OTWTF!?!?!

bitslammer

OK..I like the idea of the OT forum. I think the main forum should be used for posts that are directly (or at least 1 degree of separation) realted to cooking on your Egg. Things like grinding meat, how to save leftovers, etc., seem fine.

Now we have the OT forum. I still don't mind the OT posts on the main forum as long as the poster puts in "OT" and halfway decent title to let people know what it's about so they can choose to skip over it or now.

What's getting annoying is the cross posting or the people posting links on the main forum to the OT forum?!?!?

What's the use of OT forum if the main forum is going to be cluttered up with links to posts in the OT forum?

I come here mainly to kick back and discuss the Egg and related food/cooking things. I think the off topic forum is great if I want to ask a fellow Egger something about say fishing if I know they are an avid angler.

Who here has not heard the saying about discussing religion or politics? Starting to feel like too many people wanting to spout off on their soapbox and too few talking Egg.

Fidel

I'm right there with you.

Gator Bait

bitslammer wrote:

What's the use of OT forum if the main forum is going to be cluttered up with links to posts in the OT forum?

I agree 100%. I think the OT Forum has been a great addition to the community and think it is getting great usage considering it is only a few days old but to clutter up the main forum that way is . . . . . . . . OK, I'm at a lose for words but you get the point. :huh:

Gator

Rascal

So, for all to ponder, what's off-topic or not? Perhaps we need to appoint (another) Tsar to decide? The plot thickens...

bitslammer

Rascal wrote:

So, for all to ponder, what's off-topic or not? Perhaps we need to appoint (another) Tsar to decide? The plot thickens...

Agreed. If you don't want people to cross the line you need to at the very least tell them where the line is. To me Egging and related cooking is what I come here for. Even someone telling me the best way to catch trout too cook on the Egg is fine with me.

I do very much enjoy hearing other Eggers opinions on things like deck building, photography, etc., and that's why I think the OT forum is a good thing. It provides a proper home to those discussions.

mad max beyond eggdome

well, to me the regular forum is about both egging AND EGGERS. ...so anything relating to the life of the egger can be deemed to be on topic in my humble opinion. ..i have been lucky enough to find some many common bonds and threads with fellow eggers, outside of cooking thanks to this forum. . .so i have no problems with OT posts on the regular forum that might relate to personal 'stuff'. . . i do like the idea of this OT forum, but it is for the far off topic stuff like political things, purchases of guns, cars, etc. ..

just my two cents. . ..

CBBQ

I'm kind split on this one. I don't have a problem with someone posting on the main forum referring to the OT one. It's just one line. The stated purpose of the OT forum was to cut down on not only those post but the follow-up ones. I'm sure the viewing of the OT forum is significantly less than the main. There are some who won't scroll down a few post to see that the question they've got has already been answered.....multiple times. If it's titled OT with a accurate title it takes no effort to scroll on by.
As Max said there are many here that are friends and have been for years. And to them Egging is much more than just cooking. There is no way to draw a clean line.
That's just my 2 cents worth.

bitslammer

CBBQ wrote:

I'm kind split on this one. I don't have a problem with someone posting on the main forum referring to the OT one. It's just one line. The stated purpose of the OT forum was to cut down on not only those post but the follow-up ones. I'm sure the viewing of the OT forum is significantly less than the main. There are some who won't scroll down a few post to see that the question they've got has already been answered.....multiple times. If it's titled OT with a accurate title it takes no effort to scroll on by.
As Max said there are many here that are friends and have been for years. And to them Egging is much more than just cooking. There is no way to draw a clean line.
That's just my 2 cents worth.

Yes but each OT post on the main pushes on "On Topic" post back to page 2. In the past few weeks there have been as many a 6-8 OT posts on the first page pushing that many "on topic" posts out, plus if everyone is going to post a pointer post on the main to the OT forum you will effectively have 2 posts for every one OT post. That's just a lot more garbage to fill up the forum server's database.

If your going to post OT then either post in the OT forum, or post on main with a decent subject line.

I agree about there being more than cooking but lately we seems to have a lot of people wanting to use the forum as their soapbox for their personal/political views.

Grandpas Grub

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Hell's Bell's folks give it a break!!!!!

If you don't like something On or Off Topic click off of it, pretty damn simple solution.

There is a reason the pages are shorter. A long time ago, the page length were made shorter to allow for quicker page loading for the users.

Even just on topic posts flow down off of the front page very quickly. I was looking for a food cook done yesterday and I had to scan down to page 3 to find it. Big deal, that was auto scroll is for and the mouse to click on a different page. If it is important bookmark it or copy the page address and email yourself for quick reference.

It would seem you are referring to CW post about saying look at my OT post. The OT section was started up on account of CW request. I would have rather seen that entire post on the main forum and thought it odd/funny to see the go look post. It is pretty obvious why CW did that and personally I am glad he did. It was an amazing clip and well worth either side of the forum post.

I don't want to see some of the, human interest posts go off of the main forum. To name a few the Arlington Cemetery , CW’s post above, bad rainstorm in Casper, deck building sagas, woosday pictures, “my dad not doing well” type posts. This is a good part of what has made the forum what it is. It is probably a good idea to identify those posts as OT. After being on the forum when someone makes a post it is somewhat easy to see in the subject if it is heading off topic or not.

At first I thought I would hate the OT section. I think it should be called WOT – “Way Off Topic”. Guns, Tiles, Guns, MJ, Politics and even Religion. Personally I find some of that stuff pretty interesting, sometimes for the subject matter and sometimes for what the members themselves are saying or involved with in their lives.

Stop with the forum police and stop trying to regulate every damn thing that goes on. The main side of the forum will swing forum one side to the other and come back again without any forum cops turning on the lights and sirens on.

Kent

bitslammer

Who the hell said they're trying to be the forum police? Are people not entitled to have an opinion if it doesn't sit well with you?

I'm saying is that if you're going to have things like OT forums then tell people what they are for and expect them to be adult and follwo the guidelines.

I saw someone get ripped for bringing up Primo grills on the thread and there was a mention of "rules against product comparisons with competitors." Well guess what? I look at the forum rules: http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113&Itemid=164 and there's no speicifc mention of that.

However the rules do say "Please stay "on-topic".
This forum is intended as a discussion platform related to all things "Big Green Egg". An occasional "off-topic" or "OT" is not a problem. But please use your good judgement and common sense and not make it a habit." So what's up with that?

We have people slamming members for something that isn't in the rules and people who seem to be straying from what is.

We either need to let the forum sort itself out as you say, or actually set and fairly enforce some ground rules. What I see being done is people arbitrarily saying something is out of bounds when it doesn't site well with them personally in a very inconsistent manner.

mad max beyond eggdome

"DO NOT POST confrontational messages, such as product comparisons."

straight from the forum rules. ...you didn't read them very carefully. . ..

bitslammer

mad max beyond eggdome wrote:

"DO NOT POST confrontational messages, such as product comparisons."

straight from the forum rules. ...you didn't read them very carefully. . ..

So then what makes it right for people to make very comparative statements about things like Thermopens, Wicked Good lump, or MAPP gas when BGE has branded products made to serve the same function. By saying they like a weed burner over the BGE fire starters they are doing exactly that.

Yesterday someone got pounced on for asking a question about another ceramic cooker. I just want to know how the decision is made when someone is crossing the line, because to me it's pretty arbitrary.

mad max beyond eggdome

yep, arbitrary is the key word there. . .and you are absolutely right (or maybe grandpas grub was right, in fact you are both right at certain places in your respective posts) .. .there are people around here that pick specific points and places to pick their fights. .. not saying its right or wrong, they just do. ..

my good friend egret goes after anyone who dares advertise an internet sale. ..

some folks go after anyone who dares compare an egg to a primo.. ..

but no one goes after anyone who sells thermapens. ...

one guy used to get blasted for regularly advertising his wing sauce. . .but others don't. . .

and my opinion (and this is my opinion and as i like to say, opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one but not everyone likes to see or hear it!!) is that big green egg is doing business just fine thank you very much, so why do they need any of us idiots standing up here defending their virtue and business. ...you'd think some of the eggers were pimps or something. ...but, its just the way it is. . ..so you can get all bent out of shape over it, or just live and let live. . ..lots of different kinds of people and personalities here. ...just the way it is :-)

bitslammer

Thanks Max. Glad to see we're on the same page. That has really been my issue all along. I especially hate to see new members get blasted because that's one potential loss of some great new ideas. The way that people seem to pick and choose their own crusades really makes for a confusing landscape to a new forum member.

I lurked for months trying to figure out the boundaries and finally decided they were ill defined or flexible at best and just jumped in. I'm pretty thick skinned and getting flamed by someone I dont' know on a forum to me is less annoying than a mosquito bite.

Maybe the one rule we really need is to let the moderators do the modding. If they call it a strike the call stands.

Semolina Pilchard

I was involved in that thread. An Egg dealer was asking if Primo was a good alternative to BGE's for him to sell in his store. Forget the forum rules, an Egg dealer is asking in the Egg forum if he should dump the Egg and sell Primos. Do that same thing about any product in that product's forum, and you will get pounced on 9 times out of 9.
I have read all the posts in this thread, and even though there has been several good points made, I must say it says a lot about human nature. We have many serious things going on in this country, and I bet about half of the posters have never bothered to phone or email their congressman or senators, and some don't even bother to vote. But we will sit here and bang out heated posts about something that, when you stand back and look at it, doesn't mean a damned thing.

Gator Bait

Hi Kent, I highly respect you and your opinions just as I do CW and his opinions and I find nothing in this world worthy of an argument over with either one of you (or anyone else for that matter). That being said I did find CW's Check out the link I just posted in Off Topic post redundant, particularly after CW had replied "can we please keep this in the Off Topic Section of the forum" in this post just a few days previously.

Call me blind, call me stupid, call me insensitive but please don't call me forum police, LOL, the issue is not that grand. I thought that CW had contradicted himself after enforcing the OT Forum initiative. The post referring to the BGE being in a cartoon is egg related where as CW's sign post doesn't even have a message unless you count "nmsg." as a message.

Your absolutely right, it takes very little effort to scroll down a couple pages or to jump around using your mouse. Those same actions can be equally well be put to use to get over here to check the OT Forum for anything of interest with out having to have somebody point the way.

I would not like to see all the human interest post disappear from the main forum either but I think a lot of empty post directing people over here is a waste of space. I check the OT Forum as often as I do the Egghead Forum because I find interest in both, to tell me to look over here is unnecessary.

Like I say, I don't think this is reason for any great debate. The OT Forum was created with out any hard or fast rules and I think is serving it's purpose nicely. I don't think CW's post is worthy of any mention but you did bring it up. Please note in my original reply to this thread that I mention that I am at a lose for words, LOL, not likely, I was making fun of myself and trying to keep my reply light hearted.

Just my .02¢ worth, if that.

Gator

Grandpas Grub

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"That being said I did find CW's Check out the link I just posted in Off Topic post redundant, particularly after CW had replied "can we please keep this in the Off Topic Section of the forum" in this post just a few days previously."

I agree, however, if Pete, anyone for that matter, would like full exposure the OT is not the place to post. However, that is just stating the obvious.

Forum Police, heavy handed moderators, well I have stated my feelings on that.

Kent

Panhandle Smoker

He was asking opinions about carrying another line in addition to the Egg not dumping the Egg. Don't read in to the post.

Grandpas Grub

Chris, first off, I do value other opinions including yours. I may not agree but that is not necessarily neither here nor there.

If it doesn’t sit well with me up to a point I usually won’t say much of anything. However, when it seems the drums are being beat loud enough I may jump in to the fray.

“Who the hell said they're trying to be the forum police?” - Forum Police, people moderating and suchlike term is applied it all boils down to the same thing. You know my feelings.

“I'm saying is that if you're going to have things like OT forums then tell people what they are for and expect them to be adult and follwo the guidelines.” = Forum police.

“Primo grills” - When I saw the post from lilaccityhearth, it was clear where that was going to end up. Giving lilaccityhearth the benefit of the doubt I am thinking it was an honest question then explain the situation rather than beat up on the person.

“We have people slamming members for something that isn't in the rules and people who seem to be straying from what is.” - You are correct, there is no consistency. Something can get posted and nothing will be said and the same thing can be posted by another person and they will get jumped like a chicken on a June Bug. Depending on who the person posting is.

We either need to let the forum sort itself out as you say, or actually set and fairly enforce some ground rules. (Can I say Forum Police)- you know my feelings.

If what I post(ed) Chris offended you, it wasn’t meant to, and I offer my apology.

My best, Kent

Semolina Pilchard

That is incorrect. This is what he said
I respect the boards brutally honest opinion!!! I have been an Egg dealer for many years. Is Primo anything to look at as an alternative of is the egg where it is at. Again i really dont want warm and fuzzy, looking technical stuff like gasket, warranty, pricing.
Thanks,
Mike
Once called on it he then said he meant he wanted only to add Primos. Even if he or I do not understand the meaning of the word alternative, and he only meant adding Primo, I find it bad form to have this conversation on the Big Green Egg Forum.

Gator Bait

I agree Kent, my thoughts are that if you want front line exposure then fire away and post it to the Egghead forum. There are no hard rules banning all OT's to this forum but I do think posting signs pointing over here is annoying. If I open a post only to read "nmsg." I want my money refunded in full 'cause I've been short changed!

Gator

Panhandle Smoker

I know what he said I read the entire thread as well as other related threads before that. By reading his post for the past several weeks I knew what he meant. He may not have been clear on his first post but I assure you he would not "dump the Egg". When we read into things it tends to stir up things for no reason. He is in business for him self and simply asked a question. Did he step over the forum rules? perhaps, but I think pointing out or reminding one of the rules would be a better approach rather than raking him across the coals. It is like jumping into a den of wolves where everyone has to take a bite. Here we have several dealers who participate on the forum which is rare. He is educating himself about the Egg which I applaud him for, good knowledgeable dealers are hard to find. So many other dealers don't know any more about the Egg than they do about rocket science. Just my 2 cents.

Semolina Pilchard

I agree totally that it is great to have informed dealers. I cringe when I walk in an Egg dealership and they know nothing or very little about Eggs. He probably is a good guy. I would imagine that if you have seen most or all of his posts and you are convinced he would not dump the egg I believe you. I have not read all his posts. I did read the one I quoted, and you can't fault me for "reading" into a post where someone asks about selling Primo as an ALTERNATIVE to the Egg and expect me to have the interpretive powers to know he means ADD and not INSTEAD OF. Words mean things. I still think it is bad form to ask about adding Primo in this forum. As for him getting raked over the coals, he came into the forum wanting to advertise (if I remember correctly he politely asked about it) and he was informed it was against the rules. Given that, one would think a person would go read the rules, if for nothing else to see about what other topics are not allowed, especially a dealer. It is virtually impossible to get inflection or "tone" (as women often tell us "it wasn't what you said, it was your tone") from the forum. Please don't read much in to this. I enjoy a good discussion. As I alluded to in an earlier post, this is all no biggie. If people can advertise here, great. If we now have to put anything remotely O.T. in here, fine. If a question about chicken has it's own forum fine, beef, pork, venison, seafood, their own forum, great. However this forum is set up, in reality, how is going to adversely affect any of us?

Panhandle Smoker

You are right and he refrained from advertising. But he can offer regional prices just like everyone else does. I agree that this is not the place for other cookers to be compared to the Egg but they do get mentioned and discussed from time to time. I am like everyone else defensive and loyal to my Eggs but when I see another type or brand I like to know a little more about it. It also makes interesting conversation. So far I have only seen one cooker that interest me but at a price tag of over $8k I am very, very happy with my Eggs. I will just buy more Eggs unless it is a rescue situation. :laugh:

bitslammer

Grandpas Grub wrote:

Chris, first off, I do value other opinions including yours. I may not agree but that is not necessarily neither here nor there.

If it doesn’t sit well with me up to a point I usually won’t say much of anything. However, when it seems the drums are being beat loud enough I may jump in to the fray.

“Who the hell said they're trying to be the forum police?” - Forum Police, people moderating and suchlike term is applied it all boils down to the same thing. You know my feelings.

“I'm saying is that if you're going to have things like OT forums then tell people what they are for and expect them to be adult and follow the guidelines.” = Forum police.

“Primo grills” - When I saw the post from lilaccityhearth, it was clear where that was going to end up. Giving lilaccityhearth the benefit of the doubt I am thinking it was an honest question then explain the situation rather than beat up on the person.

“We have people slamming members for something that isn't in the rules and people who seem to be straying from what is.” - You are correct, there is no consistency. Something can get posted and nothing will be said and the same thing can be posted by another person and they will get jumped like a chicken on a June Bug. Depending on who the person posting is.

We either need to let the forum sort itself out as you say, or actually set and fairly enforce some ground rules. (Can I say Forum Police)- you know my feelings.

If what I post(ed) Chris offended you, it wasn’t meant to, and I offer my apology.

My best, Kent

No offense taken. This whole thing just hit cose to home for me.

At work one of the less pleasant things I do is have to pull reports for what people are doing on the web when their activity is called into question.

This week we had a manager who wanted to burn an employee for doing their fantasy baseball at work. Turns out he was really only spending about and hour a day on that website and mainly at lunch which is permissible.

Thankfully our HR people are sharp and the manager was asked to better explain their concern. Long story short it's clear this manager wanted to give this guy a "black mark" because there is s promotion in that team open and the manger wanted to make sure she could promote her friend. This manager still wanted to argue that the time this guy was spending on his fantasy baseball team was unacceptable despite the fact he was getting all his work done. I could see this for hat it was and ran a few more reports. Turns out that the manager's friend spends up to 3 hours a day doing her Mary Kay Cosmetics side business at work.

Needless to say the manager is now the one in the hot seat. I guess I saw too much similarity in people wanting to apply "rules" in a somewhat arbitrary and inconsistent manner.

Fortunately the week is over, life goes on, and next week will be a brand new week. I'm just hoping for some dry weather to fire up the egg.

Panhandle Smoker

You just have to love the irony in that situation. Goes to show you that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Grandpas Grub

Thanks for sharing the back scene information, it helps understand. That inter company politics sure does get to be a problem. You have to be thankful HR gets to deal with the people.

I enjoy your thoughts.

Kent

bitslammer

Yeah it was nuts. The manager was acting like the viewing of fantasy football was like looking at child porn but using company time and email in this case to run a side business was fine. Very hypocritical.

Like I said to Max we all love to talk about non BGE brand lump and thermometers and nothing is said abotu mentioning a competitor's product, but even a whisper of another cooker brings out the lynch mob and to me it's the same thing.

Celtic Wolf

I wasn't going to respond to this but I decided to change my mind.

I did what I did to draw attention to this section. Plain and simple.

I don't want posting police. We are adults and should know where to post things. However, this section is not going to work if people simple say "hell with it" and post obvious OT subjects in the main forum.

As for product comparisons and selling as Max pointed out they are against the forum rules.. You want to praise someone else's product - knock yourself out.

Personally if someone wants to advertise they are a dealer or they have a product to sell they should be allowed to pay for banner space to help WMK defray the cost of forum.

Buster Dog BBQ

And yet there are still posters who have direct links to their site where they sell products but b!tch when someone like Fred's Music post a how to video.

Celtic Wolf

Posting a like to a web site is not the same as opening telling people to "HEY LOOK AT MY VIDEO" and having all your products laid out all around that video, or having a person post and preface almost every post with "HEY I AM A BGE DEALER."

I am sorry if you can't see that difference.

Regardless of that this section was meant to have a place for all the sports, political, non-bge related chat to have a place and not hide a person's question about his BGE.

For the record neither of the links in my signature lead to a product laden page; however, if it makes you happy I'll remove BOTH of them..