How much debate is allowed in the general section?

It just has to stay on topic and not devolve into jokiness, I thought.

I think debate is okay, as long as it’s respectful and doesn’t stray too much from the topic in the OP’s question. If the OP doesn’t like where the thread is heading, (s)he can always ask a mod to close the discussion.

I believe some amount of debate is allowed, as long as it stays on topic. Basically, if someone asks a question about a toothpaste, it’s acceptable to debate the merits of this toothpaste. Maybe someone knows that this toothpaste has an occasional tendency to turn your teeth green. Posts in this vein would be fine. What wouldn’t be fine is if someone were to turn the conversation toward mouthwash and why it’s important to brush your teeth twice a day (with no mention of the original toothpaste).

I’m having trouble thinking of a good, concrete example, so my apologies.

I don’t know why I’m being so shy about putting up the link to the question that has me confused. Some of the answers in the thread have moved way off the subject of the OP in my opinion.

<hanging head> Yeah, I was getting a bit off topic when I noticed it was General. I probably should have flagged instead of responding like I did, huh… oops

I asked this once before: apparently the correct answer is to stay on topic and be serious, until astrochuck says otherwise.

@hawaii_jake – I have been preoccupied with life and a new job, and I haven’t been around much lately, so I missed that thread. Now that you have pointed it out to me, I would say there are a few posts that should be pulled (and I will go do that) due to the Q being in General.

@seazen : I’m glad to know we have a standard to go by, and I’m glad it’s Astrochuck.

Oh I think as long as there’s no mass debate it’s probably fine. Wankers prohibited see :¬)

Sometimes I think it depends on which mods are about and on how sensitive the OP (and other posters) are to flagging stuff. Everyday you can find questions in the general section that have started to go off track that are never modded.

It probably depends on if they see it, or it gets flagged.

I believe it’s all the debate in the world – as long as it’s debate on the question directly.

I find I’m often safe if I ask “Does this answer the OP directly, or support something that does, or am I responding to something posted as an answer?”

I wish the moderated comments were still visible if one wanted them to be, as I often have a sneaking suspicion that they’re more interesting than some of the authorised answers.