Encouraging people to vote - ideas.

Sony Sonnar T* 35mm F2.8 ZA

11/09/2007 02:11:36 PM · #1

OK, I have been thinking about this.. we need to make it so you gain something from voting.. how about some kind of `kudos` points based thing.. so if you say, after 1000 votes you beacome a bronze star voter, with an icon shown next to your name in forums, on your pictures etc. 10,000 you become a silver and so on, obviously make each next rank harder to achieve.. I know it sounds kind of gay, but people here like a challenge and we all like a bit of `one-upmanship`. Maybe if you can become a gold voter you start to gain a bit of extra space for your portfolio. Obviously it doesnt have to be just bronze/silver/gold you could have tiered system. Like I said, it no big reward but it would be `something` to work towards, something to wear on ones sleeve, something to be proud of. A small box on the frontpage with "top ten voters of the week/month/year".. just something to show off you contribute a lot.

comments?

please keep this thread sensible and not a showboat for your wit and humour.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

11/09/2007 02:13:03 PM · #2

I like it. Sounds like a great idea. :-)

salmiakki

Sony Alpha a7R III

11/09/2007 02:17:09 PM · #3

Seconded. Definitely sounds like a good idea.

alanfreed

Nikon D6

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

11/09/2007 02:17:16 PM · #4

I've always felt that the top vote-caster should get, at minimum, a free helicopter.

frisca

Nikon D70

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

11/09/2007 02:17:42 PM · #5

voter drop-off is one of the areas that SC has been very concerned with over the last few months. We've been trying to figure out WHY its happening, but maybe the reasons don't matter as much as finding a way to encourage people to vote more.

I think this is a great idea, and it separates voting from commenting, which was the usual way people felt gratified for voting (and we all know how people feel about commenting!)

jaxter

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Tamron AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD for Canon

11/09/2007 02:17:57 PM · #6

I admire your pioneering spirit Simms, but I'd have to say I think it's a bad idea. People who are voting volunterily (and by that I mean with no agenda other than to vote) are more likely to vote fairly. I am concerned that were an award system such as you suggest implemented, we would see people voting to get those "voting points" and trying to keep up with the Joneses. Like I said, I really respect your initiative, but imho this idea is one better left alone.

11/09/2007 02:18:10 PM · #7

Originally posted by alanfreed:

I've always felt that the top vote-caster should get, at minimum, a free helicopter.

and there goes the first one..

11/09/2007 02:20:06 PM · #8

Originally posted by jaxter:

so what if they are doing it to keep up with the joneses... at least we get people voting again. and with the box on the frontpage we post their weekly voting averages as well.. that way it should put people off just clicking 5 all the way through a challenge.. I am sure D&L can implement something to make sure that doesnt happen or recognises when someone is doing that..

anything has got to be worth discussing.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

11/09/2007 02:22:00 PM · #9

Originally posted by frisca:

But why not tie voting kudos & commenting kudos in together somehow. Even being awarded `stars` (or whatever) they show up not only next to your name, but also in the area generally reserved for ribbons on your profile page, make it an `offically` recognised award on DPC.

david_c

Canon EOS-7D

11/09/2007 02:22:02 PM · #10

I'll second the motion, it doesn't sound gay at all. Unless you meant "gay" in the old-time, happy-go-lucky way...'cause then it's a really, really gay idea.

Was I showboating a bit? Sorry. I do happen to think it's very important that people vote in the challenges, but I can understand how old-timers would get vote-apathetic. Maybe this is just the spark needed to get a higher image:vote ratio in the challenges.

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

11/09/2007 02:39:53 PM · #11

I think it's a good idea as well. I don't know much about programming or any of the sort but it would seem that it would be on the lower end of the difficulty scale. I really don't think it will hurt anything as I don't see people making a point to accomplish this goal with just clicking votes to click votes. If anything this might spur some ideas to get people more active in voting.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

11/09/2007 02:41:02 PM · #12

Originally posted by Simms:

... with the box on the frontpage we post their weekly voting averages as well. ...

I was with you up to here. Number of votes cast is fine, but I'm not big on turning this into a he or she is a "nicer" voter than so and so.

Let the vote scrubber take care of any voters casting votings in an improper manner.

alanfreed

Nikon D6

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

11/09/2007 02:41:16 PM · #13

Sorry... I'm incapable of making a post without showboating my wit. Or sensibly threading my humor. Or keeping my boat for show. Or humoring my thread.

Originally posted by Simms:

please keep this thread sensible and not a showboat for your wit and humour.

Originally posted by Simms:

Originally posted by alanfreed:
I've always felt that the top vote-caster should get, at minimum, a free helicopter.

and there goes the first one..

Rebecca

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

11/09/2007 02:48:15 PM · #14

My suggestion is to do my homework for me, so I have time :P

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

11/09/2007 02:55:10 PM · #15

Let's try to keep thos on-topic , everyone (that means you too, Alan! :-þ). To be fair, though, a look at Alan's vote count reveals he does care about the issue, possibly more than anyon here, and has probably earned that helicopter.

I'll reiterate that this is an issue that has the attention of Site Council, and appreciate

Simms' initiative in suggesting a solution. I'd encourage those who are critical of it to also try to come up with improvements or alternate ideas. To broaden the discussion a bit, what can we do to make voting easier, more rewarding, or more fun?

~Terry

Jib

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

11/09/2007 02:57:06 PM · #16

a great idea... btw smms did you get my pm? check your junk mail

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

Canon EF-M 22mm STM Lens

11/09/2007 02:59:17 PM · #17

How about a little dispenser that after every vote gives the voter a Liv'r Snap?

Worked for me training my dog.

ursula

Fujifilm X-T2

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

11/09/2007 03:02:06 PM · #18

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

How about a little dispenser that after every vote gives the voter a Liv'r Snap?

Worked for me training my dog.

Ahh, so very Maslow. Hierarchy one wouldn't work in a virtual reality.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

11/09/2007 03:02:08 PM · #19

Originally posted by Jib:

a great idea... btw smms did you get my pm? check your junk mail

jib, yes thanks, flagged to be actioned mate.. I will get back to you.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

11/09/2007 03:02:26 PM · #20

I have not voted as much of late because of issues with my arms. I find it hard to use a mouse and trackball (repetitive movement). I feel I could vote on all challenges if it could be done by keypad. Making it easier on my hands.

I know dpcmods has this option but can't seem to get it to work with IE and I don't use FireFox.

As far as OP suggestion, I think it is a great idea.

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

11/09/2007 03:22:00 PM · #21

First let me say I have no problem with Simms' proposal. I do wonder, though, if it's addressing the problem.

I didn't realize how much voting had dropped off until I ran a quick analysis on the numbers. But what is the reason? I think it's hard to come up with solutions until there is some explanation of why there is drop-off.

Perhaps it's tedious for people to vote with the mouse (as per

swhiddon--I've solved that by using Firefox. Is there another way to make it possible to vote by keyboard for every user without dpcmods?

Maybe the numbers are too small to click?

Maybe the voting scale isn't jazzy enough? Could it be replaced with a slider so we could vote in increments of tenths? (Sort of like the hue/saturation sliders in PS.) Because sometimes I feel more like 5.5 than a 5 or a 6.

Is the problem like some have expressed in leaving comments that they don't feel qualified enough? Then how can we encourage "newbies" to vote without guilt?

Is it that a culture of "I don't vote in what I entered" has become pervasive here? Then will forum discussions help to change that?

I, myself, rarely enter challenges anymore. I feel no compulsion to vote unless I'm interested in the topic. So challenges like "Perspective IX" just don't entice me.

I also like to vote on entire challenges so smaller challenges are more tempting. The numbers would seem to suggest I'm not alone in this as average vote per entry declines with larger numbers of entries. In other words, Speed Challenges with +/- 100 entries get a better ratio of votes than do Free Studies with +/- 500 entries.

Sorry this post turned out so long. I just really wanted to say that I think there's no use in solving something without knowing what you're solving. If you have a headache you take an aspirin. If you have recurring headaches you look for an underlying cause so you can treat the problem instead of the symptom.

scarbrd

Leica M10

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

11/09/2007 04:00:36 PM · #22

I think the most recent free study also suffered from the fact that there was 5 challenges in voting at the time. The normal 3 challenges, a free study and a speed challenge.

A random look back into the not so distant past

Natural Light Portrait - 424 entries, 242 votes
Macro VI - 247 entries, 155 votes
Children's Toy II - 211 entries, 193 votes
Still Life III - 227 entries, 176 votes

The percentage of votes to entries is pretty good.

I think if the challenge is interesting to people (Natural Light Portrait) it will get more votes. Free Studies are all over the map in their subjects, editing, settings, etc. It's hard to get a feel for the voting in something like that. So some people just stay away.

The scrub routinely accounts for about a 10% loss in the number of votes in my experience. So a challenge that had 150 votes today would have had about 165 pre-scrub days.

Plus, there are folks who have a policy of not voting in challenges in which they have an entry. Free Studies have a lot of entries, so perhaps, more refrain from voting in those.

I like Simms idea a lot, if nothing else it will encourage voting, thereby increasing the overall number of votes in the challenges. But I don't think there's a voting crisis here. Since I've been a member, any challenge that got over 200 votes is considered above average, 120-170 seems to be the norm.