Announcement regarding thread derailment

As many of you have probably noticed, we've been having some difficulties with threads going off topic lately, resulting in long debates about topics only tenuously connected to the original post. This can be confusing and frustrating to people who were just trying to get some advice, and it can be difficult for the mod team to manage fairly. So we've been talking, and wanted to make this general announcement to help things run more smoothly overall.

• Debates and discussions are absolutely allowed and encouraged here, so long as everyone remains respectful and follows our forum rules of conduct. But if a topic comes up on a thread that you want to explore more deeply, please start a new thread instead of taking focus from the original post. Short asides are fine, so long as you keep most of the discussion centered on the original poster's questions or situation.
• If mods see a thread veering into off-topic territory, we'll intervene and request people re-focus on the original topic. At this point, off-topic posts may be deleted or edited, and repeated attempts at engaging in off-topic discussions may result in a temporary ban. If you see a thread that's being derailed, or your own thread is heading that way, please alert us so we can intervene ASAP.
• If the original poster says that they are fine with the derailment, all is good! We will let the thread continue until the OP tells us otherwise.
• Links to articles or websites totally unrelated to the original post are still not allowed and will be edited or deleted.

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, please let us know! This thread will stay open for feedback until further notice.