A thread hijack occurs. The thread is started to discuss a particular topic. Somebody makes a brief point in passing. Somebody else questions the point. A large number of posts follow where these two people are discussing that one point, only peripherally related to the main topic of the thread.
Is it acceptable for an ordinary member of the forum to humbly suggest, or politely request that they continue the discussion in a new thread? Or would that be counted as junior modding?
First, I think it’s best practice to just report the issue and let a mod handle it.
But speaking very generally, if I run across a thread where a user has done what you’re positing, the tone of the “request” is going to make a difference to me. Your definition of “humble” and “politely” may or may not match mine. Telling someone that they must do something differently in a thread is very likely to earn a junior modding comment from me. But overall, I think the answer is, “it depends.”
I would mostly just reiterate what Asimovian said. Best practice is to report the hijack, and let the mods deal with it. Junior modding is most likely to be called when a poster tries telling others what to do or insisting on a certain kind of behavior, or telling them they will get a warning if they behave in a certain way.
If it’s the thread I’m thinking of, it was the OP who asked that the hijack be taken to a new thread. In this case I think the OP was well within their rights to request that their own thread not be hijacked. If it was another poster in the thread, then yeah maybe not so much, and we’re back in “it depends” territory.
I dunno, this sort of crap happens all the time here. Two people get on a tangent and won’t let it go. Yeah, report it, but I don’t know how “could you two stop that or get your own thread” would be an issue coming from anyone, unless you have a Mod who thinks that only they have a right to say such things.
Like Asimovian says, it depends on the tone and the circumstances.
(bolding mine) Gotta say, the OP doesn’t own the thread once it’s started. So I think you’re wrong, the OP has no more say than any other poster whether any side conversations should be moved to a new thread.
Then why bother with thread titles at all? It is the OP that composes both the title of the thread and the first post-I’d say this gives her/him at least some vested interest in the thread itself.
WRT the current conversation, I would say it’s so the mods can determine if the thread is staying on track.
I agree with RF. You start a thread, but you don’t own it. Clarification of what you meant in the OP is fine. Directing otters posters what to do? Not fine.
It is true that the OP does not own the thread.
Junior Modding by the OP: “Stop this hijack. This is my thread and I do not want to discuss that.”
Junior Modding by another poster: “You are off topic. Go start your own thread.”
NOT Junior Modding, (regardless who posts it): “Could we take this separate discussion to another thread, please? The original thread is getting lost in the posts on this separate topic.”
If you are polite and not demanding, I am not going to take any Mod action. If the hijack continues, Report it, since further requests tend to express displeasure and raise hackles.
Like most things, it depends, in particular on the forum. If a poster asks a question in GQ, and people misunderstand it and go off on a tangent, it is perfectly OK for the poster to clarify the kind of answers he is looking for. (Of course, sometimes a poster may not understand the ramifications of his own question.;)) On the other hand, you can’t expect that kind of control in IMHO or MPSIMS.
Agreed. I’ve tried to direct many otters over the years. Total waste of time.
You just have to Tarka long time to train them.
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Tars Tarkas left during the SDMB pay to post period.
P2P was a bad idea.
I concur and a excellent way to word it.
All you hijackers, stop it NOW! This thread is about otters!
Okay, I’m going in jump in along with shoeless and maybe Czarcasm here. I think the OP of any thread ought to have at least some degree of ownership of the thread, and should have at least some degree (greater than currently) of authority to junior mod it.
My proposal: OP should have non-binding, non-enforceable junior modding [del]powers[/del] privilege over his own thread. That is, OP should be allowed to ask other to stick to the topic he things he wants to discuss, with the only caveat that such junior modding remain civil. “Don’t be a jerk” still applies.
Such requests would have no enforcement power behind them (other than, if all else fails, reporting the post to a real mod), but within limits should not be moddable itself.
We have a mostly pretty good culture on this board, and we should adopt into our culture here that junior modding one’s own thread is acceptable and should generally be respected. It’s not that much of a departure from our existing board culture.
If we ignore the fact that tomndebb didn’t stick to the topic of otters, I think his self-announced modding policy is the best answer here.
Why, you, I otter…
That’s pretty much what happens now. You’re not proposing anything different than existing practice.
Wow, just weasel in a bevy of otter puns to the thread , and some wants to bring a holt to it.
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