OFFICIAL POLL: SEPARATE OFF-TOPIC FORUM?

[Jack]

There's no consensus on the topic; we're pretty much split.

I agree with Jerry Freeman, though, that things are pretty good the way they are right now.

But we NEED a Pub, where we can throw around words like "craic" and "shillelagh" and act like we're Nouveau Traditional (TM) without actually knowing anything about music or instruments.

Shhhhhh!

[Bloomfield]

If we just leave the Poststructural Whistleforum the way it is and add a "Whistle Forum" it will appear the same to almost everyone, because we'd be going from few whistle-related topics to almost none (just a few strays).

And the whistle forum would have the reviews, technical questions and so forth, with no OT allowed. The main benefit would be that the whistle-forum would move much slower.

[Tyghress]

I'm another who has reduced my presence here because I was losing interest in the board. Not that it was bad...the time I don't spend on the board I've been spending playing my instrument, and not being around has been beneficial on my wallet...WhOA subsides when you don't have every whistle in the world flashing you in the face.

But I waver between what is getting tedious: the off-topic torrent or the ON-topic repeat of the same information/arguments by the same people.

If a new board were to be created, I'm ambivalent about what it should be the Poststructural Whistle Board isn't SUPPOSED to be structured, is it? It would be too weird to come here an see only whistle stuff. I would prefer a new board for straight whistling, and this board to retain its character.

I still come back, though. . .scan through the topics, read a few of them.

[FJohnSharp]

No ideas, sorry. It's because it's part of ithe board that I don't think the separate board would work but as it is the OT is way OTT.

Yeah, I understand. That's the dilemma. I'm thinking about breaking down and starting a blog to use as a medium for some of the impulses that cause me to go way OT.

I would hate to see Dale's OT stuff diminish. Please don't take your OT's away, Dale.


If you split them, you'll end up with two forums, each with diminished traffic. I love coming here and having it seem busy. Even if there are the same number of posts in both forums combined, the APPEARANCE of inactivity caused by splitting will make the place seem less active, and, maybe, even influence people to be less active in turn.

I am very much opposed to splitting.

Spitting, on the other hand, is okay, as long as you're at a rodeo.

(edited for clarity)

[Wanderer]

Seriously, though, I'd probably choose not to visit a lot of those boards, and checking the whistle-only board to see if anyone has a question about doing rolls on A or on the latest iteration of Sweetheart whistles would not rate high on my list.

Exactly...the point is, I think, that they'd rate high on someone else's list. And those are the kinds of folks who'd like to see a more OT board and an less OT board segregated.

The way things stand now, topical stuff rolls off the screen in a day or two, and OT stuff stays on page 1 as people continually feed the bears. So anyone who comes here looking for actual whistle advice is left hanging.

I understand that a lot of folks won't socialize on the topical board...but I think that's kind of the point. Folks who want to just hang out and socialize will still have a place to do so. I mean seriously..there are some folks who post here whom I suspect may not even play the whistle

The last time this topic came up, I was one of the folks who said "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...But since then, the place has gotten more and more untopical. Just like any newsgroup that gets popular, eventually a .moderated version springs up. Now while .moderated may not remain 100% on topic all the time, the signal-to-noise ratio is usually much better.

[StewySmoot]

Things are not "GOOD" the way they are right now! Isnt anyone bothering to read my earlier post!!??!!!

(for further reading see OT: the Paranoia thread).


Seriously, what harm would be done by having a whistling forum devoid of off-topic conversation? Would that not further the education?

[Redwolf]

How about giving it a try? If people don't like it, or if traffic diminishes, you can always put it back.

I like the idea of calling the "off topic" (or rather, "on topic and on just about everything else as well" board) a "pub," but I think it needs a name...there are too many on-line "pubs" out there as it is. How about "Wisely's Pub" or "C&F Common Room"?

Redwolf

[JessieD]

[quote="Paul"]Right now it's kind like a bunch of ongoing conversations between friends with the common interest being whistles.
[/quote]

And that is exactly the way it feels.
I am voting for a separate forum for Off topic discussion.

[izzarina]

For me, this board was the source of my love for the whistle. I learned many things that I'm sure I would not have known if I hadn't found this place. But in the process of my learning, I discovered a place that is rivaled by few...this board has grown into much more than just a place to gather information. It has become a family in a sense. The people here have whistles and ITM in common, but it seems that many other interests are shared here as well. We have many common bonds, and I think that's what gives the board it's charm. No, it's not always fun to have to wade through the OT posts, but as aderyn_du said, I'm not as talented at playing as many other people are, and I don't feel all that confident in attempting to join in on a more technical conversation. I READ them, and I learn from them, but I don't feel I have much to contribute. For me, it's a wonderful thing to be able to "get to know" others that have this wonderful interest that I have, and to find out other things about them than just their interest in whistles.
Now having said all of that, I would not be opposed to having a separate place where we CAN keep the charm of this board. Where we can let our hair down and just get to know others better that share our love for all things whistle. I just don't want that part to be lost....but I also don't want newbies to feel lost and not ask their questions because of all of the OT threads. Anyway, chalk me up for a new forum....at least for now.

[rich]

Some forum sites call their OT forum the "Pub".

That <i>does</i> fit nicely.

-Rich

[missy]

I have no problem with the board as it is now. I also have no problem if you want to split to OT vs. Whistle.

What I WOULD have a problem with is if the Whistle board becomes SO structured and policed that the slightest OT mention gets jumped on. One email list I'm on is this way - even if someone puts OT, not related, whatever in the subject line, people will get all over them for DARING to post something not related to the list subject. They also flame to the point that I don't post to the list, but will answer someone privately instead. The only reason I even stay subscribe is to get information about festivals and such.

I'm not a "one topic" person, and look at OT stuff as if I was sitting next to you at a festival. We may play music, we may talk instruments or music, but we may also talk kids or current events or the weather or whatever. I also don't have a problem with filtering through OT stuff to things I want to read or answer.

But, I'll go with the majority rule. But be nice.

Missy

[Nanohedron]

I'm with Missy. One thing I actually enjoy around here is the tolerance of thread drift, and I enjoy it ON MY OWN THREADS, too, mind you. It's entertaining, and one gets to see some pretty sharp wits at work. After all, one can only cover most subjects up to a point, and then free association kicks in. It's HUMAN, dammit. Rigidity and inflexibility are dire, unloved things except to the rigid and inflexible. Deep calls to deep. I think that C&F is a bit more grown-up (which includes the ability to be childlike, not childish) than that.

[StewySmoot]

I'm with Missy. One thing I actually enjoy around here is the tolerance of thread drift, and I enjoy it ON MY OWN THREADS, too, mind you. It's entertaining, and one gets to see some pretty sharp wits at work. After all, one can only cover most subjects up to a point, and then free association kicks in. It's HUMAN, dammit. Rigidity and inflexibility are dire, unloved things except to the rigid and inflexible. Deep calls to deep. I think that C&F is a bit more grown-up (which includes the ability to be childlike, not childish) than that.

It aint necessarily human to post +6.00 posts/day either. That is you being who you are.

It has nothing to with rigidity, it has everything to do with sharing info.

[The Weekenders]

What I WOULD have a problem with is if the Whistle board becomes SO structured and policed that the slightest OT mention gets jumped on.

Missy

Heck, Officer Bloomfield loved doing that on the ITM Forum!
Which is why, fair or not, it probably has a slightly intimidating aspect. At ITM, its POSSIBLE to feel that you are gonna get slagged by an expert who knows more than you or be told to cool it because you inject some friendly aside which is perceived as off-topic. Of course, that same argument can support a completely free OT forum so there is no chance of it happening..

I still vote to keep it the way it is.

[mamakash]

I'm happy with the board as is. The OT topics are clearly noted, if one wants to avoid them. I enjoy the usually friendly banter of the whistle board.
On the other hand, I find the same beginner questions posted over and over. I wouldn't want to discourage beginners from asking questions, but I don't bother reading them or answering them, as I usually have answered similar questions in the past.
Maybe what we need is an advanced whistle board that deals primarily with technique, players, tips on session playing, ear training. The beginner questions could be posted on the main board, but the advanced board would be very specific. That may be appreciated by past and present posters who don't want to wade through OT or beginner/intermediate questions.