16 replies to this topic

[The Hot Pepper]

The off-topic post whoring (as it is called) is getting out of hand. Please try to keep threads on topic, and help the members who post them. Some members have noted that they can't even ask a question anymore.

Please try to keep funny business is The Lounge and Fun Zone, or in an already funny thread on the forum.

I will behave too.

Thanks

[Novacastrian]

thehotpepper.com said:

I will behave too.

[The Hot Pepper]

Yes, I am blaming myself as well. Now behave.

[JayT]

I got a chuckle out of that too. At least until the 4th Pete's Wicked eh THP.

[The Hot Pepper]

You guys know the posts I'm talking about. Someone asks a serious question, the replies are jokes, the OP gets frustrated. Maybe there is one answer in 20 posts. I'd like people to be able to come here for answers to their questions.

[imaguitargod]

Fine fine fine, I'll reel it in a bit....

[moyboy]

GUYS: in a thread asking you to stop useless whore posting you are still posting random crap...

Stop it please.....your posts are going to be deleted and your post count reduced if it continues!!!!!!....

EDIT: The comments this refers too were removed.

[Pepperfreak]

I agree with THP and Moyboy...We all should be ashamed of our selves for loosing sight of what really counts here....and that is the Peppers!

Thanks for the scolding THP

[patrick]

I've been joining in the mayhem too, my apologies to all.

[kylestl]

YAY ITS ABOUT TIME!!!! thanks for bringing this up THP

[Armadillo]

I'm sure I did my share to exaggerate the off-topic-posting and I want to apologize for that.
But this medal has two sides. For me this isn't just an informative site where I look for hints how to grow, harvest and cook peppers. For me it is a community. That one informative forum in Germany I'm a member of isn't that personal at all. So I about never visit it. Hot pepper people aren't average people. The ratio of hunters, fishermen, hikers, bikers, farmers, hippies, artists, outdoor sports people, punks, hot rodders, nerds and other likely people is much higher than in the average population. To consequently try to attract average mainstream people and therefor to consequently behave mainstream PC would fail IMHO. Now THP is kinda home. Without that offbeat style I found here it would be just another informative pepper site.
Maybe it is that Paracelsus type of a situation. "Dosis facit venenum", "the dose makes the venom" is what he said in the early 16th century. I agree that we shouldn't overdose. But I wouldn't like to perform self-censorship with every post I write. Even in my practice I share some private words and some humor with my patients and that is why they come back.

[Pepperfreak]

A-men Armadillo! Very well spoken...

[MrArboc]

Armadillo said:

Hot pepper people aren't average people. The ratio of hunters, fishermen, hikers, bikers, farmers, hippies, artists, outdoor sports people, punks, hot rodders, nerds and other likely people is much higher than in the average population.

Yes, that is always true when it comes to people with nerdy special interests, but pepper people are like average people if you have a background on reptile forums like I do;)

I'm slowly working my way back to society...

[POTAWIE]

I think something needs to be done here. I get contacted personally for answers by lurkers and newbies who don't want to read through pages of personal humour just to get a simple answer, and I find it annoying most of the time too. Its one thing to joke about the thread topic, but severe thread drift is becoming the norm around here:(

[The Hot Pepper]

Armadillo said:

I'm sure I did my share to exaggerate the off-topic-posting and I want to apologize for that.
But this medal has two sides. For me this isn't just an informative site where I look for hints how to grow, harvest and cook peppers. For me it is a community. That one informative forum in Germany I'm a member of isn't that personal at all. So I about never visit it. Hot pepper people aren't average people. The ratio of hunters, fishermen, hikers, bikers, farmers, hippies, artists, outdoor sports people, punks, hot rodders, nerds and other likely people is much higher than in the average population. To consequently try to attract average mainstream people and therefor to consequently behave mainstream PC would fail IMHO. Now THP is kinda home. Without that offbeat style I found here it would be just another informative pepper site.
Maybe it is that Paracelsus type of a situation. "Dosis facit venenum", "the dose makes the venom" is what he said in the early 16th century. I agree that we shouldn't overdose. But I wouldn't like to perform self-censorship with every post I write. Even in my practice I share some private words and some humor with my patients and that is why they come back.

Okay you guys aren't getting it. No one said to lose your sense of humor. The post whoring has to stop, and the funny answers to people's questions.

Example:

Q. Can I use a biscuit joiner to make my greenhouse?

A. I love biscuits! Make sure you use gravy!

A. Yes, use gravy, your plant will think it's dirt.

A. Mmm biscuits.

OP: Can I get a serious answer here?

A. What's serious? Oh like that stuff you eat with milk. Wait, that's cereal.

=====

And out of the blue sporadic post whoring of one word posts and other nonsense.

Get it now?

[MrArboc]

POTAWIE said:

Its one thing to joke about the thread topic, but severe thread drift is becoming the norm around here:(

That is true. I'm guilty of that too.

If we are really honest with ourselves it isn't really easy to actually learn something here. If someone asks a question he/she will often get a joke or very unfriendly answer - "This is what you must do. Now be quiet." - and then the chatter goes on. I mean - how many times have we seen that f-ing list of possible causes of flower drop (that isn't even correct to begin with)?That is just one example. They do get an answer, but there are never only one way to do something and "The standard THP way of growing peppers" that seems to have evolved might not be practical/possible for everyone for any number of reasons. The purpose of a forum is to get multiple views of things, if soemone wants a step-by-step growing manual there are plenty of static pages out there.

Remember what I wrote at the top before you flame me. I personally like THP the way it is most of the time. I'm pretty much confined to my home because of major surgery earlier this summer so I enjoy the social interaction. But... sometimes it frustrates the h*ll out of me that so many threads end up being just gibbering - often involving alcohol for some reason.

[The Hot Pepper]

It's pretty simple if you think about it.

1. If someone asks for help and all you have is a joke don't post.

2. If you have a helpful answer you don't have to lose your sense of humor as long as the post is helpful.

3. Try to keep the thread on topic as to the original post and don't pile on or join in the fun. Mods and members both can keep threads on topic. Members can report posts or post "Back on topic please" and mods will come help.