ADMIN: What's "off-topic" really there for?

[Ben Cohen]

Note - in the moderator's opinion (that's me, folks, in case anyone forgot...
:-), this is probably the best summary of what's ok for off-topic discussions.
I think one other factor is that they're generally for things that are not
considered serious topics somewhere else, so major, world-shaking,
news-breaking events, usually don't get consideration here since there's
probably already at least 1 other place where they would be better discussed.

Anyone who didn't read this when it came around should take a moment and do
so... [Heck, even if you did read it the first time around, give it another
shot. :-)]

Ben Cohen,
Moderator, BOC-L

>My understanding of the "off-topic" was that it was a musical one so
>that the occasional non Hawkwind or BOC related bands could be chattered
>about for a few messages without raising dust from folk complaining that
>a new discussion group ought to be formed or that the talk should be
>taken off-line or whatever.   This was also extended to cover topics
>that only tenuously related to the bands.    However I think it was the
>general understanding that discussion on off-topics should (a) be
>restricted to only a few messages (b) that generally speaking it should
>relate, however tenuously, to aspects of music or to the bands in
>question and (c) if the discussion went on at any length it should be
>taken off-list to be continued elsewhere.
>
>This has in practice meant the occasional fascinating observations on
>all sorts of topics ranging from warfare through philosophy and religion
>and politics, social and economic studies and heaven knows what.
>There are occasions where off-topic discussions have gone on for such
>length that they have almost taken over the list.   But this is
>rare.   Mostly when someone asks for a topic to be moved then the
>discussion shifts elsewhere.