On 03:57 PM 11/28/2001 -0500, murr rhame wrote: >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...
The problem I have is that many people think that any computer related or Internet related topic is "on-topic" on an Internet discussion group. Many of them are new, and have no idea how to find another group to ask their off-topic computer or Internet related question, so they want to ask the group they know. IME, if you let a single thread like this go unchecked (and have a lot of novice Internet users on your list), the threads multiply like bunnies, and your most clueful on-topic contributers end up silent, and then leave. How do other list managers address this problem? jc
