Hi-Jackers

[Pat723]

What do you thing of hijackers

Pat723

 

[rjf7g]

Is this a trick question? ;D

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

As in thieves???  ???

 

[Wendy]

People who take over planes (hi-jackers) for their own purposes are scum.

Wendy
Carpinteria State Beach

 

[Ray D]

The service center that services my MH has a hi-jacker that jacks my whole motorhome hi up off of the floor. Fascinating to watch!  :  ;D 

 

[Ned]

I believe Pat is referring to topic hijackers.  Nothing sinister

 

[Tom and Margi]

I believe Pat is referring to topic hijackers.  Nothing sinister

Is that a current term for thread drift?  If so, then I think anything posted in the Shade Tree is open for "conversation", which may ramble as conversation does uinder a shade tree or around a campfire.  And, I think it's a good thing.  We learn about forum member's personalities and interests easier that way.  It facilitates forming lasting framily friendships.

Thread drift in a technical subject may cause others to wade through unwanted distractions.  So, that's not so good.  But it happens .... and usually the staff cleans it up.  (Thank you staff.  )  No need to raise anyone's blood pressure over, or to get things in an anatomical uproar.

Margi

 

[Tom]

Thanks Margi.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Or can Pat be talking about fifth wheel hitches & camper lift jacks. Like these.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Thread "hi-jacking" is an extreme form of thread drift, in which another poster takes over someone else's original post to ask their own question or pursue another topic altogether. It is considered quite rude.  Thread drift, on the other hand, tends to happen more naturally with all participants moving off the original topic together.

 

[KodiakRV]

Perhaps the little tyke is thinking of Magic Jack?    :

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I wonder if Pat is just teasing us with this one??? 

 

[Pat723]

I wonder if Pat is just teasing us with this one??? 

I was talking about Hi Jacking thread just to see what people would say. But it is something to see how some words are said what people do think ;D
For those how was right. You win a Free trip to Romper Room or a Bozo button. Sorry I was just told Pomper Room closed and I am out of Bozo buttons.

Pat

 

[DonTom]

"I was talking about Hi Jacking thread just to see what people would say."

How do I feel about it?

Well, since you asked . . .

I don't think it's a big deal.

I recently got politely chewed out for hijacking a thread in this forum.

If I started a thread that got hijacked, I do NOT think I would have even noticed that it happened! Do I consider it rude? No, not at all.

But no problem, I realize different forums have different rules, but his is the ONLY forum where I got chewed out for hijacking! I am sure I have done it countless times in other forums just as many others have. But here, I will have to be more careful!

It seems to me a forum is more friendly when people don't worry so much about small stuff such as thread drift and hijacking, as long as there's at least an attempt for others to answer the original poster's question.

I get the feeling in this forum my opinion on this will be severely outnumbered.    Am I correct?

-Don- SSF, CA​

 

[Tom]

This is one of those 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' issues for the forum staff. Over the years, we've at times been quite liberal when it comes to thread drift, realizing that discussions that drift off topic will usually drift right back on topic if given time. But we've also received quite a bit of criticism for allowing it to happen. As a result, we've tended to modify our approach, and tolerate less tangential stuff in a technical or heavy help discussion than, say, chit chat in the Shade Tree area.

Most times, when a discussion has taken a different path and doesn't appear to be coming back on topic, staff will split off messages into a new topic with it's own subject line. It's unlikely to happen immediately, as staff will watch the flow of discussion and it rarely, if ever, happens as the result of a single message. Occasionally we'll drop a link in the original topic pointing to the new one, but most times we just move the stuff and nobody notices; Discussion continues in both the original and new topic.

We don't always get it right, and are unlikely to satisfy everyone, no matter how hard we try. In reality, it's always a judgement call, and different folks, including staffers, have a different threshold for what they consider drift or hijacking.

Oops, didn't mean to ramble on for so long. Hope nobody fell asleep.

 

[DonTom]

"This is one of those 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' issues for the forum staff."

Yes, I understand. Sometimes I wonder if there should be a section for all members to vote on things like that and have it be final! But then like you say, it still will not be perfect because of different threshold levels.

If I had my way, I would let any thread drift completely off topic (and even 100% hijacked!)  as it's easier to follow a thread when the title & section does NOT change. Some might be more interested in following the new subject and when it's moved to a different section with a new name, they might not even notice. And IMO, usually the original subject gets plenty of replies too.

But I understand there's no way to keep everybody happy.  Especially not me, as I was very disappointed when you removed my favorite section, "Dumb Questions!"

-Don- (in rainy South SF)​

 

[Tom]

I was very disappointed when you removed my favorite section, "Dumb Questions!"

LOL Don, we might have to bring it back one of these days just to keep you quiet  ;D

 

[Pat723]

Hi Jackers or Hi Jacking

Personally I do not care, it is like riding in the car with my wife I say turn right and she turn left. LOL
So for the record if you Hi Jack a thread of mine I will not get mad or even. I just start a new topic.
If it did make me that mad, I know this will surprise some people out here but my PC came with on/off button..
Life is to short to fight over the little things in life.

Pat

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I'm one of ones who has an issue with hi-jacking.  It applies only to certain threads where somebody asks for help with a problem and somebody else inserts there own question into it, maybe related or maybe not.  Or an informational thread dedicated to something like plans for a rally or sale of an item.  If people start responding  to the new question, the original poster is left behind without a solution or may get confused because at least some of the advice does not pertain to him.  We see people post questions and give up when this happenes, never coming back to the forum again.  In my mind it is analogous to going into a store and having the clerk take a phone call while waiting on you, handling the the callers business instead of yours and keeping you waiting. Does anybody think that's OK?

At any rate, you will see me chide people about hi-jacking at times and I will sometimes split threads to preserve integrity in situations where I feel it is important. The rest of the time, it is laissez faire!

 

[Ned]

I'm with Gary on this issue.  It's particularly annoying when it happens in a topic with a specific focus, such as a defined problem or a rally schedule.  And when the new subject matter is good but not relevant to the topic subject, it may not be seen by some that could benefit from it.

So save the overworked staff the time and trouble of splitting offtopic messages into new threads and start a new topic when appropriate.