UKC

I turn the pub off to keep the noise down but increasing find that topics that really should be off-belay (eg serious comments on politics) are in the pub and vice-versa (chatty nonsense). Why do people think this is, as the defintions seem clear enough to me?

The Pub: A forum for relaxed conversation, gossip, chatting to your mates. Topics are deleted if they don't have any replies for 7 days, so this is a great place for topics which don't really need to be archived for posterity. The Pub is turned off by default from new users, and it is only available to registered users; you have to opt-in to see this forum. It is less-strictly moderated than the other forums and you may encounter some forthright views and strong language.

Off belay: A forum for general non-climbing discussions and debate. Discuss politics, society, sport, whatever you feel like on this popular forum. Please keep the trivial and extra light-hearted stuff in The Pub.
Please note - Unsuitable posts in Off Belay will be either moved to The Pub, or just deleted. 'Unsuitable' means chatty posts between mates, trivial jokes and banter, mimic posts or posts with mild bad language in the starter post or title.

In reply to Offwidth: You can get away with slightly more in the pub?

In reply to woolsack:

Thats pretty sad. Look down the list of the pub and most of the top posts at the moment should really be here so they dont get consigned to the dustbin. If people want their posts deleted good riddance I say from the real debate.

In reply to Offwidth:
I view the Pub and Off-belay as more or less interchangeable, with the distinction that Off-belay is slightly more permanent and for more 'useful' / serious discussion.

In reply to Only a hill:

Look at those threads: Army joining age; 47 chromosones; best job (why post for it to go); changing nature of UKC (v. thoughtful OP); kill it gut it; (half pint glasses OK but funny enough in a way to keep); children and gun play; most hated mind-numbing jobs; what has UKC done for us; random acts of kindness.... it goes on and on. Whats UKCcoming to that people dont want some of the informative, moving and fun posts recorded and linkable for the future.

In reply to Offwidth:
I understand where you're coming from, but I doubt many people use the search facility that much anyway ... we see the same threads cropping up again and again, indicating that most people will ask questions first, search for existing threads later.

In reply to Only a hill: My question was more why post in the pub in the first place something that is clearly in the wrong forum? Taking the time to post stuff on interesting subjects that you know is going to go is rather odd. The occasional idiocy on off-belay I expect and can ignore (typical web impoliteness).

In reply to Offwidth: The pub posts are deleted in a shorter time space? I think?

In reply to Offwidth:

theyre the same.

tho both have stuff that would be better in the culture bunker

In reply to myth: Off belay is not deleted. Down the Pub is deleted after 7 days of no reply (the rules are helpfully copied in my original post

In reply to ice.solo:

Again, I refer you to the forum descriptions.

In reply to Offwidth:

Irrespective of the formal definition, I think there is so much overlap between the subject matter its hard to decide early on which is the right forum. Is speculation on the probably ashes selection an off belay or a pub discussion for instance ?

Then threads take their own directions and threads that might have been started by the OP in all seriousness rapidly turn flippant and (less commonly) threads that seem apparently trivial (air craft on conveyor belt sort of thing) actually lead to some informative responses. Is speculation on the probably ashes selection an off belay or a pub discussion for instance ?

Personally, I dive into the climbing related stuff first, but if I do want to branch into other discussion I'll go to Pub and Off belay

In reply to Offwidth:

I think of them as inter-changeable in terms of content although the pub is disposable. Do we really need to keep on record forever that Choss wants to be the oldest BMXer in town or that Lemming has climbed 5+ on his first time out after long term injury?

The mods tend to move stuff between forums when it's applicable anyway.

In reply to Offwidth:
Is the issue really worth bothering about? Seems to me that this is utterly trivial.

In reply to Only a hill:

In the larger scheme all UKC forums can be argued as utterly trivial. I was just surprised when looking for a particular thread on The Pub (that Ive asked to be moved) that so many useful things have drifted there to be soon deleted.

In reply to Offwidth: I think we should have a nightclub forum or at least have a lock in once a week

In reply to Offwidth:

We are always happy to move posts to more permanent forums if requested, but we very rarely move them without being requested since we don't have the time for that.

I too think that some great topics are posted in The Pub and, considering only 20% of UKC readers have it turned on, it does seem shame sometimes. However, as a moderating aid, The Pub is invaluable for us.

The forum improvement work Paul is currently working on should include a few improvements which allow you to follow Pub threads more easily, without having The Pub turned on.

Alan

In reply to Offwidth: I post in the pub because it has less access and because it's deleted. I hate the 'celebrity' factor of ukc and the fact anyone can read what I'm saying. I cringe whenever my name appears in the top 40 (27 atm, a new record for me). I rarely re-read threads. It's purely for selfish reasons

However, ukc is the only medium I've descovered where I get access to a diverse range of thoughtful, informed and intelligent people. The publishing part of it is an unfortunate by-product. This is why I would like ukc to charge an annual subsription, but I know it might not help business. If I could meet up with a core of 40 people on a regular basis in an actual pub I would rarely post on ukc. This would be impractical though because half of them live in different countries.

Of those threads I'm happy for Alan or James to move them if they wish, you are right, it's unfair to start the debate in the wrong forum.

Thank you for calling my post thoughtful, it really cheered me up (coming from you).

In reply to shaun l: Oh dear "coming from you" sounds worrying. I meant it though, as I prefer honest posts that display feeling rather than polemic especially those with a 'vulnerable' edge. Ask for it to be moved maybe?

In reply to Offwidth:

load of old bollox innit?

simplify it;

climbing
chit chat.

In reply to Offwidth:

Where's the real debate? Can I join in?

In reply to Offwidth: Hey, meant as a compliment! I don't do sarcasm (it really is the lowest form of wit darhling).

I'll ask them to move it since you asked so nice

In reply to Chambers: Chambers, you are the debate! (And I'm on your 'team', I just think you're mad)

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

If you do want a thread moving, please include the thread URL in any email you send. The easiest way to do this is to view the thread and click 'Report Abuse' then the URL comes with your email.

Alan