Thread Hijacking

TwoHooter

TwoHooter

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I have just read this thread: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?446356-Rolex-SYH. The original post and early responses were about a heart-warming story with a happy ending. But now the thread is being used to argue about something quite different. Some people call this process "Thread Hijack" and it's generally regarded as bad form because if a thread touches on a topic which arouses strong feelings, but doesn't have that topic as the subject, there is nothing to prevent a new thread being started to deal specifically with the second topic. The new thread can refer to the original thread which ignited the strong feelings but won't spoil that thread by introducing controversy where none existed before. We can't rely on forum administrators and moderators to deal with this issue because it's so hard to tell the difference between amusing banter and genuine hijacking. This is an area where self-discipline is needed.

In the thread about the watch there was nothing to prevent a new thread being started which could deal specifically with concerns about the dredging and other issues which are being complained about. If that had been done the original thread would have dealt only with the story of the watch, and the tone of the forum would be closer to what I feel it used to be.
 
So... unseasonably mild for December, don't you think? We had a great sail at the weekend - whole of the Harbour and two rivers pretty much to ourselves.

Anyone else out?
 
TwoHooter said:
I have just read this thread: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?446356-Rolex-SYH. The original post and early responses were about a heart-warming story with a happy ending. But now the thread is being used to argue about something quite different. Some people call this process "Thread Hijack" and it's generally regarded as bad form because if a thread touches on a topic which arouses strong feelings, but doesn't have that topic as the subject, there is nothing to prevent a new thread being started to deal specifically with the second topic. The new thread can refer to the original thread which ignited the strong feelings but won't spoil that thread by introducing controversy where none existed before. We can't rely on forum administrators and moderators to deal with this issue because it's so hard to tell the difference between amusing banter and genuine hijacking. This is an area where self-discipline is needed.

In the thread about the watch there was nothing to prevent a new thread being started which could deal specifically with concerns about the dredging and other issues which are being complained about. If that had been done the original thread would have dealt only with the story of the watch, and the tone of the forum would be closer to what I feel it used to be.
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TB has "form" and has very large axe to grind at every opportunity available to him
 
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It takes 2 (at least) to hijack a thread. while I also consider it somewhat impolite there are a few things to consider. The thrad in question is what I would call a chatty thread, not technical or an information request. Would you consider it impolite for the topic of a conversation to change? Remember that this, the whole forum, not just this section, is not a computer geek technical environment where such forum rules were instigated.
If there was any particular sign of bad form on these boards then it is laziness, skipping posts. Quite often I feel like posting "Scroll (TF) Up!".
Why has no one commented about hijacking in the thread in question? Even simply pointing out that the topic of the hijack is wasted there since the comments are tucked away under a title irrelevant to the hijack.
 
Dougal Tolan said:
Why has no one commented about hijacking in the thread in question?
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See posts #16 and #17. And I'm commenting. If I'm right about #16 and #17 that makes 3 comments.

Look at the thread. All light hearted and good natured up to post #14, and after that everything except #18 is arguments and controversy. Why not have a separate thread to argue about the dredging and leave the original thread as a happy story about finding a lost watch?
 
TwoHooter said:
See posts #16 and #17. And I'm commenting. If I'm right about #16 and #17 that makes 3 comments.

Look at the thread. All light hearted and good natured up to post #14, and after that everything except #18 is arguments and controversy. Why not have a separate thread to argue about the dredging and leave the original thread as a happy story about finding a lost watch?
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It seems that the people that don't like it are based on the south and north west coasts.Could that be called Forum Hijacking?

Begone there are dragons in the east.
 
Marmalade said:
So... unseasonably mild for December, don't you think? We had a great sail at the weekend - whole of the Harbour and two rivers pretty much to ourselves.

Anyone else out?
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Could be a bit wet and windy this weekend however.....

I've never thought about forum 'Bad Form', or even forum etiquette, I have always thought the ECF to be well conducted and moderated and a bit of thread drift and even thread high jacking is IMHO traditional, whether you are a lurker or a contributor, when you've been here for a while, because by and large it is the same group of users, you soon get to know the personalities, who's being ironic, sarcastic, naive etc ------ you just have to go with the flow or go elsewhere :)
 
Boz said:
Could be a bit wet and windy this weekend however.....

I've never thought about forum 'Bad Form', or even forum etiquette, I have always thought the ECF to be well conducted and self moderated and a bit of thread drift and even thread high jacking is IMHO traditional, whether you are a lurker or a contributor, when you've been here for a while, because by and large it is the same group of users, you soon get to know the personalities, who's being ironic, sarcastic, naive etc ------ you just have to go with the flow or go elsewhere :)
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sorted that ( hope you dont mind, thanks awfully )
 
I've always thought it was rudeness and the sort of thoughtless aggression you sometimes get on Scuttlebutt that we avoid. There are local issues where we have strong feelings but they're expressed with a respect for ones fellow human beings. It winds me up when someone appears to regard the rivers as existing solely for their yachting rather than them being shared with a myriad of commercial users who incidentally subsidise our hobby. But I'd hope to express those views in an ECF tone.

ECF hasn't flourished since it was moved and we'd like it put back up the creek it came from.
 
Colvic Watson said:
I've always thought it was rudeness and the sort of thoughtless aggression you sometimes get on Scuttlebutt that we avoid. There are local issues where we have strong feelings but they're expressed with a respect for ones fellow human beings. It winds me up when someone appears to regard the rivers as existing solely for their yachting rather than them being shared with a myriad of commercial users who incidentally subsidise our hobby. But I'd hope to express those views in an ECF tone.

ECF hasn't flourished since it was moved and we'd like it put back up the creek it came from.
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Agreed, moving it was a mistake
 
Marmalade said:
So... unseasonably mild for December, don't you think? We had a great sail at the weekend - whole of the Harbour and two rivers pretty much to ourselves.

Anyone else out?
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Working/sleeping on X-Mas.
Boxing Day looks a tad breezy.
Sunday looks possible. Told family/crew to keep their diary clear for that day.
Looking at the long term forecast, that looks like it's going to be our last sail this year. :(
 
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