I have not noticed any increase in "I know this is off-topic" posts of late. Judging by the replies so far, this is one of those problems that doesn't have a simple and universal solution. My reaction depends on how far off-topic the thread is and how likely it is to be ignored. On my tech discussion lists, I clamp down hard on divisive topics like guns, religion and politics. If it's a distantly related tech topic, I may let the thread run for a while...
One list I subscribed to declared a limited amnesty on political discussions for a few days after September 11th. The list was a bit loud for a few days but there was no apparent lasting damage. I declared World Trade Center related topics strictly off-limits with mixed results. Some folks liked it. Some were pissed that they couldn't rant on their favorite forum. - murr -
