I don't mind the current system...if the topic doesn't interest me, I just don't read it.
The old EZ Board (geez, I miss 10000 pop-ups per page opened) had an off-topic board. But remember, most threads take on a life of their own, and often change topics mid-thread (sometimes veering off-topic, or sometimes steering back on topic). Besides, with how slow UM has been lately, it would take forever to look up both pages...so people might start choosing to come to just one or the other (there's a poll...which would you pick between the two?)