Topic Drift and Why Does It Occur?

[Troglodyti 4.0]

Topic drift occurs when the subject of an online discussion departs from the topic raised in the original post. Have you ever read through or participated in an online discussion that was initially started to discuss one subject, but eventually led to a discussion about a completely unrelated topic?

 

[berndo]

It's called an online forum.

 

[The Chairman]

Yes. Some times that's acceptable, sometimes not.

 

[Akimbo]

Have you ever read through or participated in an online discussion that was initially started to discuss one subject, but eventually led to a discussion about a completely unrelated topic?

Sure, but it happens in verbal and written discussions too. It is rare that there is zero transition.

 

[pauldw]

I was sitting at my desk today, and it felt like my shoe had something hard underneath of it, and it was a goat's head thorn. There were a bunch of them under there on the carpet. I think deposited on Monday, when I also found some at home in the shoe I'd been wearing that day.

 

[Wookie]

I was sitting at my desk today, and it felt like my shoe had something hard underneath of it, and it was a goat's head thorn. There were a bunch of them under there on the carpet. I think deposited on Monday, when I also found some at home in the shoe I'd been wearing that day.

Huh. Were you working on an interesting case?

 

[lexvil]

I was sitting at my desk today, and it felt like my shoe had something hard underneath of it, and it was a goat's head thorn. There were a bunch of them under there on the carpet. I think deposited on Monday, when I also found some at home in the shoe I'd been wearing that day.

I think I’ve eradicated the goat heads on my property, tough stuff.

I wear shoes too, outside.

i like ice cream too.

 

[VikingDives]

I think I’ve eradicated the goat heads on my property, tough stuff.

I wear shoes too, outside.

i like ice cream too.

I used to like ice cream and then one day I was sitting in a park bench and I saw a PADI instructor wearing a suicide clip teaching an open water class and I thought I should intervene because clearly he was teaching things that GUE would never condone in open water.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Topic drift occurs when the subject of an online discussion departs from the topic raised in the original post. Have you ever read through or participated in an online discussion that was initially started to discuss one subject, but eventually led to a discussion about a completely unrelated topic?

so it sometimes is useful. Not always, but sometimes. I can't remember the specifics, but on the topic of dry gloves, a subthread of materials/sources for dry glove replacements came up and a couple people provided some really valuable information. The OP got miffed to have her thread hijacked, but I don't think that discussion went too far OT.

 

[Litefoot]

Have you ever tried goat milk ice cream? Or watch goats eat ice cream with their heads?