All three appear to be asking for Doper input into the subjects at hand, which as far as I’ve always known, was what IMHO was for. The forum description includes “For frank exchanges of views on less-than-cosmic topics” as suitable subject matter for the forum.
Of course, this is less-than-cosmic in the grand scheme of things, but I do try to open threads in the correct forum, so can I get clarification on what belongs in IMHO if not threads asking for people’s opinions on things?
I’m trying to draw a line. If it seems more like an advice oriented thread, I’m moving it. (#'s 1 & 3 in your examples.) If it seems mundane and pointless, I’m moving it. (#2 in your examples.) If it turns into a debate, or is a factual question, or is about the arts, or turns into a fight or flaming, I’m moving it.
I’ll readily admit I may be making the wrong decisions - I’m new here. I may not make the same decisions six months from now. I certainly value your input, as I will any other Dopers who have comments to offer, and I will consider it.
It’s all judgement calls really. As I gain experience here, my judgement on threads like those cited may change. Or it may not.
I’m confused too. I don’t care mind you, but like you I try to open threads where they belong. I was asking for opinions, wasn’t I? The mod was polite and said “I realize this isn’t pointless to the OP but…” That was nice, but I honestly didn’t mind the move, or would have minded the implication that it was pointless. But I do try to get these things right…
TellMeI’mNotCrazy, first of all, HiHowayaPretoriaFadaLord’sSakeNow-How-Will-WeEverGetThatLunchTagedda-Huh-Huh-Huh? Nice to type at you again.
Second, have a little sympathy. This Year’s Model is new to both the responsibility and the power of moderation. S/He’ll be wrong early and often, but a steady learning curve should develop and then we can get down to complaining about the bias and the authoritarian streak rather than the poor judgment. Personally, I’d just as soon that family and significant-other and dating relationship issues always ended up in IMHO, as did any open-ended question unfit for General Questions or Great Debates.
To me (I’ll think of the name of the guy who asked me in just a minute) MPSIMS is for personal anecdotes that don’t start off as an agony-column missive, and for funny stories and offbeat topics that are more suited to the big shovel than to the reference shelf. Cafe Society = Books, Magazines, Music, TV, Radio (still waiting for the definitive Bob and Ray Thread), Movies and Food. GQ is GQ, and Great Debates is whatever the traffic will allow until somebody calls somebody else a bad name. Meanwhile, as a general rule, advice is almost always a matter of opinion, if the topic isn’t surgery or wiring a house.
Khadaji, don’t interpret “having one’s thread moved to a different forum” as “constructive criticism”. Unless it was something egregiously stupid, such as posting a “Hey, who here really hates Bush?” thread in GQ, nobody cares that yer thread might have got moved from MPSIMS to IMHO, or from IMHO to MPSIMS, or from GQ to ATMB, or from ATMB to Comments, or from Great Debates to IMHO or MPSIMS or GQ or Comments or ATMB. It’s just basically “Not Important”.
Now, when yer threads get moved to the Pit, now that IS important. And fun for us all.
But until then…
Take a deep breath and realize that you haven’t been “corrected” or “disciplined”. A mod just thought yer thread might fit better in another forum, is all. It’s not that big a deal.
But still, DDG has a point. It is not constructive criticism, or in fact, criticism of any sort for me to move a thread. It’s just that I (temporarily ) felt it was better somewhere else. It’s not a warning, it doesn’t go on your permanent record, and it doesn’t add points to your driver’s license. Feel free to criticize me for moving it, but don’t fret that it is something that is a black mark next to your name. It’s not.
I may not make the same decisions six months from now. I certainly value your input, as I will any other Dopers who have comments to offer, and I will consider it.