Discussion vs Chat

[The Barrow-Wight]

Have you ever realized a discussion topic has devolved into a chat session between a pair or handful of forum members? Maybe not. The transition from discussion to chat is often quite subtle, and it is not obvious what has happened until a full forum page has been filled with idle banter.

Here's an example of what I mean.

Chatman2000 (Discussion)
I love the sigs in the forum. My favorite is MorrisE’s "In the midst of life we are in death, etc.” It is interesting how the message is so pertinent to the dangerous world of Middle-earth, especially in the late Third Age.

MorrisE (Transition)
Yeah, I got that from a The Smiths song, but I think it’s plagiarized from something else.

ChatGirl1987 (chat)
I love The Smiths. My favorite song is “Girl Afraid”.

Squatter of Amon Rûdh (Attempt to save topic)
Signatures say a lot about the poster, especially when they contain references drawn from both Middle-earth and the real world. My favorite is the Barrow-Wight’s. Concise and neat. Says a lot about the man…uh, wight.

Chatman2000 (topic lost)
“Girl Afraid” is OK, but “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others” is louder than da bombs, man!

Often a post will require a short reply directed at the author, and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as things stay on topic afterwards. Only when things move away from the true meaning of the topic is it truly lost.

What’s the meaning of this post?
Every time you post something on The Downs, look at the subject line of the topic you are on. Ask yourself if you are on-topic, off-topic, or on Mars. Then contemplate how you can make your post fit neatly into the topic at hand. If you are unable, or if your post will be replying to someone else’s off-topic rambling, don’t post!

Thanks for your time