What was the question again?

This has kind of been bothering me every now and then, and I admit I've also been guilty of it, but I thought it was worth bringing up.

Every now and then we get a thread in which a member, new or old, wants our opinion on a number of different pieces of hardware or software they are considering buying. In other words they want help deciding which to go with.

Sometimes, I've noticed, these threads escalate and branch out to discussions about completely different items than what the original post was asking about.

I think options are great, and people's willingness to share their own experiences and preferences is admirable. Yet I would like to see the original post's dilemma approached first before the branching out begins.

For example, in a recent thread a relatively new member asked opinions about two different hard drives he was trying to decide between. Replies, quite rightly, pointed out that there were better options that could be acquired for very little more money. That seems sensible, because by paying ten bucks more, and therefore by buying a $60 drive instead of a $50 one, we get a much better drive. Makes sense, yeah?

But that wasn't what he asked, and we don't know where he's from or if these same market conditions apply. Maybe a guy with an Indian name is from India, where the average annual salary is $971. Maybe a new hard drive there costs, respectively, a buck and a half. I don't know. Do you?

If not, it's best to assume that he does. It won't close the door on discussing better alternatives.

Core - Thanks for the reminder! I am guilty of this also.

I think many times some of the more active members here get on our "high horses" so to speak and digress from the OP's main question or point.

I will try to be more aware of this in the future and try to address the issue at hand rather than suggesting otherwise.

Merry Christmas mi Amigo!

Yeah, I do this all the time as well.

Merry Christmas, Nibs.

Felt good to rant, though... I spent most of the day shopping with the inlaws.

Hey... it's all good! Back when I was married when I had to shop with the in-laws my Jack Daniels and Coors Gold consumption went up considerably, plus I would have to "go get gas for the car" and twist up a spliff for a quick mind adjustment! LOL!

He's in Singapore; I looked before I replied. And I did give my opinion and also mentioned reviews of the two he mentioned. And I was clear I was talking about $10 in the U.S. for the bigger 500GB. So I stand behind my post!

That thread title raised my interest, core. Some time ago I raised a thread on the subject. Undoubtably, wandering from thread titles is ,imo, more prevalent on this site than others I visit.

Off title threads

However, as a result of the feedback, which you can read there, I decided I was in a minority and could lump it or leave. Nothing has changed since then.
Yesterday was a prime example of such, and an (again, imo) extraordinary display of bad manners. A new poster was earnestly requesting some help on a bsod issue. Right in the middle of the help, another member popped up with a totally irrelevant joking remark whiuch was immediately followed up by a similar response. The OP has not, so far, responded, but I can see he is on another site with the same question (I believe it is he), so maybe we will not see him again.

A moderators fest???

Yes, Kalario! We're trying to hold each other accountable somewhat.

Not me! I'm a no-account good-for-nothing varmint.

It's not just a modfest or it would be in the mods section so feel free to join the party, Kalario. I'm up for the festivities, after all it's Christmas!

Noone is being held "accountable", as individuals have not been singled out. It is a general discussion, mainly intended, I believe, by the Op, to bring the point to everyones attention.
However, the feedback so far shows, as in my previous link, the disregard for the "problem", if it is such.