jj. Definitely. I'm sure almost all of us would not like to be policed by others. Open and frank discussion is what I value highly on this Message Board. But, as you say, this often leads to specifics spreading to generalities. Nothing wrong with that at all. Except that when I use the "Newest On Top" I often read something that has nothing to do with the title of the thread.
I have a suggestion. Each new topic started by someone becomes the "root" of a "tree" structure. As an illustration, consider the current thread, which at the moment goes like this (each message ["node"] is identified by the person posting it):
------------ nigelgwee
-------------- /---------- |
-------- terence2 -----jofjonesboro
--------------------------- |
--------------------------- nigelgwee (this message)
Now, hypothetically, suppose someone replied to terence2 and got carried away with, say, acronyms (I assume Imao is an acronym), a subtopic is generated. That is an example of what I mean by a spinoff. This acronym subtree could easily branch off extensively.
Notice that every node is the root of everything below it: that is the structure of trees. What I am suggesting is this:
If posters could be able to name their node, in the same way New Topics are given a name, this could greatly clarify certain directions for anyone entering this discussion.
This naming of roots of subtrees does not have to be done at the time the message is posted, of course. One may later edit one's posts and, as I'm suggesting, give it a name if he/she suspects that it has led to a fruitful subdiscussion.
This way, if one uses the Newest On Top display option, one may see, for example, Bifurcating threads--Acronyms (perhaps) in the title, and have a clearer picture of where it is going, or how he/she got there.