Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

"Rick" ) writes:
Some users think they are doing those of us who are interested in antennas a
favor by posting what they think are useful topics - something "everyone
needs to know." Sometimes it is cellphone do not call lists. Other times
it is some PC virus, etc. etc. Usually it is bogus information that the
original poster was misled into believing, and ends up costing all of us
wasted time. There are tens of thousands of newsgroups where these topics
can be discussed.
When I enter rec.radio.amateur.antennas all I want to see is stuff about
antennas.

It's the decay of newsgroups. People decide a given newsgroup is their
hangout, rather than a place to dicuss the topic the newsgroup was created
for. So instead of going to a newsgroup to discuss the off topic things
where they are on topic, they decide they should share the off topic stuff
with their "buddies" in the favorite newsgroup.

I've seen people come into a newsgroup, and jump into that hangout mentality
without ever really participating in the newsgroup for its intended purpose.
They fit in because they just have to emulate the people who are using
it as a hangout.

Puttiung "OT" in the subject header is just a way of legitimizing it all,
they figure it hey are polite and label the off topic posts, then it's okay.
It completely sidesteps the issue of why the off topic junk is there in
the first place.

I still read newsgroups I've read for over a decade that barely have
any traffic in them.

But I keep leaving newsgroups that I've been reading and posting to
for as long, as they turn into hangouts for such people. I don't want
to wade through the junk.

The people who see the newsgroup as their hangout don't see an issue
because they are perfectly happy to talk about off-topic things.

IN reality, they are extremely selfish, since they are only thinking
of their own happiness, and not the state of the newsgroup. They
think because they are the most frequent posters that that gives
them say. Meanwhile, the newsgroup loses the people who stick around
and post when they actually have something valid to say, because they
aren't interested in the off topic junk (at least not when it's off topic,
they are likely the ones who go to multiple newsgroups to fulfill their
need to discuss multiple topics). Go far enough, and the only posters
are the ones who use it as a hangout, and pretty much none of what they
say is on-topic. Maybe more important, if their only interest is
in talking to a handful of other "regulars" then they might as well
move to a private space, where they can discuss anything they want
without any interlopers.

And the joke is that people will say "but we don't care, we want to do
this". All of the newsgroups I've left because of this inane behaviour,
I was there before these people came along and decided to turn the
newsgroup into their own hangout.

These same smug people are all so quick to go after spam, and other
"interlopers" but they don't realize that they are the ones killing
the newsgroups.

Michael VE2BVW

Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

On 20 Feb 2008 18:58:56 GMT, (Michael Black)
wrote:

Finally, someone who understands.
Magnificently said, Michael. Congratulations for putting it in the
proper perspective. You said it all so beautifully.

73,
Rick

Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

Michael Black wrote:
And the joke is that people will say "but we don't care, we want to do
this". All of the newsgroups I've left because of this inane behaviour,
I was there before these people came along and decided to turn the
newsgroup into their own hangout.

But the sword cuts both ways. If this were a moderated
newsgroup, the moderating gurus would not allow any
energy analysis of transmission lines to be posted.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

On Feb 20, 2:07 pm, (Rick ) wrote:
On 20 Feb 2008 18:58:56 GMT, (Michael Black)
wrote:

Finally, someone who understands.
Magnificently said, Michael. Congratulations for putting it in the
proper perspective. You said it all so beautifully.

Speaking of off-topic posts what does this exchange have to do with
ham antennas??

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrisy


73,
Rick

w3rv

Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

On 20 Feb 2008 18:58:56 GMT, (Michael Black)
wrote:

I still read newsgroups I've read for over a decade that barely have
any traffic in them.

Hi Michael,

It wasn't until your post, that I found any reason to participate in
this Off Topic thread. It consists largely of griping and issues
unrelated to antennas, but I've no problem with that if you want to
hang out here and offer comments.

I do, however, enjoy analysis to topics whatever their stripe and this
opportunity presented itself. When speaking about newsgroups that
barely have any traffic in them, I would count
rec.radio.amateur.moderated. I find it amusing that like the weather
a lot of talk is offered, but no one really does anything about it.

I only occasionally venture to gather the latest 200 headings from
rec.radio.amateur.moderated and I find nothing there that is
particularly interesting. One of the frequent posters is(are) the
moderator(s). Mobile Power connector talk overwhelms that of antennas
19:1. This would seem to be an intellectual entropy institutionalized
by moderation and has offered the world a
rec.radio.amateur.moderated.off-topic sink (but that hasn't worked
very well either). Thus by the balance of moderation vs.
non-moderation offered, both venue's decline in participation is
unbiased, but moderation appears to be a non-starter, lacking any
ignition. As for instance in the last 200 headers, they reach back
before Thanksgiving, and are notably sparse for this month (perhaps
the server lost interest too). In comparison, my reader currently
holds 5500 headers (not counting junk posts) for roughly the same
period. Clearly posters voting with their "Send Message Now" button
have announced what works best.

From the evidence of those who complain about the lack of comity,
discipline to topic, and the rest, I find none of them having migrated
to rec.radio.amateur.moderated. Even more so, from those who complain
about some posters here, I find those who've been complained OF at
rec.radio.amateur.moderated.

Interesting contradiction in expectations, inversion of behaviors, and
disconnected mandates.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

Rick wrote:
Some users think they are doing those of us who are interested in antennas a
favor by posting what they think are useful topics - something "everyone
needs to know." Sometimes it is cellphone do not call lists. Other times
it is some PC virus, etc. etc. Usually it is bogus information that the
original poster was misled into believing, and ends up costing all of us
wasted time. There are tens of thousands of newsgroups where these topics
can be discussed.
When I enter rec.radio.amateur.antennas all I want to see is stuff about
antennas.
Hey Guys, I value my time so much that I measure it in milliseconds.
I constantly update my kill file with posters who aren't really interested
in antennas (Art), and subjects that have gotten so far off the topic of
antennas that they are also a waste of my milliseconds.

Yuri can stay. Roy Lewallen can stay. Richard Clark and Cecil can stay.
THOSE guys know antennas. The rest of you are on probation.

Rick K2XT



Speak for yourself, some of the offerings are quite worthwhile ...

JS

Off Topic means it doesn't belong here
 

John Smith wrote:
Rick wrote:
...
Speak for yourself, some of the offerings are quite worthwhile ...

JS

P.S.

You wouldn't consider a construction post on a "how to" post on building
a back scratcher out of an old element broken off, by the wind, from a
VHF yagi, would you? I mean, I can certainly understand your opposition
to "frivolous" posts of little worth, but certainly you have boundaries
on your objections--I mean, don't you? ROFLOL!

JS