(Out of Topic) Do we need a "OUT OF TOPIC" forum?

[Jqn]

Hi all,
I want to propose Ghisler to add a new forum to the current list:
" OUT OF TOPIC "

I see that with many frequency someone proposes some topic that is not of pure TC.

What do you think about?

Joaquin


[mod]Some threads about creating an offtopic forum have been merged:

- (Out of Topic) Do we need a "OUT OF TOPIC" forum?
- We want the TAVERN!
- OT - OT posts

Lefteous (Moderator)
[/mod]

[pdavit]

I want to propose Ghisler to add a new forum to the current list: " OUT OF TOPIC "

I second that!

[Sheepdog]

Good idea.
Support++.


sheepdog

[Clo]

2Jqn
Hi Joaquin !
¤ Interesting, I support the principle.
* A poll and users' suggestions about the rules seem needed …

KR
Claude
Clo

[pdavit]

2 Moderators (excluding Clo who already placed his opinion) & Christian himself

Any comments/arguments about the need for an off-topic forum section?

[Lefteous]

2pdavit

2 Moderators (excluding Clo who already placed his opinion) & Christian himself

Any comments/arguments about the need for an off-topic forum section?

This topic is currently discussed in the Moderators thread too.
The current situation is that Offtopic threads are placed in the appropriate language forums.
If an offtopic forum is created all languages (german, english and french) must be covered. This could mean we have to create 3 offtopic forums.
Here is an idea for this problem:
If a thread is created in the offtopic forum the author has to append a language information to the thread title.
Here is an example: Offtopic: My offtopic topic title (English)
(maybe offtopic before the thread title is no longer required then)
If a moderator moves a thread to this forum he could append the language info to the thread title.
In addition an offtopic forum should be placed into a new category (not into Total Commander)

What do you think?

[Wilhelm M.]

I'm afraid, the only reasonable solution for the language problem is to agree on a common language, most likely English. All other possibilities lead to strange results. Three additional forums would be nonsense. And to install one forum where parallel discussion in different languages take place would hardly be better.

[Lefteous]

2Wilhelm M.

I'm afraid, the only reasonable solution for the language problem is to agree on a common language, most likely English. All other possibilities lead to strange results. Three additional forums would be nonsense. And to install one forum where parallel discussion in different languages take place would hardly be better.

That would mean german and french offtopic threads will remain in their language forums and english ones will be discussed in a seperate forum.
For your instance this is currently handled the same way for german and french plugin questions.

[Wilhelm M.]

I know the problems. But the other possibilities, i.e. a single forum with different languages - how do you expect to manage that? Assume someone asks a question in french. The probability that he/she gets an answer from a non-native french speaker is almost zero. The same is true for german. So what sense should it make to post this question in a forum that is not french/german/etc?
And three additional forums? Does not sound nice to me. At least not in forum where more general questions are discussed.

[Lefteous]

2Wilhelm M.

So what sense should it make to post this question in a forum that is not french/german/etc?

We could maybe declare such an offtopic forum as multilangual or german/french/english allowed. Maybe this could be a solution for the problem with the plugin forum too.

And three additional forums? Does not sound nice to me.

I fully agree.

[Wilhelm M.]

We could maybe declare such an offtopic forum as multilangual or german/french/english allowed.

.

Hm, why not? Perhaps you should give that a try! Would be interesting where this leads us... Maybe into chaos, but who knows?

[wanderer]

I know the problems. But the other possibilities, i.e. a single forum with different languages - how do you expect to manage that?

We could maybe declare such an offtopic forum as multilangual or german/french/english allowed. Maybe this could be a solution for the problem with the plugin forum too.

Hello everybody.

Nice idea the off-topic forum. I don't know if it's possible but how about, in the "post new message" screen, you put a language-selection combo-box (visible in the off-topic forum only)? If a user does not select the language of the message, the system will not allow the message to be posted. In the main forum screen, there could also be a language filter, which could also exist in the user preferences as a "default language filer". That way you have one forum and you give the users the ability to select the language they wish to see (there could also be an "all-languages" selection). In the message list of the forum, you could add the language automatically before the title of each message, or have a separate field in the list.

If there is no technical problem in doing this, it would be nice.

[Sheepdog]

I don't see any reason why not to put three languages in the offtopic forum.

Either I can read the topic or not. If I can read it, I can take part, if not I cannot. If there is a topic taking my interest, but I do not unerstand I can post a request for translation/summary in my language. Maybe someone will help.

To keep track of it one may add the language info as Lefteous proposed..

sheepdog

[Jqn]

AND ...
Why to limit the forum to only three languages?
Is it possible to increase it to four, or to five...?

ALLWAYS we will forget someone of them.

I believe that is much better to use only English (despite me).

JOAQUIN

[Sheepdog]

AND ...
Why to limit the forum to only three languages?
Is it possible to increase it to four, or to five...?

There's a very definite opinion of @ghisler. Since he's responsible for the content of the forum he mandatory want to be able to understand what is written in this forum. And there are only french, german and english he knows enough to understand the postings.

So it's a brave attempt but I fear it's hopeless.

sheepdog