# Meta thread



## dogoftheunderworld (Aug 20, 2021)

Is there a polite way to ask someone to stop posting in your thread?

Asking for a friend.


----------



## tommybahama (Aug 20, 2021)

Start a blog?


----------



## Snarf Zagyg (Aug 20, 2021)

dogoftheunderworld said:


> Asking for a friend.




Short answer- no.

Long answer-
If you create a "+" thread, it's supposed to be productive and not negative. If someone comes in and starts posting negative things, you can request moderation (I believe).

Other than that, there is no "thread ownership." I start a fair number of thread, and it is inevitable that there will be thread drift. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, sometimes people end up talking about something totally different! Unless they are breaking the forum rules, it's all fair game. That said, the best way to keep the conversation focused is to continue to participate in a productive and healthy manner and try to occasionally nudge it back on topic.


----------



## TheSword (Aug 20, 2021)

I guess it depends on the reason. If you think the thread is going off topic you can gently nudge it back on topic. If it’s one of your players and you don’t want to read then tell them directly.

If it’s someone you don’t like or don’t want to engage with then you’re probably best off blocking them. As I understand it, you can’t see a thread if it was created by someone who has you on block.

Just remember if you do that you’re missing out on any good stuff people say, as well as the bad. I recently unblocked a couple of people about a month ago, and I’ve found I’ve been liking more and more of their posts in the last few weeks.


----------



## Umbran (Aug 20, 2021)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> Short answer- no.
> 
> Long answer-
> If you create a "+" thread, it's supposed to be productive and not negative. If someone comes in and starts posting negative things, you can request moderation (I believe).
> ...




The above is all pretty much accurate.  I'll add that if you want them to stop posting in the thread because they are being a big old jerk, you can report their posts, and moderators will take a look at it.  But if it is just that you don't like them, or they are civil, but taking the thread in a direction you don't like, you are going to have to live with it.



TheSword said:


> If it’s someone you don’t like or don’t want to engage with then you’re probably best off blocking them. As I understand it, you can’t see a thread if it was created by someone who has you on block.




Two things:  

1) There are two forms of block - one is "I don't see your posts", and the other is "I don't see your posts, and you don't see mine."  You have to be sure you have the second enabled if you want that latter option.

2) Block no longer works to make entire threads invisible, if I recall correctly.  New board software, so it behaves differently.


----------



## dogoftheunderworld (Aug 20, 2021)

tommybahama said:


> Start a blog?



I think this is my answer.


----------



## Morrus (Aug 20, 2021)

Yeah, a thread is a like a conversation. You don't own it, you just happened to start it.

So topic drift - not much you can do. That's conversation for you!

Somebody being a jerk - report the post, and the mods will handle it if appropriate.


----------



## CapnZapp (Sep 10, 2021)

If you start a thread to discuss ways to do X, and people post only to say "don't do X" and generally discuss everything EXCEPT what you started the thread for, that pretty much kills the idea of a discussion forum.

Thread drift yes, but every thread is started to discuss something, and by spamming the thread with actively unhelpful posts really should be moderated as off topic.

If you can't tell people to start a new thread for "don't do X" and can't get moderators to do it either, then there's an effective ban on any topic that a sufficiently vocal group dislikes enough to derail.


----------



## J.Quondam (Sep 10, 2021)

CapnZapp said:


> If you start a thread to discuss ways to do X, and people post only to say "don't do X" and generally discuss everything EXCEPT what you started the thread for, that pretty much kills the idea of a discussion forum.
> 
> Thread drift yes, but every thread is started to discuss something, and by spamming the thread with actively unhelpful posts really should be moderated as off topic.
> 
> If you can't tell people to start a new thread for "don't do X" and can't get moderators to do it either, then there's an effective ban on any topic that a sufficiently vocal group dislikes enough to derail.



That's pretty much what a "+" thread is for, I believe? 
Just remind posters in the OP that the topic is [whatever] and to keep things positive with respect to that. I'm not certain, but I think mods take the "+" into consideration when doing their thing.


----------



## Umbran (Sep 11, 2021)

J.Quondam said:


> That's pretty much what a "+" thread is for, I believe?




Yep.  And we do generally take that "+" into account.



CapnZapp said:


> If you start a thread to discuss ways to do X, and people post only to say "don't do X" and generally discuss everything EXCEPT what you started the thread for, that pretty much kills the idea of a discussion forum.




Use a "+" thread, or maybe consider the possibility that X is actually a really bad idea.


----------



## Lanefan (Sep 12, 2021)

Umbran said:


> Use a "+" thread, or maybe consider the possibility that X is actually a really bad idea.



If X is such a bad idea then how did she just recently become the longest-serving character I've ever played? 



(I've a character named X who's been going since 2001 and who not long ago finished her 23rd adventure, several more than anything else I've ever run)


----------



## Umbran (Sep 12, 2021)

Lanefan said:


> If X is such a bad idea then how did she just recently become the longest-serving character I've ever played?




A great many bad ideas survive a very, very long time.


----------



## Lanefan (Sep 12, 2021)

Umbran said:


> A great many bad ideas survive a very, very long time.



Hmmm - calling X a bad idea to her face is likely to get a rather frosty response...


----------



## Snarf Zagyg (Sep 12, 2021)

Umbran said:


> or maybe consider the possibility that X is actually a really bad idea.




X is always a good idea. Always.


----------

