in reply to [OT] How about an Off Topic Section?

I don't know if adding a new OT section to the repository is going to result in any overall improvement.

What I know is that doing it is not going to harm it or anybody. What's the worst that could happen? an overwhelming number of off-topic questions? common!

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Re^2: [OT] How about an Off Topic Section?
by marinersk (Priest) on Jun 10, 2015 at 07:32 UTC

    Two things come to mind:

    1. Those amongst us interested in helping on interesting and well-asked OT questions have to check two sections instead of one; for me, I would probably forget the new section entirely, most of the time, and would miss out, and;
    2. It would encourage a splintering of the general sense of focus which is the bond that holds PerlMonks together. We have many and varied interests, and we have much overlap -- hence the value of tolerating OT discussions, within reason, as it builds that sense of community. But a love of Perl is the binding influence that defines the beginning and end of our participation at PerlMonks. I think it would be detrimental to the quality and the future of the Monastery to lose that.

    It is in the balancing of these somewhat dichotamical elements that we endure.