I don't know about anyone else here, but trying to look at hundreds of new member's posts for "quality" ain't exactly my idea of a good time. :--
Dave will just pick a winner at random, and only then check the number of posts. That's how he did it the last time. If the first 'winner' fails the test, then he can just pick another one. It sucks that the forum is being flooded with posts of questionable value in the mean time, though.
Dave will just pick a winner at random, and only then check the number of posts. That's how he did it the last time.
Yes, only need to check the winners.
Fact is there has been relatively little flooding the forum with crap posts in the scheme of things.
It only stands out because it's more than usual and people are looking for it.
The problem is, as always, I can't please everyone.
Fact is there has been relatively little flooding the forum with crap posts in the scheme of things.My impression is that people are scouring the forum looking for threads they can contribute to. Much more than usually, when people just skim the posts. This leads to people digging up old threads without having something important to add (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what's-under-your-keyboard/msg302907/#msg302907), replying without reading the thread (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/5v-isolation/msg304763/#msg304763) or even without reading the topic title (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/why-are-current-probes-for-scopes-so-expensive/msg304559/#msg304559). I don't think this behavior is common if there's no contest, since there's no strong incentive to want to post. People will just refrain from posting and come back later. The vague deadline for the contest basically forces people to produce five posts as fast as possible. I admit that I don't have any quantitative data to back this up.
It only stands out because it's more than usual and people are looking for it.
The problem is, as always, I can't please everyone.The who you should reward debate will never end, but you should focus on what's good for the forum community. At least in my opinion reading the forum is significantly less pleasant when contests are going on due to the lower signal to noise ratio. This pain may be worth it if a contest produces enough members that keep posting. If people just register for the contest and don't come back until the next context then you should change the rules for the next contest. I think you've done at least two of these contests before, so with a little scripting (find members with less than 10 posts at the time they posted in the contest thread and figure out how many have more than 25 posts now) you should be able to get this information.
I've got people complaining that I'm not rewarding the loyal youtube viewers, or podcast viewers, or blog viewers and if I do that I'll get complaints I'm not rewarding the loyal forum users etc
Then I should be having a Supporters only contest etc.
This leads to people:-DD
digging up old threads without having something important to add (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what's-under-your-keyboard/msg302907/#msg302907),
replying without reading the thread (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/5v-isolation/msg304763/#msg304763)
or even without reading the topic title (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/why-are-current-probes-for-scopes-so-expensive/msg304559/#msg304559)
While "quality post" being a criteria is reasonable. the definition of quality post is subjective.
I guess a lot of people are following dave on the youtube channel but have never signed up a forum account. After seeing the contest video they are very keen to participate. I admit i'm one of them.
we should understand although it's not very fair if they simply join and spam post, but they are still genuine supporters of dave. It's a dilemma
The problem with requiring 5 "quality" posts is clear: Only a human being can make that determination. If he gets hundreds of new members trying to make "quality" posts, every single new member trying to get into the contest will have to have their posts examined by a human being for "quality".
I don't know about anyone else here, but trying to look at hundreds of new member's posts for "quality" ain't exactly my idea of a good time. :--
while NOT clearWinnerFound
pw = pick_potential_winner_by_random( setOfAllPosts );
if eligible( pw ) clearWinnerFound = true;
While "quality post" being a criteria is reasonable. the definition of quality post is subjective.
I guess a lot of people are following dave on the youtube channel but have never signed up a forum account. After seeing the contest video they are very keen to participate. I admit i'm one of them.
we should understand although it's not very fair if they simply join and spam post, but they are still genuine supporters of dave. It's a dilemma
Seeing you, yes, you digging up a nine month old, long dead thread https://www.eevblog.com/forum/contests/international-contest/msg305729/#msg305729 (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/contests/international-contest/msg305729/#msg305729) just to post some junk, you should better not talk about quality posts.
Here's a gentle suggestion: In order to reduce future clutter, perhaps the next contest should make a minor clarification to the rules, changing it to something like, "You must have made five useful posts prior to the announcement date of the contest".
:)Just kidding around a bit... :) seemed like a way to make everyone happy.
LoL What bullshit are you saying?
9 months!?
Who cares about the dates, I was not even aware of it.
Everyone has to start somewhere. If EEV forum is full of people like you I will stay awa and join other forums.
You should really go pick on those cheapskates trying to win contest.
Don't be jealous. I can understand your ego, old guards feeling threatened by newbie. :-DDWanker. I don't even have subscribe to the contest, I am not taking part. I am interested in having a readable forum where clueless people don't set the standard.
I joined after seeing the contest video but mainly because I didn't know there was a forum until then.
Interesting stat maybe:
To date, about half the contestants have 20 posts or less on the site. (450 out of a total of 940)
Of course I have a problem with people who have a low post count, especially 141 for some reason.
the supporters' forum ... lower signal to noise ratio, that would be the place for it.
But, I think it's fair to say that the point is valid, yes?
Fact is there has been relatively little flooding the forum with crap posts in the scheme of things.
It only stands out because it's more than usual and people are looking for it.
Before you get annoyed -- I'm not at all suggesting that you're trying to limit speech here. What I am suggesting is that you could take a different point of view, which would be to work to raise the quality of the posts by leading by example. It's easy to complain -- it can be harder to do something about it, but it's also a lot more satisfying.
If everyone that's finding themselves annoyed by the new members were to simply respond only to those things that interested them, and ignore those things that didn't, the forum would naturally clean itself up over time. People do tend to follow examples; just set a good one, and stick to it, and the end result will be positive. There will be something for everyone, and nearly everyone will benefit from it.
I joined after seeing the contest video but mainly because I didn't know there was a forum until then.
I only mention it at the end of almost every video, and link to it in every video ;D
There's videos!?
yeah, like some of the others on the forums. I found the forums before I found the videos.
Moderators (Simon, Geoff, and me) generally don't moderate anything unless there is a report. Then we act on that report. First moderator on the scene makes a call whether to ignore the complaint as a storm-in-a-teacup, delete or edit the offending post(s), give a little "hey, settle down" post, or ban the user.
There's another category too though, which I seem to have hit more often than any other; that of "non topic" which results in a locked thread. I live by "Dare to question status quo" and if there is something that truly annoys me, it's other people telling me what I can or can't debate in life!
In general, engineers/developers tend to speak right off the bat and be wonderfully politically incorrect, that's how we get stuff done, unlike politicians who excel at dancing around a topic saying nothing. As long as there are no personal attacks and the tone is civil, I really wish threads would be allowed to continue, regardless whether they digress from some arbitrary technical topic. *shrug*
I do not want the Top 10 list of topic threads on the board to to be about religion or politics.Compiler preference discussions can make religion or politics seem mild. ;D
Dave will just pick a winner at random, and only then check the number of posts. That's how he did it the last time.
... Fact is there has been relatively little flooding the forum with crap posts in the scheme of things.I think I have seen more crap posts with complaints about crap posts than actual crap posts.
It only stands out because it's more than usual and people are looking for it.
...
Ohms for the poor...ohms for the poor...ohms for the poor...
March 16 is George Simon Ohm's birthday.
March 16 is George Simon Ohm's birthday.He was Georg, not George. He was German and so was his name.
so there's obviously more whining from people who had been here before as we are lowering their chances to win.I don't think that's the reason... Lately there has been a big drop in interesting technical posts (at least from my perspective) and a rather large drop in posts from the more learned members of this forum. I for one am patiently waiting for this contest to be over so that things can get back to normal.
I for one am patiently waiting for this contest to be over so that things can get back to normal.Agreed with all you say ! I just want to get back to reading the nerd bitch fights :-)
I just want to get back to reading the nerd bitch fights :-):-DD :-DD