Please explain "OT" in thread titles!

[PennyInPink]

I always thought that it stood for "Off Topic" like there was something being discussed but you are changing the subject. But I see people BEGINNING with OT, so how can you change topics when you are STARTING the topic? So does it stand for something else?

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

It means off topic. I think they put it in their titles since this is a budget board about budgeting for Disney and Disney related things. So OT would mean that this has nothing to do with Disney.

 

[beansmom]

no, it still stands for off topic and i think it means 'i'm not discussing a budget issue per se...i just want to rant'.

 

[beansmom]

ok, that was unfair...it means they want to talk about something besides budgeting. sorry...

 

[ssawka]

ok, that was unfair...it means they want to talk about something besides budgeting. sorry...

Kind of like this thread!

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's the proof there really SHOULD be a community subforum here on the Budget Board!!!

 

[MineMail]

More like proof that the forum needs a moderator to move off-topic threads to the existing Community forum. I can say from experience that sub-forums confuse people, are difficult to use with smartphones and usually end up being ignored. (I mod on other boards)

 

[beansmom]

More like proof that the forum needs a moderator to move off-topic threads to the existing Community forum. I can say from experience that sub-forums confuse people, are difficult to use with smartphones and usually end up being ignored. (I mod on other boards)

^ agreed.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If you read the sticky thread with the now-closed poll on this topic, you'll see many people are afraid of the (well-moderated) Community Board .

But subforums work on other boards on the DIS: Theme Parks Attractions & Strategies has several; Resorts has at least one, if not more; Restaurants has a few; disABILITIES has one. Generally, users have no problem either locating or using the subforums. Sure, once in a while a thread needs to be moved. But it'd be nice to think we're adults and could self-moderate.

 

[Marionnette]

If you read the sticky thread with the now-closed poll on this topic, you'll see many people are afraid of the (well-moderated) Community Board .

But subforums work on other boards on the DIS: Theme Parks Attractions & Strategies has several; Resorts has at least one, if not more; Restaurants has a few; disABILITIES has one. Generally, users have no problem either locating or using the subforums. Sure, once in a while a thread needs to be moved. But it'd be nice to think we're adults and could self-moderate.

To have an appropriate "community" subforum, the actual body of forum would need to have a defined purpose. IMO, this forum has been a catchall forum. It really lost its focus when almost every topic that has to deal with how you spend your money at Disney was allocated to other forums (TPAS for ticket prices, Restaurants for the DDP discussions, Resorts for the discounts and codes). The only thing that was left was the swaps (which no other moderators wanted to be bothered with). Now that the swaps and photopass shares have come to an end, this board has no unique Disney-related identity.

Really, what did that leave for discussion here other than "What can I do to put money aside for my Disney vacation?" That gets old pretty fast, especially when you consider that there is an entire Rewards forum that exists for discussing programs for making a little bit of spending money for your trip.

So when TPTB changed the definition of this forum to the current one, it left the door open to any discussion that has anything remotely to do with how you spend your money, save your money or make your money. Since just about any topic can be rationalized by an OP to fit into that category, you get a mish-mosh of threads that have absolutely nothing to do with Disney or saving for a Disney trip.

When the webmasters tried to rein the OT threads in by moving them to more appropriate forums, there was such an outcry that they walked their decision back and decided that pretty much anything goes on the Budget Board. No wonder they can't find a dedicated moderator for this board! Who would want the job? It would be like herding cats!

 

[JB2K]

It's the proof there really SHOULD be a community subforum here on the Budget Board!!!

I agree 110%!!

 

[JB2K]

More like proof that the forum needs a moderator to move off-topic threads to the existing Community forum. I can say from experience that sub-forums confuse people, are difficult to use with smartphones and usually end up being ignored. (I mod on other boards)

According to the board description, this board is supposed to have its' own dedicated moderator (user name "aka-mad4themouse"), but, the fact of the matter is that person has not been heard from anywhere on TheDIS in nearly 3 years -- it seems much of the actual moderating for the BB has been farmed-out to a number of existing mods/admins, who generally don't join in the discussions taking-place, here.

My main issue is a lot of questionable stuff can be (and is) posted, here -- and if hap[pens to fall outside of the TOS, it may take a few days for an otherwise busy mod/admin to get over here and check things out, for themselves...

 

[cyndik1111]

Um, this is a little OT
how do i find the sub forums....like the community one?

I am relatively new to the budget boards, but it has saved me a ton of money all over the place. So don't hate me, but I kind of like it the way it is....sorry.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To have an appropriate "community" subforum, the actual body of forum would need to have a defined purpose. IMO, this forum has been a catchall forum. It really lost its focus when almost every topic that has to deal with how you spend your money at Disney was allocated to other forums (TPAS for ticket prices, Restaurants for the DDP discussions, Resorts for the discounts and codes). The only thing that was left was the swaps (which no other moderators wanted to be bothered with). Now that the swaps and photopass shares have come to an end, this board has no unique Disney-related identity.

Really, what did that leave for discussion here other than "What can I do to put money aside for my Disney vacation?" That gets old pretty fast, especially when you consider that there is an entire Rewards forum that exists for discussing programs for making a little bit of spending money for your trip.

So when TPTB changed the definition of this forum to the current one, it left the door open to any discussion that has anything remotely to do with how you spend your money, save your money or make your money. Since just about any topic can be rationalized by an OP to fit into that category, you get a mish-mosh of threads that have absolutely nothing to do with Disney or saving for a Disney trip.

When the webmasters tried to rein the OT threads in by moving them to more appropriate forums, there was such an outcry that they walked their decision back and decided that pretty much anything goes on the Budget Board. No wonder they can't find a dedicated moderator for this board! Who would want the job? It would be like herding cats!

This board has a dedicated focus; it's

Learn the 'in and outs' of smart earning, saving, and spending your money. Our motto: 'Any dollar saved or earned is another dollar for Disney!'

. Threads asking for YouTube views; or what party supplies are needed (zero mention of money or budget or savings - just 'what'); or k-cup varieties; or education help (best support for that being a current thread on the Community Board)... belong on an off-topic subforum. I'm NOT criticizing any of these posters, just citing the threads for example.

Looking at the first two pages, I see a LOT more than just "what can I do to save money for a WDW trip?". Almost every post is unique - barring, for example, two separate current threads asking about/for a 30% Kohl's discount.

People got upset before because off-topic posts were moved to completely different (if more appropriate) boards. That's not what would happen with a subforum. See the disABILITIES and disABILITIES Community boards for physical proof.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Um, this is a little OT
how do i find the sub forums....like the community one?

I am relatively new to the budget boards, but it has saved me a ton of money all over the place. So don't hate me, but I kind of like it the way it is....sorry.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33