topic drift

messaging Term used on GEnie, Usenet and other electronic

fora to describe the tendency of a thread to drift away from

the original subject of discussion (and thus, from the Subject

header of the originating message), or the results of that

tendency.

Often used in gentle reminders that the discussion has strayed

off any useful track. "I think we started with a question

about Niven's last book, but we've ended up discussing the

sexual habits of the common marmoset. Now *that's* topic

drift!"

[Jargon File]

(1996-05-29)