Do not post off-topic replies

[theymos]

Would it be possible to let users delete off topic posts in their own threads? I have had a problem several times with people hijacking marketplace posts for trades who have no interest in an exchange but feel it is their duty to intervene or offer advice on every little thing even if it is completely counter productive to trading. If a user was abusing his ability to remove posts, nothing is stopping others from making their own threads to point this out, or for that matter reporting it to staff. Since forum policy states the OP should be able to dictate the post rules anyway, I think this could both serve the community and reduce staff workload.

No. This would get in the way of free discussion. Most people are bad moderators. The OP sets the initial conditions for discussion and then loses all control over the topic. OPs do not own replies by other people.

[TECSHARE]

Would it be possible to let users delete off topic posts in their own threads? I have had a problem several times with people hijacking marketplace posts for trades who have no interest in an exchange but feel it is their duty to intervene or offer advice on every little thing even if it is completely counter productive to trading. If a user was abusing his ability to remove posts, nothing is stopping others from making their own threads to point this out, or for that matter reporting it to staff. Since forum policy states the OP should be able to dictate the post rules anyway, I think this could both serve the community and reduce staff workload.

If the desire rule is "I don't want anybody posting in my thread" there is already a button for that: lock topic.  It's on the lower left corner of your screen.

Since it appears you ask your customers to PM you rather than post in the thread, and you berate and curse non-customers who reply... it's a safe bet nobody should post in your thread but you.  In that case, the lock option is probably nothing less than what you're looking for.

You are very arrogant to assume everything is always about you. Is there anywhere on this forum I can go to ask a question without you interfering and turning it into a drama pageant? This is number 3 now.

@Theymos - Why do we need open discussion in private marketplace ads? As I said before nothing is stopping people from making reports or making other threads about users if they abuse the control over their own threads.

[casascius]

You are very arrogant to assume everything is always about you.

I see beautiful irony.  Actually it's hard not to see beauty in everything Bitcoin when the Bitcoin bulls are stampeding.

Anyway, the irony is in the fact that you've asked for the ability to delete off-topic replies to your OP's, of a mod who shares his belief that giving people that ability is fundamentally not a good idea... and then immediately afterward, you have posted an off-topic reply in a thread about off-topic replies, started by that same mod, who has the very ability you seek - but then who might opt to not use it in his own thread for the very reason he gave.  All to tell me I'm arrogant, but in a somewhat textbook arrogant manner (I'm not offended, if it matters - I am a complete ass rather frequently, mostly IRL though, and have no room to speak about manners).

Hopefully on a day like this though, you have some bitcoins in hand.  Do you have a donation address?  Can I send you a coin?  I am even willing to delete all my posts you are complaining are cluttering your thread, and never post in a thread of yours again, then we can put each other on our ignore lists and you can go back to selling your wares... all you gotta do is say that's what you want!

[TECSHARE]

At this point your behavior has degenerated into stalking and childish trolling. I said very explicitly what I would like including in the OP. Either act or if you like continue to talk about acting. I am not going to act like you are doing me a favor for removing unwanted posts that have already derailed the thread (as if that helps). Either do it or don't, stop talking about it and do something. You don't need anything from me.

[theymos]

@Theymos - Why do we need open discussion in private marketplace ads? As I said before nothing is stopping people from making reports or making other threads about users if they abuse the control over their own threads.

You can use local thread rules if you don't want free discussion in your topics.

[bb113]

Instead of just deleting posts there should be a vertically slim message left saying:

"Post removed because deemed Off-Topic by moderator x"

This would avoid confusion.

Or at least have the offending poster automatically notified by pm that they were being too off topic.

[TECSHARE]

@Theymos - Why do we need open discussion in private marketplace ads? As I said before nothing is stopping people from making reports or making other threads about users if they abuse the control over their own threads.

You can use local thread rules if you don't want free discussion in your topics.

...aaand then it gets selectively enforced the other way and annoys the crap out of the moderators....

[vite]

This is a terrible idea because it will come into conflict with the free flow of ideas.so if someone does not agree with a comment and reports it as off topic then it will be deleted regardless of how on or of topic it may be. The fact that the ppopular ops and mods can start or divert topics and simply flag all comments that attemped against their will or trend of thought. If something if not on topic then people can just use the ignore function, it is already a working part of this board.

Vite
PS: mobile version would be nice my "off topic" topic got send to meta nice...

[Herodes]

It's going to be a monumental task to keep all thread ontopic.

[Chong Ciao]

Whats the yard - stick to decide on topic - off topic?
Is there a recourse to moderators , who falsify decisions to their will?
Is there public scrutiny provided about which moderator decided what?

[BadBear]

Whats the yard - stick to decide on topic - off topic?

Is the post related to the OP in any way? If not then it's off topic. I don't generally censor replies just for being off topic, a couple here and there are harmless, only if they break another rule as well (trolling, ad hom, etc).

Is there a recourse to moderators , who falsify decisions to their will?

Yes, admins can see pretty much anything mods can do so it would be pretty hard to falsify anything.  

Is there public scrutiny provided about which moderator decided what?

No.

And to reply to an older post

...so if someone does not agree with a comment and reports it as off topic then it will be deleted regardless of how on or of topic it may be. ...

No, reports are just suggestions, I look at each objectively.

[Chong Ciao]

Whats the yard - stick to decide on topic - off topic?

Is the post related to the OP in any way? If not then it's off topic. I don't generally censor replies just for being off topic, a couple here and there are harmless, only if they break another rule as well (trolling, ad hom, etc).

Is there a recourse to moderators , who falsify decisions to their will?

Yes, admins can see pretty much anything mods can do so it would be pretty hard to falsify anything.  

Is there public scrutiny provided about which moderator decided what?

No.

And to reply to an older post

...so if someone does not agree with a comment and reports it as off topic then it will be deleted regardless of how on or of topic it may be. ...

No, reports are just suggestions, I look at each objectively.

That means deleting is never done without your consent ?  Moderators just report ?
Is there any thread, where the different powers of moderators, globalmoderators and administrators is explained?
Thanks

[theymos]

That means deleting is never done without your consent ?  Moderators just report ?
Is there any thread, where the different powers of moderators, globalmoderators and administrators is explained?
Thanks

"Moderators" moderate specific sections. They can delete posts there, edit them, move topics, split topics, lock topics, and sticky topics. "Global moderators" are the same as moderators, but they moderate all sections. All staff can also whitelist newbies and ban newbies. Administrators can do anything.

Any user can report a post. The report is send to the admins, global moderators, and any applicable section moderators. The recipients choose to act on the report or not.

[salty]

Conversation drifts and develops, this may not be the best thing to do, you may be discouraged from posting something interesting for fear of it deviating from the original article too much, although it may still be relevant in the context of the flow of discussion. In this case posting a new topic would risk losing momentum if they missed the new thread.

[molecular]

Conversation drifts and develops, this may not be the best thing to do, you may be discouraged from posting something interesting for fear of it deviating from the original article too much, although it may still be relevant in the context of the flow of discussion. In this case posting a new topic would risk losing momentum if they missed the new thread.

I agree.

Some of the best discussions I take part in happen at least borderline off-topic. I think the OP was in reply to the huge rush of new users back in 2011. It's not that much of a problem any more, I guess.

[Maged]

It's not that much of a problem any more, I guess.

Not in the main forum, but if you checked out the mining forum before I cleaned it up you would have seen that it was a disaster.

[molecular]

It's not that much of a problem any more, I guess.

Not in the main forum, but if you checked out the mining forum before I cleaned it up you would have seen that it was a disaster.

Oh ok. It might heavily depend on which forums one looks at.

Late me also take this opportunity to thanks all mods for their great work!

[Luno]

Quite often an extrapolating answer is judged by some as off topic. Usually by people that only read the OP and last post!!!

Also often a thread consists of mitiple diaglouges on different elaborations of the OP, like two or more threads in one.

It's also the OP responsibility to correct a thread in progress if it does'nt find a natural end, as he is the only one that know what the intent of the thread is and state if the OP has been covered or become circular in arguments.

An off topic reporting system can be a weapon as the ignore button: "I will report you out of thread if keep comparing this and that".

Bitcointalk.org is a place where people get smarter, don't elude others of that experience.

[bonker]

I think we should have a "rep" button as well as "ignore"

Are you with me fellow bovine?

ARE YOU WITH ME!?

[TECSHARE]

Quite often an extrapolating answer is judged by some as off topic. Usually by people that only read the OP and last post!!!

Also often a thread consists of mitiple diaglouges on different elaborations of the OP, like two or more threads in one.

It's also the OP responsibility to correct a thread in progress if it does'nt find a natural end, as he is the only one that know what the intent of the thread is and state if the OP has been covered or become circular in arguments.

An off topic reporting system can be a weapon as the ignore button: "I will report you out of thread if keep comparing this and that".

Bitcointalk.org is a place where people get smarter, don't elude others of that experience.

I agree. The moderators don't have the time or desire to moderate all of the off topic posts. Additionally like you mentioned they can't always know the original intent of the OP. I have in the past for example had a marketplace thread hijacked by off topic posters, then the mods instead of removing THEIR posts changed the name of my thread and moved it to a discussion area! Not only did this strip me of my right to have a voice like anyone else here it actually put me in legal liability (and also probably bitcointalk itself) because of government regulation of the good and the wording of the new topic subject.

How is assisting off topic thread hijackers supporting free speech? As I said before the mods have no desire to do this and really don't know for sure what an OP might be trying to achieve. Nothing is stopping people from making their own thread so that they can be heard if we can each control our own. Anyone abusing this control would be exposed fairly quickly with other users cooperating to make threads decrying them. Additionally I have found thru personal experience if you point out abuse/mistakes from moderators here, they tend to find reasons to mess with you even more, leaving little room for getting problems fixed if the mistake lies with a moderator.

Relying on unpaid moderators to solve this problem is asinine and only results in the "good ol boy" club and donators getting help with the rest of us being told to deal with it. Some of us don't like to beg for help that never comes. Why not just give us the ability to manage our own threads? Making this problem the exclusive burden/responsibility of the moderators puts the burden entirely on the moderators rather than being distributed thru many users. Additionally moderators lose nothing if they don't respond to OP reports, but the OP loses time, effort, and some times money. The OP benefits most from controlling off topic posts, why not allow them to be responsible for it? Bitcointalk is far too large to rely on a handful of volunteer moderators, especially for what uninterested individuals might call a petty task of dealing with thousands of off topic posts. We are constantly told to report posts, but reports are usually met with nothing but apathy. Please stop using free speech as a veil for supporting total top down control when in reality it actually just as often makes speech less free here.