let it go.

Either way, it happens pretty frequently, especially after more than 5 pages.