Tony M and Joker,when John set up the new General forum after the great holocast of the Lounge, it was truck only posts,as in vintage trucks only.After a time ,it was me who felt loosening the rules some would add some "character" and some guys agreed,some didn't,but I did anyways.The problem is, what are a few off topic posts? 2 a day? suppose the General Forum gets more than several Christmas posts,is that too much off topic stuff,taking away from the "all truck nature of this place" And where do I draw the line?Too much gray area,too much subjective decisions by my self and others when they post.
By setting up an off topic Forum, the rules can be black and white, no flamming, no profanity no selling, that's it.Any topic is fair game.If the discussion gets nasty and that will probably happen, you hit the delete button, the guys will get the message!! Like raising kids, they do better with firm rules and quick sure fair punishment for breaking those rules.
So the "all trucks" guys won't have a problem,since there is nothing they need to see in the off topic forum,they won't need to wade through the BS looking for truck articles.Just reading through the Christmas post, I can see a few Stovebolters just chomping at the bit to hash out God and politics.So in my opinion,it's better or easier for the moderator(s) if guys have a forum to beat each other over the head.With the exception of a very few,everyone here contributes to truck stuff besides having a need to post off topic stuff.
The recent squabbles were at least partially my fault,by allowing some off topic posts despite the rules,I opened the door to other rule breakers like the selling in the forums.However I did mention several times some off topic is fine,just no politics or selling,but not everyone reads it or perhaps it's too complex for them to understand
It's my opinion the rules must have nothing subjective, to run smoothy without problems,the board must have a place for off topic discussions or be 100 percent truck only.With 5000 plus members,it's just too many members to leave the rules up for personal judgement.
Tony M,if the decision to have an off topic only forum is decreed by Emperor Milliman,you're the moderator as far as I'm concerned.
