Re: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section?

When this discussion started, I was on the we-don't-need-a-new-section camp. But I have changed my mind.

My second way of thinking was: ok, if some people want it, maybe we should let them have it. It is not going to harm anybody, has minimal cost and we can always change our minds later and remove the section.

But I have reconsidered the matter again and now I really believe that we should have an OT section. Let me explain why:

I have been on the monastery for ten years. At that time, when I got here, I already was a Perl expert with several modules in CPAN and some contributions to p5p so I didn't need help on Perl matters too often. But anyway meeting other people with the same interests and helping them was a rewarding experience. Also, from time to time, challenging questions that would get me hooked to the keyboard for hours (several of my CPAN modules are the result of that) would appear too. So, well, for me it was a nice place to be.

But after so many years, I find the monastery increasingly boring. I have reached a point where I feel that it is always the same old newbie questions over and over and even if I keep visiting the site often, I seldom write any answer, except maybe for questions related to my own modules.

Now when I want to look for some challenging question to entertain myself, I go to StackOverflow. As much as I dislike it, its we-have-rules-for-everything, its lack of a friendly community and its lack of discussion/collaboration by design (and by that I mean no-threads), the thing is that they have the proper questions.

Also, my experience as a Perl Monger has show me that when I meet somebody interested in Perl, the probability of us sharing other interest is huge. And I have learned and discovered lots of non Perl related things from Perl people. Here at the monastery we have a similar great community but we are not squeezing all of it.

In summary, I think we should give a try to an off-topic section. And I say off-topic and not just related to Perl, not just related to programming, I want an OT section not limited in any way.

Just let the "Approve question" button do its work: if somebody else in this community (and with the required XP) finds your OT question interesting, it should go in. That should be the rule!

Comment on Re: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section?

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Re^2: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Discipulus (Canon) on Jun 09, 2015 at 10:27 UTC
bravo! Honest, clear and propositive. Intelligent and honest peoples change their minds as they progress. I like perlmonks and would like to see it getting better. The best plus is a still big amount of keen programmers, normally well disposed to every kind of question (if well asked). The worst i faced here, over the time, is when rude words come from high experience monks: this can be highly discouraging and need to be avoided. Politness must be a must. At the end is a monastery not an highway motel! I subscribe your opinion salva. L* There are no rules, there are no thumbs.. Reinvent the wheel, then learn The Wheel; may be one day you reinvent one of THE WHEELS.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by jdporter (Paladin) on Jun 09, 2015 at 16:18 UTC
Thank you for your thoughtful commentary. It seems to me that what you've done is argue for allowing off-topic posts -- which is something we already do. We generally don't allow unconstrained topics, as you know. You say you want an OT section not limited in any way; yet then you admit that the moderation system could and should be used to gate-keep the postings. What you haven't done is argue why we should have a new separate section for OT. I reckon we are the only monastery ever to have a dungeon stuffed with 16,000 zombies.	[reply]
Re^3: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Jun 09, 2015 at 16:33 UTC
You sort of answer the question yourself. There is ambiguity and day-to-day, monk-to-monk subjectivity in OT posts now. An OT section would fix that. I am not convinced it’s a good idea either and my response, and your musing, sort of answers that: to remove the subjectivity, OT would have to be anything goes and that probably wouldn’t work out well.	[reply]
Re^4: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by jdporter (Paladin) on Jun 09, 2015 at 16:37 UTC
An OT section would fix that. Help me see how it would. Either way, the poster is faced with the same question: Is this post off-topic? If she answers 'yes', then she puts it in the OT section or puts "[OT]" in the title (depending on which way we go). Moderators/janitors can change (override) the poster's determination. How is one more or less subjective than the other? I reckon we are the only monastery ever to have a dungeon stuffed with 16,000 zombies.	[reply]
Re^5: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Jun 09, 2015 at 16:48 UTC
Re^6: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by jdporter (Paladin) on Jun 09, 2015 at 17:10 UTC
Some notes below your chosen depth have not been shown here
Re^3: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by salva (Canon) on Jun 09, 2015 at 20:44 UTC
Currently, OT posts are merely tolerated. I am in favor of a OT section because that would mean they are actually promoted.	[reply]
Re^4: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Anonymous Monk on Jun 09, 2015 at 23:10 UTC
Sure, they're currently "tolerated" in the sense that undoubtedly somebody will show up to point out they're OT -- heck i've pointed it out myself And I'm sure they'll get plenty of downvotes for being OT If there was an official OT section, I agree , it would be promotional, and anyone complaining about it would be OT	[reply]
Re^5: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? (surely downvoted) by tye (Sage) on Jun 10, 2015 at 00:45 UTC
Re^4: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Anonymous Monk on Jun 09, 2015 at 23:37 UTC
But what are you trying to promote? Your politics? Because that is what will happen. A bunch of monks advocating and arguing about political causes. We do not need an OT section because we need more posts about Perl. Not less.	[reply]
Re^5: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by salva (Canon) on Jun 10, 2015 at 12:36 UTC
Re^6: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Anonymous Monk on Jun 10, 2015 at 19:18 UTC
Re^5: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section? by Anonymous Monk on Jun 10, 2015 at 22:12 UTC


No such thing as a small change
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