Maybe the topic of the tangent would be more useful (see #babygifts), rather than the fact that there is a tangent, especially if it's info someone might want later. I use hubski-generated ideas later in various ways and have often tried to find something -- but if it was a tangential conversation in the middle of another topic -- that could be a problem. However the keyword find function [top right] usually does the job, but might take several tries.
Aha, so that's why this post is tagged with #babygifts! A useful idea, but somewhat confusing to those who aren't aware of its usage. Perhaps there needs to be another tag option alongside the community tag: a tangential tag, perhaps.
That's a great idea. I guess there is no way to stop people from going off on tangents. thenewgreen wrote somewhere that the tangents are one of the things he likes about hubski because they lead to new places - and often private conversations that become public.
I think it may have been cgod that either endorsed or opposed the idea of a IM ability on Hubski. When it was proposed, we thought better if having it but this sort of tangent shows the need for one, I suppose. It's likely that humanodon would have struck up a quick conversation with me independent of this thread about "baby gifts." But then he would have never known about those sweet duck-dishes.