What's the sudden big deal of Hijacking threads?

[sb]

it is annoying when people treat jub as though its an instant messenger but thankfully most of that is kept in that f&g section.... but the more moderatin' being done the more dull this place is becoming. lately you almost need amphetimines just to get through page 1 of the new posts.

 

[gsdx]

There is a huge difference between hijacking a thread and making it a personal message board. I don't deny hijacking a few threads, and I don't deny participating in a few hijacks, but the hijacks are not personal messages between myself and another Jubber. They are there for the entertainment of everyone who cares to read them.

Last night, my febble, untechnical brain finally figured out how to use the multi-quote system. Until then, I would open the thread and the response in 2 different windows so I could copy and paste quotes from several posts and combine them into the same response.

It annoys me more to see post after post by someone who responds to several different comments in several consecutive posts than to see the occasional hijack.

(Multi-quotes are simple when you know how to do it. You click the Multi-quote icon in each individual post you wish to quote and make sure it turns red. When you have selected all the posts you wish to quote, you then click the 'Quote' button and insert your responses between the quoted comments.)

What annoys me most, though, is this new trend of posting a response above a quoted comment. What is that all about except to be 'different' and to get noticed? It's annoying a hell to read a post and have no idea what is being talked about only to scroll down and find the quote beneath it, then have to read the quote, scroll back up and read the comment again so it makes sense.

It's annoying to see entire (and sometimes lengthy) posts quoted only to respond to a single comment in it, or to say "I agree." Or a posting of several different photos are quoted in their entirety only to respond, "Nice photos."

For goodness sake, delete all that extra stuff and leave only the portion of the quote you wish to comment on! Have some consideration for those people who are still on dial-up or don't have Speedy Gonzales inside their CPU.

My point is (after all this) is that there are many things more annoying and serious that the occasional innocent hijacks. The Mods can't be everywhere and do everything all the time, but if warnings can be issued for a single 'off-topic' comment, and if hijacks are deleted, they should clean up some of that other garbage as well.

However, that is not practical, nor should it be expected. The best way to keep threads clean and tidy is not to litter them in the first place.

Most of all, though, there should be some consistancy. Those Jubbers who are more popular should be treated just like the rest. Favouritism does nothing except generate ill feelings amongst the rest.

Now that I have dutifully hijacked this thread into a personal rant, I shall cease my rant and leave you to your ponderings.

 

[slobone]

Hum....I have seen on a sci fi message board that i am on that people will mark "spoilers" in i think white text color so that to read it a reader would have to highlight the said text. For example, highlight my sentance between the quotation marks: "I think I am the best dancer in all sacramento!" ok maybe thats not a good idea either...

You may be on to something. I've seen quite a few posts on JUB that I wished had highlighted in white in their entirety!!!!

 

[Zeremonie]

There is a huge difference between hijacking a thread and making it a personal message board. I don't deny hijacking a few threads, and I don't deny participating in a few hijacks, but the hijacks are not personal messages between myself and another Jubber. They are there for the entertainment of everyone who cares to read them.
Now that I have dutifully hijacked this thread into a personal rant, I shall cease my rant and leave you to your ponderings.

To you they are entertainment for others, for some they are an intrusion into a themed conversations. Reasonable minds may differ.

Dutifully hikacked? LOL perhaps only a tad.

 

[gsdx]

To you they are entertainment for others, for some they are an intrusion into a themed conversations. Reasonable minds may differ.

I agree, Mel, but our little 'hijacks' rarely last more than a few posts before we stop them. I have seen entire threads being hijacked by two people over multiple pages. That is not an intrusion. That is a 'commandeering'.

I have had my own threads hijacked. Heck, I've even hijacked my own threads. I think it should be up to the original poster to decide if it should be dealt with instead of leaving it up to the Moderators. If I am having a party in my home and someone is disrupting a few other people, it should be up to me to decide if I should ask that person to leave. It shouldn't be up to the Dee-Jay. See what I mean?

The only way to really deal with them is to prohibit them entirely, and that is impossible to do. I, for one, would be very hesitant to post a response in case it is taken as a hijack'. I mean, I've often read something and a memory has been sparked and I post it. It may not be on topic, but it is important enough to me to share it with everyone. My only other option would be to start an entirely new thread simply to make a single comment which would lead no-where.

 

[Zeremonie]

Neil, most people won't complain to a mod about hijacks in their threads. There's no doubt about this. First off, the original poster might not have read that much of their own thread, or may have read it but just doesn't want to contact a mod or admin. That's sorta human nature. How many times have you gone into a restuarant and was a little unhappy with the food and asked to talk to a manager? Most people never do that.

If we could have just a little more respectfulness to the original poster of threads, I'd be so happy. It's also disheartening to see one or two people dominate an entire thread - just as you've said. It becomes like a personal argument that no-one wants to interrupt. Although in those cases, it's often an on topic argument. Still disheartening, but not really what I was talking about with thread hijacks.

If the original poster hijacks his own thread, then that's a horse of a different color, and my attitude is who cares?

 

[gsdx]

Neil, most people won't complain to a mod about hijacks in their threads. There's no doubt about this. First off, the original poster might not have read that much of their own thread, or may have read it but just doesn't want to contact a mod or admin. That's sorta human nature. How many times have you gone into a restuarant and was a little unhappy with the food and asked to talk to a manager? Most people never do that.

I think I need more coffee. I hadn't even thought of the 'restaurant' analogy.

However, if it's any consolation, I try very hard to hijack only threads of people who I know won't mind, because they know I won't mind if they hijack my threads. I think that might be an important difference as well.

 

[buzzj]

Usually the people that do it are only having fun, and I don't see any problem unless the person who made the thread has a problem. But now it seems that it is being more cracked down upon.

Some of the best and funniest threads are the ones that get hi-jacked! Jake's "Queerlings" thread just took off into outer space and was a ton of laughs! I suppose, though, that the mods are more accomodating of hi-jacks when the nature of the thread is frivolous to begin with.

 

[Andreus]

since only about six people responded to JD's post in a day and half of them really dont care about the hijack issue, i assume this is just dead in the water.

five or six out of thousands does not make a consensus for serious action, IMO.

We do need to be respectfull of everyones threads and needs, but clearly this is a tempest in a teapot.

people just seem to not give a good hoot one way or the other.

As Sb's comment indicated, as well as a few others, more people seem to be more concerned with heavy moderation than hijacking at this point.

 

[Lefty]

hey mikey, you are in sacramento now..drop your shorts and bare your ass don't be one. BFD hi jack is not a BFD. not happy? repost.. simple and maybe you can catch up to that italian/canadian whos name i can't mention witout scoring in the old folks home we call jub mods...btw, i'm still waiting for the explanation of the extra point.

 

[Lefty]

oh, mikey...that was meant as funny not an endightment

 

[mike_n_herrin]

deletions lead to screams of censorship and then we all have to spend an evening focused on that topic. I can see why the mods get a bit frustrated with that solution.

If its meddlesone chatter then dump it. If its a valid conversation, yet doesnt fit the topic just split it off.

I think that points are not warranted for hijacking. just an opinion of mine... not nessesarily the right thing to do.

I have been told in no uncertain terms that once you start a thread you open the pandoras box and you cant controll the direction of a conversation.

that is the confusing part for me, I guess.

well, its true about the screaming that happens when posts are deleted...so i will withdraw my suggestion about just deleting hijacks.

but i agree. hijacks just doesn't warrant points. And honestly in my opinion, if it isn't a rule then one shouldn't get a point(s) for it or even the suggestion that a point will be given.

if it's annoying folks or intimidating them i understand and we need to be more considerate. Assigning points and/or warnings isn't the way to handle it (in my opinion); for folks who do mind I really wish someone would offer up some suggestions on what they think might work

 

[GL]

Cats are wonderful!

 

[Lube]

That Broadway show was great!

Anyone ever been to NY?

 

[Andreus]

Cats are wonderful.

They’re warm, cuddly, and fun loving.

One of the things I like best about them is how when I tell them to use the litter pan they’re able to keep their little minds on the topic at hand long enough to do so.

Yep, cats are cool.

how cleverly you tied the topic, an insult, and hijack all together

a gold star from the teacher is in order

 

[RationalLunacy]

The tone of this thread has gotten very catty.

 

[Andreus]

are you callin me a pussy?

 

[RationalLunacy]

are you callin me a pussy?

..........

 

[slobone]

Did you know that "hijack" is one of the few words in English that contains three consecutive letters of the alphabet in order?

 

[buzzj]

I quoted the wrong person!