Whether a thread is dumbass, as you so eloquently put it, is entirely the opinion of the reader. I believe that OT threads which enable people to get to know each other as people beyond their specific talents and knowledge about 3d are useful in building a sense of community and in creating bonds that enable us to forgive those who may appear rude elsewhere. And they do it perhaps because sometimes those people feel just a little bit more like friends than mere forum members or perhaps because we become more aware of their particular foibles and style of conversation. For this reason, OT threads help prevent pointless arguments that arise out feelings of indignation and offense and permit a faster resolution of conflicts that do occur. I do not believe you get the same opportunities in threads that stay strictly "on topic".

But hey, you're quite entitled to your opinion, and totally free not to read such threads.

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PoserPro 2014, PS CS5.5 Ext, Nikon D300. Win 8, i7-4770 @ 3.4 GHz, AMD Radeon 8570, 12 GB RAM.