To chat or not to chat, that is the question?

I have been a paid up member of this site for about 5 years and whilst I still learn about some subjects raised on here, the perennial tyre/fridge/suspension discussions become very ho-hum. For the last few years when my membership renewal has become due, I have asked myself is it worth continuing my membership.
I have met quite a few members and visitors from this site and because I don't have the opportunity to chat to them, I frequently use the site to banter/poke fun at or stir and I can be as guilty as anybody for doing that.
My reason for continuing my membership here is that I regard my $30 renewal fee $30 value for the entertainment value alone.
Without being able to do so, my membership would have expired several years ago.

Thats my opinion and I don't care if others disagree

G'day Colin

I think there's two issues:

1. Thread discussion that quickly gets away from the original question or point
2. Mates chatting

Both are easy to pick and individuals can choose whether to stick with it, decide to join in, or stir. Folks don't have to read everything and my guess is that they become discerning pretty quickly.

There's heaps of good stuff on the site besides the Forum!?

Cheers
John

CHAT I say,

I may appear to be a serial offender to have a chat that distracts from a thread topic but that is nothing compared with the offline emails that get passed around.

People when reading the said threads need to cut the friendly banter aside and get the info they want.
Replying about comments that sidetracking a thread is just adding to the issue as that starts yet another offshoot to the thread.

Just wait until post Innamincka or when State of Origin starts then we will definately be off track and on fire LOL

Cheers Kev

I too vote for banter, but not for banters sake. The forum topics are the real meaningful things here, banter is just like a side order of fries

I would tend to fall in with the 'let it be' crowd. For those who are worried that threads go off topic or degenerate into some kind of chat room, here is a tip:

Most questions/queries/problems tend to be answered within the first 4 or 5 replies. Call it the rule of ExplorOz if you like and the rule is this: The further away from the original post, the less likely you will turn up anything useful. I don't know that too many useful gems have turned up in follow up number 45 to reply 37 (could be wrong though).

This makes it easy to avoid all the chit chat if you wish. If you are interested in a thread, read the first 4 or 5 responses and don't bother again, chances are you won't learn anything new in any case.

Serial 'offenders'? Yep, there are some (glad you dobbed yourself in Kev before I was forced to). I honestly think though that the chit chat gives the site a less clinical feel and makes it seem a bit more like an online community. One of the great joys of travelling is the people you meet along the way, usually relaxed and happy to share a story or two with you. Well, maybe the forum is a bit of a vicarious trip for those of us too busy to pack up and go.

At the end of the day, if a thread gets too convoluted and boring for you, don't go back to it.

My only other tip is that as soon as Bonz replies to a thread, it is no longer worth reading.

Matt.

LOL you are kidding. Shaker is just a tightarse. That's the most pathetic excuse I've heard for not becoming a Member.

The feeling I get is, after 6+ posts, "banter is just like a side order of fries" so dont hold the fries.
Colin.

It is at times annoying when an interesting thread is sidetracked or lost in amongst a few people who know each other chatting. If it's just a couple of follow-ups it really doesn't matter but when it's an off topic conversation that goes on over several replies I'd suggest many may lose interest. Quite rightly it could even be seen as being rude just like talking over the top of someone else. As the originator of a question one could be annoyed if their Engel V Waeco thread was taken over by talk of "When are you leaving for Innamincka?" particularly seeing he has to wade through all that useless dribble in his Inbox. I suppose that's why member messaging was invented ;-)
Cheers Craig..................

This probably wont get read now being after post # 5 LOL.

Personally I don't care about idle chit chat as some times it can be entertaining, I don't care whether you are a member or not either, If a member thinks another member is out of line he/she has a right to say something, but if a non member has a gripe, for me it is to bad, the same way it is with voting if you don't vote you don't have a say.

One thing that I would like to see is people putting their name to their posts.

Just so as you know, Not only am I a advertiser here I also hold membership.

Cheers Steve

I shall just say again what I said on the other thread, minus a name and one sentence. I usually don't like to get involved in the threads where things become touchy touchy but on this one I had to have my say.

We are all mates on here, many of us not just through the forum threads but good friendships formed because of this forum outside the website. Yes somethings go off topic, and if it is a bit way off David will say so, we are all cool with that.
This forum for us isn't just about our passions for the outdoors/travelling it is also a link for us all to stay connected and keep our friendships. Yes we have all heard of email, and we do so, but when you want to share something or ask something with Everyone... The forum is our connection amongst each other.
The Teams work to make this forum and website what it is, And it is why we are members because we all want to stay connected with each other and support what David and crew have done for us all in return.
You try and find just one forum on the web that absolutely, totally stays to the complete topic, And I mean no how are yous? happy birthdays, can anyone help me with my computer blah blah.
I agree with you, yes some threads can get very sidetracked, but by that stage the questions have been answered, the problem solved.
Cheers all
Jo

I might add if there no members there would no site ....simple as that.

.

As I type we have one thread and 10 different conversations happening.

I guess thats a vote for the TO CHAT mob.

Cheers Steve.

THIS IS THE QUESTION:
Do we like and/or want to keep the ability to sometimes banter and chat with our friends, or Not?
Or is it too distracting from the forum’s integrity & purpose?


IMO It is not 'too' distracting at all. If it gets a bit much for some just skip over it. All our Banter and carry on just adds to the forum. It brings smiles, laughs, light heart bagging the chit out of each other, getting to know each other.
If we didn't have any of this on the forum and every single little thing was kept to on topic, (even as I think about it) it would just make it "too sterile". The forum would be completely boring then and people then wouldn't hang around.
We are Australians for goodness sake, banter is what we do best, especially around a campfire!.
If we were to go sterile, well that would be just UNAUSTRALIAN now wouldn't it!!!! (insert smiley holding Australian flag!!!)

Cheers
Jo

"Do we like and/or want to keep the ability to sometimes banter and chat with our friends, or Not?"

Yes.

Why not??

If you do not like it, do not read it or do not reply...

What could be more simple than that???

-and "Dasher Des" just reminds me of Santa for some reason or other.......lol


Michael

This topic seems a bit-lopsided to the “chat” vote, so I’ll put my vote in against.

First of all, a topic like this is more likely to be answered by the “chat” people. Non-chatters are more likely to read this and not say anything. Therefore one can’t really “count” the votes anyway.

Here is an extract from “about us” in the top right corner:
“Please do not post jokes, or lengthen threads with personal chatting. We also advise it is better to not respond to some posts if you cannot offer a constructive response. Note - We currently have Friday dedicated to ONE thread for jokes and this is usually titled ‘Friday Funnies’.

From this it can be determined that chatting is frowned upon when lengthening threads, therefore having a thread completely dedicated to chatting to start with would also be frowned upon.
An example of this would be a thread a week or two back when somebody said they were going away to see their mum or something like that and they would be away for a week and please don’t miss them. Well I haven’t missed you yet. If you were to drive your 4wd across mountain ranges and the Simpson to get to your mum then I would be interested.

One of the things that attracted me to this Forum when I first started posting 5 years ago was that it was different to the other 4WD and camping forums as there was none of the irrelevant crap . And yes I do know that there is more to the site than the forum . I have loaded many plotfiles and places, and place descriptions too.

It would seem also that there are only a few people, maybe 10 or 15 that are chatting extremely frequently. The forum has 36557 registered users. This is hardly fair on the 36538 users who do not care for your chatting. Also this site has a dedicated messaging service for members – can’t you chat away with that?? There is also a number of readily available free chatting software as well.

Even if there was a compromise drawn up (God Help Us) and say people were asked to only post OFF TOPIC in moderation, there will always be the cowboys who do not care for others opinions. One solution would be of course to have sections ie Chatting and Off Topic threads, and On Topic Threads for example. The last person who suggested this was shot down in flames quicker than you could say “I have a good idea”.

My opinion it would seem only, but there it is....

Cheers
Alan :)))

G'day,

yeah well it is the bloody internet after all, so...i treat this like a campfire commune. There are no doors. There is not the one campfire, but this is the meeting place, "the big camp fire" if you like. People can come and go, be free to say what they like and others can comment (as is appropriate,) listen or not. I'll sip quietly on a single malt or stout, or just go back to my own campfire, as I please.

but...in the end, I will treat it as a camp fire. the internet, while an amazing invention, is just a tool, for better, for worse. Camp fire is a much more pleasant way of dealing with it in my mind. I applaud EO for leaving it that way, more or less, there is no other site like this I am aware of.

bloody romantic fool yes i know.......

Evening all,
44 comments so far and counting,
Interesting to note that it is all over the topic of going off topic...
As for me I mostly just watch and listen, occasionally putting my 1 c worth in but without the off topic chatter I feel we would lose alot of the character of this site and forum, plus one gets a bit of an insight into other members etc. So I guess I'm around the banter and chit-chat camp fire, even if I'm not saying much.
Was that on-topic enough for everyone?

Cheers,
Brian T

Just allow things to be the way they are fellas. Nothing wrong with a man or women having a bit of a say.

Regards

Kim

Weeeeeell, I don't post often but I read forum regularly. Will agree with the "camp fire" theory and will add only one small detail............ If someone wants to read specific topics, he/she should visit the "STATE LIBRARY" ( A NOTHER LOG PLEASE ??? )


" He who limps is still walking "

The people who state that they do not want to join as members are few and far between.

I had a bloke state that he didn't want to join as a Member because I was a 'know all' and rude too boot. Pretty spot on, he was....lol

Basically this is a Forum dedicated to travel. Many members and non members have met at various locations and have even spent time around a campfire together. A host of ideas and knowledge is exchanged amongst us all. Idle banter in some threads is bound to come up and I applaud the Site Owners for not being pedantic about wiping chit-chat out, because that will destroy this wonderful forum IMHO.


Cheers


Cheers

I think I will turn in now, someone remember to put the fire out before bed, goodnight.

I will sleep well, knowing that some good people are just a keystroke away.
Colin.

Smileys to you all, cos thats what started this whole thing.

I'm not a member so probably have no rights in this one.

I like this sites reply /followup system and it lends itself very well to keeping thread related info in the reply with anything else in the followups.

So if the thread is:

Will I get better fuel economy in my petrol toypatmitsu by using diesel.

" NO, you have to use petrol "...............goes in the big blue box

" D#*^head ".......................................goes in the orangebox

The loss of banter from the site will mean you may as well, just read a workshop manual - informative but dead boring.

I enjoy reading this site on the other side of the world in Africa when I am at work, as it is like a campfire. I have had many a laugh and have got a lot of information as well and at some time in my travels with my wife I hope to meet some of you. I am sure there will be some tales to tell
It is human nature there will be some thread hijacking, some stirring mixed up in the info a person is seeking or trying to get a point over.
Like most people there are some threads which do not interest me and others which catch my eye as it may be something I want to know as well, but above all tis entertainment.

If i remember correctly, David was trying to stop this exact thing not so long ago, banter between members that were part of the CLICK as they were called, members like Bonz, Willem, Pesty, Mr & Mrs Al, Baz(NSW), Roachie, JohnR(VIC) Troopie Travellers, in fact it got so bad we had our own chat group on Yahoo and later MSN, as David didn't want it on ExplorOz.

So you may want to ask David first before you decide, he may not want it still.

Oh BTW i was Baz(NSW) in those days, yes i used to be a member, hey Willem!!

Baz.