back at school ?

[anneasquith]

i feel im back at school and ED and staff are reprimanding abers for spontaneous discussions using the threat of suspension/banning ! i am certainly not visiting the site as often as i did...............

[cazzz1975]

yep, as long as the question has been answered then I have no issues with people going off topic, in some ways it can 'advertise' to the new person that the site is busy which will encourage new people to use the site again

[cazzz1975]

a good example of sticking to the subject and not digressing is answers.com, which as a site I find a little too uniform and sterile, although it is helpful.

[cazzz1975]

lol butch ;) fuss over nothing

[anneasquith]

naomi. i totally agree with your views on this issue.

[jno]

depends - sometimes someone will say 'I did 40 in a 30mph zone, what will happen' and along with one or two useful answers, if they're lucky, will come 20 accusing the OP of being a menace to society and hoping they rot in jail. That sort of thing would dissuade any questioner from using the site.

But I've no problem with someone trying to catch the attention of the OP, or another contributor, for some off-topic purpose; it's often the only way of doing so when you know they're posting. I've done it myself. I'd usually apologise to the OP while doing it, though.

[boxtops]

Yes, me too jno, I think that is an OK way of dealing with it - the digression is only to ask a Q and get an answer, not a rambling rant.