Data please: how many articles with >1000 comments are there, and what are some recent examples?
This thread is the example that made me think we would be better off if spin off debates had been made into discussion articles or at least open thread posts.
There is some very interesting off topic material but it is lost in the sheer volume. I now think there are probably far too few such threads to make this feature worth implementing.
Edit: I'm a bit confused as to why I'm being down voted for changing my mind?
I think there are probably too few such threads to make this feature worth implementing.
That is also my perception.
The recent implementation of a -5 karma penalty for replying to comments that are at -3 or below has clearly met with some disagreement and controversy. See http://lesswrong.com/r/discussion/lw/eb9/meta_karma_for_last_30_days/7aon . However, at the same time, it seems that Eliezer's observation that trolling and related problems have over time gotten worse here may be correct. It may be that this an inevitable consequence of growth, but it may be that it can be handled or reduced with some solution or set of solutions. I'm starting this discussion thread for people to propose possible solutions. To minimize anchoring bias and related problems, I'm not going to include my ideas in this header but in a comment below. People should think about the problem before reading proposed solutions (again to minimize anchoring issues).