First, let me make it clear that shutting down OTC altogether would not harm the wiki's mission in any way. It is being hosted solely out of courtesy toward the interests of tropers wanting to have a conversation.
Secondly, if OTC regulars don't start to report derails and stop falling for troll bait, in short, become more self moderating and participating more in bringing in moderation help when needed, I'll have no problem at all with shutting it down.
Thirdly, I'll underscore that falling for troll tactics is the fault of the fish. This forum is expected to be more savvy, not less. Stop being made fools of.
2024 update:
There is a list of banned OTC topics here
. Please read it. We take these rules seriously.
Edited by Mrph1 on Mar 29th 2024 at 11:08:22 AM
They fall within acceptable limits right now. They're a minor, lighthearted exchange. There's very little chance that they'll drag the conversation off-topic for more than a couple of posts. If the discussion were to stay on the topic of whether I should have said "photons" or "time" or something else entirely, it would be trending off-topic.
The key to off-topic or not is whether it comes back on-topic after a brief digression or shows signs that it can be brought back on-topic.
And, Mahel, what you did was a very effective way of bringing it back on-topic. *applause*
edited 2nd Nov '11 7:31:07 AM by Madrugada
I suppose that if I posted an amusing video of people applauding I would be off-topic again, would I not?
A case of true love has the same redeeming power as a case of genuine curiosity: they are the same.Kind of, yes. In fact, "image macros" and the like are an incredibly annoying meme.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"Annoying as in "it bothers me", although from the perspective of OTC, I'd be inclined to moderate them heavily as they contribute nothing to a conversation. Yack Fest is a different matter, of course — quite a bit more is allowed there.
edited 2nd Nov '11 8:39:39 AM by Fighteer
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"With regards to OTC, I'd treat image macros the same way as posts consisting only of a single joke - potentially OK, but only when used sparingly and in the right context. When in doubt, best avoided.
Welcome To TV Tropes | How To Write An Example | Text Formatting Rules | List Of Shows That Need Summary | TV Tropes Forum | Know The StaffI guess present clearly the topic and explain what we can discuss. I've had threads where I was unsure of my position, so I just said that I wasn't sure.
If you don't have set opinions, perhaps you have questions to ask about it. Presenting some sample questions would be a good approach.
Now using Trivialis handle.^ That sounds like the right approach, IMO.
Welcome To TV Tropes | How To Write An Example | Text Formatting Rules | List Of Shows That Need Summary | TV Tropes Forum | Know The StaffAgreed. Frame the conversation and give it some direction. Ask questions. Engage readers.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Anyone can give an Engaging Conversation. Come on, troper, move into position, engage those readers!
And this is how you derail a perfectly good conversation. So don't do it.
edited 13th Nov '11 9:53:45 AM by PacificState
A case of true love has the same redeeming power as a case of genuine curiosity: they are the same.I also think that thread titles should try to be objective and inviting, not repulsive. That should be part of the guidelines.
Now using Trivialis handle.Speculation about possible coups in a thread about economic policy is at best tangential to the main topic. I would try to steer it back.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"Yeah, otherwise the next logical step is mentioning Nazis, and. Then. We're. Gone.
A case of true love has the same redeeming power as a case of genuine curiosity: they are the same.I've been noticing an explosion of threads made in direct response to a new item. Problem is, the discussion gets fractured into very narrow topics with this trend. Maybe we could have threads being about actual topics beyond just news items, if two articles talk about similar things, they could be merged.
Any thoughts?
Now using Trivialis handle.I really wish the software would support split & merge...
edited 14th Nov '11 5:30:00 PM by abstractematics
Now using Trivialis handle.It's enough to lock the duplicates and point them at the proper thread. If you want to be polite you can link to the locked thread or quoteblock relevant portions, so people in the combined thread can follow along.
Eddie might add split/merge at some point but I wouldn't base my posting choices on it.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"BTW can someone please unlock OWS?
A case of true love has the same redeeming power as a case of genuine curiosity: they are the same.

As an example, should I report the last two posts for being off-topic? or do they fall within acceptable limits?
In the quiet of the night, the Neocount of Merentha mused: How long does evolution take, among the damned?