#ubuntu-offtopic channel topic

[IdleOne]

On Thu, 2010-10-14 at 11:18 +0100, Matt Darcy wrote:
> I've listened to all the valid opposing comments from Tony, Juha,
> Lorenzo and Anthony, and I fully agree that if you feel that is the
> place for general "offtopic" chatter, then who am I to disagree.
> 
> I' also like to point out I'm not trying to get another channel, eg:
> #ubuntu-offtopic-offtopic, I just want the offtopic community channel to
> just not be rubbish and have a place where you can have a discussion on
> Ubuntu that's not support related with out someone jumping in with OMG
> HAVE YOU HEARD LADY GAGA !!!!
> 
> That said, if you feel the offtopic channel is the place for the
> community to be offtopic then I go back to my original request for
> merging the offtopic channels together to get a better offtopic
> community and few channels in the already massive #ubuntu name space
> channel. bring the community together, as stated above by most of the
> opposing comments that its a community place, so lets bring it together
> and actually try to have discussion in it.
> 
> I don't like the idea of 10+ offtopic channels all being the same
> rambling spew, and having no place to actually discuss Ubuntu
> discussion/issues, in my eyes they are linked (maybe wrongly).
> 
I don't know that merging channels is a good idea, what makes the
community great is that it is diverse. Attempting to merge the -offtopic
channels IMHO would alienate users from other parts of the community.
What I mean is that not everybody wants to be in a large 200-300+
channel, some people are very happy being in a small group ( still part
of the larger whole) but separate.

> I like the idea that Tony has suggested about having to actually be part
> of the community to use the channel, we have a number of people that are
> nothing to do with Ubuntu in any way beyond using #ubuntu-offtopic as
> they find it a nice social channel, while a positive thing is that also
> what #ubuntu-offtopic should be a channel for anyone to join and be
> sociable in, or is it for the Ubuntu community ? - I'm not saying kick
> people out or have a test or anything like, just food for thought.
> 
This idea scares me a little, The whole point of Ubuntu is that we are
all part of a greater community, Linux and to a greater extent we are
all part of freenode. I may not agree with every persons opinion on
freenode but at the same time I don't want to exclude them from having a
chance to state it, provided it is done within our community guidelines
and code of conduct. Using the channel is what makes people "part of"
the community.

All that said I think I have made my feelings about -offtopic clear more
then a few times. There needs to be a more focused goal to the channel.
1 person monologing about Lady Gaga or about bicycle training wheels is
to say the least annoying.

I would also suggest perhaps adding a few more ops to the channel. I
think maybe asking a couple of the regulars who are not necessarily part
of Ubuntu but are part of -offtopic. 

IdleOne

> Matt
> 
>