# Off topic

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Off_topic
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Off_topic.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off_topic
> Source revision: 1332403796
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

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In the context of [mailing list](/source/mailing_list)s, [discussion groups](/source/discussion_groups), [discussion forums](/source/internet_forum), [bulletin board](/source/bulletin_board)s, [newsgroup](/source/newsgroup)s, and 
[wiki](/source/wiki)s a contribution is '''off-topic''' if it is not within the bounds of the current discussion, and '''on-topic''' if it is.

Even on very specialized forums and lists, off-topic posting is not necessarily frowned upon,<ref>[http://historymedren.about.com/library/weekly/aa072399n.htm ''"Members of more informal lists may be excited to learn you've had a baby or landed a new job. Others may find such posts annoying and may even flame you. "''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112213/http://historymedren.about.com/library/weekly/aa072399n.htm |date=2016-03-04 }}, Medieval Mailing Lists</ref> but a common [netiquette](/source/netiquette) convention is to mark a new off-topic posting or email by beginning it with "OT"<ref>[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Netiquette.html ''"It is appreciated if articles that have absolutely nothing to do with Tolkien have subject lines beginning with "OT:" ("Off Topic")."''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125003847/http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Netiquette.html |date=2021-01-25 }}. The Tolkien Newsgroups FAQ</ref> - for example in a forum discussing the [Linux](/source/Linux) operating system someone might post: "OT: Did anyone else see that giant goose?". 

Posting off-topic messages to deliberately aggravate other members is a form of [trolling](/source/Internet_trolls).

== See also ==
* [Netiquette](/source/Netiquette)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.newsreaders.com/guide/netiquette.html NewsReaders.com: Getting Started: Netiquette]
*[http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ia_nq_send.htm Netiquette of sending]

Category:Internet forum terminology

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[ru:Сетевой этикет#Оффтопик](/source/ru%3A%D0%A1%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D1%8D%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Off topic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off_topic) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off_topic?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.