Staying on topic

[T'Mar of Vulcan]

Threads tend to drift. Usually they tend to stay in at least a related topic.

I will confess to getting very annoyed when threads drift right off into other topics. For example, if someone posts about, say, naughty children, and in a subsequent post someone mentions fruit, and the ENTIRE THREAD turns into a thread about fruit: where to buy it, which is the best, why fruit is good for you, etc. Especially if I've posted in the thread about a naughty child, now I'm stuck with a thread about fruit showing up on my 'unread posts' forever more. That is REALLY annoying! (I have nothing against fruit, BTW.)

[Scritzy]

T'mar, I misread that as, "Fruit GROWING up on my unread posts." 

Which gave me a funny head picture.

Berries, anyone?

[Lisbeth]

T'mar, I misread that as, "Fruit GROWING up on my unread posts." 

Which gave me a funny head picture.

Berries, anyone?

How about a Cherry Diet Coke?

[Scritzy]

T'mar, I misread that as, "Fruit GROWING up on my unread posts." 

Which gave me a funny head picture.

Berries, anyone?

How about a Cherry Diet Coke?

Right now I'm drinking Simply Apple apple juice. I'll have the Cherry Coke as a nightcap. Thanks!

[Dixie Darlin]

Right now I'm drinking Simply Apple apple juice.

Isn't it delicious? And am I the only one noticing that this thread seems to be drifting off topic? Ah, well. We writers appreciate irony, right Scritzy?

[Squeaks]

Right now I'm drinking Simply Apple apple juice.

Isn't it delicious? And am I the only one noticing that this thread seems to be drifting off topic? Ah, well. We writers appreciate irony, right Scritzy?

Yes I did notice. . .  and for that matter I guess I am not guilty

[Brentwood]

Personally I don't find thread drift that bothersome

I don't either. Sometimes the conversation will shift from the focus of the original post, and as long as there is still productive discussion going on (even if it doesn't strictly pertain to the original post or poster), I don't see a real problem. Other people in similar situations to the OP might be able to get something out of the thread as well.

[caranfin]

There are two kinds of threaddrift. Completely unrelated drift - i.e., the fruit discussion here. And related but irrelevant tangent (How should I do X? Well, you should do Y instead. And here's how you do it...) The first can be annoying, because it takes up space and it bumps a discussion to "unread" status even if nothing is really happening re: the actual discussing. And the second can be useful but it often seems to derail the discussion and can easily get ugly. If someone really does have a related tangent, I think it's best to put it on a s/o thread.

[dawbs]

I understand the need to keep threads in the same general realm...but I think thread drift is a necessary part of online conversations and attempting to curb it kills conversations.
And I like thread drift.  Usually.  (Unless I started the thread, then I want very specific answers to my question only  .  Only a little true)

Non e-hell example...
A board I frequent deals w/ pets and their problems; many of the posters are involved in pet rescue and they're a great source of advice for all sorts of questions (from "why is my cat using my laundry as a litter box" to "how do I get sap out of dog fur") and just general conversation ("hey, what did you think of the flyball championship", "Great, El Pupus Extrordinare just regurgitated beef into my shoe").

Last week we got a question about "how can I keep my dog from doing X unwanted behaviors, and don't even bring up getting him fixed because I won't discuss it"

Not only does the question of "is the dog fixed?" going to directly affect the answer, the reasons the dog isn't fixed (whether it be a health concern, desire to breed the dog, finances, etc) will also affect the answer.
Yes, it is pointing out that the person who owned the dog was "too bone-headed to think of such a simple solution " but it was also relevant to the conversation at hand.  And cutting it off like that ties the hands completely.
(and yes, it also increases the odds [to 100%  ], in the above situation that the dog owner is educated, against his will, on why he should consider fixing the dog.  And I can understand he doesn't want that discussion...but those are the hazards of opening up something for discussion)

[willowz]

Thread drift is rather inevitable.  I think trying to censor how people respond is more annoying.  If the group is observing the general forum rules on what is and is not appropriate and they are responding to something related to the OP in how they answer I think this is fine.

I would rather have thread drift than try to figure out what is and isn't something I should try not to say.  I think when we try to censor how people should respond to only a certain way you will stifle any flow or conversation or ideas or even solutions.   I dislike people telling me to stop doing certain things in a thread even If I don't even do those things. 

For example being told to not. use. this. type of punctuation bugs me.  Or don't Bold certain words or don't do this or that to me is trying to shut me up in a way that violates the way I might want to express myself. Or saying lets agree to not use suv this or that.  I am not bothered I suppose by how people choose to express themselves and I guess if it did bother me I would either skip it and go to the next response, but I won't tell people how they should or should not respond if they are within forum rules.