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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Open Letter to Langdon
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11/20/2012 12:19:00 PM · #1
This IS NOT a "let's sit and bitch" thread. (sorry folks) There are rules to this thread, and I'm hoping people will stick to these rules.

Up to this point, I've been ignoring the fact that DPC has hit the iceberg and has been sinking. But I'm tired of getting water up my nose, so it's time to start hitting the life boats. There may not have been enough life boats for everyone a couple of years ago, but there's less people now, and we have enough room. So let's launch the boats, and save who we can.

Let's figure out the basics of what we really need and here are the rules:

1. Only list complaints if they can be solved and they can be solved easily: If you're wanting a complete new look -- this is not your thread -- start your own.

2. Keep it civil. We want to try to fix it, not shut it down. Yes, I know we've tried this before, but I think it's worth trying one more time.


11/20/2012 12:24:23 PM · #2
gack -- can't believe this thread is resurrected.

It degenerated.

Go away thread.

Message edited by author 2013-03-08 06:38:00.
11/20/2012 12:30:04 PM · #3
...

Message edited by author 2012-12-09 15:45:06.
11/20/2012 12:30:04 PM · #4
Does it really matter that much? Even if it is a mistake there are several other challenges running at the same time for you to enter and if anyone wants to enter this challenge they can. I'd be surprised if Langdon is loosing sleep over this, I know I wouldn't if I were in his shoes.

edit: As an addendum, the thing that keeps dpc alive, like most websites, is participation. The thing that kills dpc (again, like most websites) is non-participation and constant talk of it dying. No surer way is there to scare off new members.

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 12:33:14.
11/20/2012 12:33:42 PM · #5
Pay SDW to run WPL
11/20/2012 12:49:05 PM · #6
Originally posted by vawendy:

Pay SDW to run WPL


great idea.

And how about giving us a Like Button?
11/20/2012 12:57:47 PM · #7
One of my biggest gripes about this site are the people who continuously complain about trolls and/or people who may potentially vote low during challenges.

The fix:
Don't allow anyone to track or watch their scores during the voting period of a challenge. It would eliminate a lot of fabricated problems other members seem to think exist; an entrant voting low because their image is doing poorly, cherrypicking people, and so on.

This would stop a lot of the banter which carries on around here.

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 13:33:22.
11/20/2012 01:01:01 PM · #8
Allow more pixels along the long length of an image.
Presumably the file size limit is the restricting factor in terms of storing the photos on the database side.

The fix:
Allow members to submit any pixel length they want as long as it is less than the maximum file size. If it's too wide, too long, or a combination of both, and people vote accordingly because they can't see the entire image at once, that's the chance the entrant takes.

It's CSS underneath, if it's written correctly, this shouldn't matter in terms of viewing the webpage.

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 13:33:30.
11/20/2012 01:03:18 PM · #9
Originally posted by MNet:

I'll be silent and watch DPC die.

Looks like your definition of silence differs from mine.
11/20/2012 01:15:37 PM · #10
Originally posted by Venser:

Allow more pixels along the long length of an image.
Presumably the file size limit is the restricting factor in terms of storing the photos on the database side.

The fix:
Allow members to submit any pixel length they want as long as it is less than the maximum file size. If it's too wide, too long, or a combination of both, and people vote accordingly because they can't see the entire image at once, that's the chance the entrant takes.


That's an excellent start!
11/20/2012 01:18:57 PM · #11
Originally posted by Venser:

One of my biggest gripes about this site are the people who continuously complain about trolls and/or people who may potentially vote low during challenges.

The fix:
Don't allow anyone to track or watch their scores during the voting period of a challenge. It would eliminate a lot of fabricated problems other members seem to think exist; an entrant voting low because their image is doing poorly, cherrypicking people, and so on.

This would stop a lot of the banter which carries on around here.


+1
11/20/2012 01:27:57 PM · #12
If you've been following these forums for the last couple of months, there's a good number of people who complain about the plethora of expert editing challenges and the seeming lack of minimal or basic; I'm one of them. As I've shown before, the number of entries in expert challenges isn't even close to the other rulesets. We've debated the potential reasons as to why many times over. We've also debated many times over that you don't have to do everything allowed under the expert editing criteria. The elephant in the room still remains that members don't participate because we already know two of the ribbon winners every time. Time to edit photos seems to be another restriction for some members.

The fix:
For every expert challenge, run the exact same challenge at the same time with the minimal ruleset (or some other one).

Another potential fix:
Allow more time to submit for these challenges, although my sneaking suspicion is this won't change participation, just overall quality.

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 13:34:38.
11/20/2012 01:32:30 PM · #13
Fix spelling mistakes in challenge descriptions.

The fix:
Fix spelling mistakes in challenge descriptions.

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 13:33:56.
11/20/2012 01:33:14 PM · #14
"Don't allow anyone to track or watch their scores during the voting period of a challenge."
I agree.

I don't like the expert editing challenges, either, but I don't care for your fix. I'm not trashing you for making the suggestion, just expressing my take on it.
11/20/2012 01:36:22 PM · #15
Originally posted by citymars:

I don't like the expert editing challenges, either, but I don't care for your fix. I'm not trashing you for making the suggestion, just expressing my take on it.
No worries. It's hard to tie my panties in a knot.
11/20/2012 01:39:42 PM · #16
Simple.

Follow through with the community manager position, and start advertising.
11/20/2012 01:40:58 PM · #17
Originally posted by Venser:

Allow more pixels along the long length of an image.
Presumably the file size limit is the restricting factor in terms of storing the photos on the database side.



My one year old laptop is 1366x768. Square or portrait orientation 800px images already force me to scroll. Yes, I have a big monitor on my desk that I use for photo editing, but I don't really want to sit at my desk just to vote. I already don't vote as much as I used to, because scrolling an image up and down isn't very much fun.

If you want to stop people from voting, allowing bigger images is a good way to do it.
11/20/2012 01:52:16 PM · #18
Originally posted by Ann:

I already don't vote as much as I used to, because scrolling an image up and down isn't very much fun.

If you want to stop people from voting, allowing bigger images is a good way to do it.

As I wrote previously, vote accordingly if you can't see the entire image or you're too lazy to scroll. We shouldn't stay put because some people don't want to move forward.

The choice of the image width/height should be up to the entrant. If they make it purposely difficult for people on archaic systems to view their images, that should be their prerogative.

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 14:05:24.
11/20/2012 01:57:52 PM · #19
Originally posted by Venser:

One of my biggest gripes about this site are the people who continuously complain about trolls and/or people who may potentially vote low during challenges.

The fix:
Don't allow anyone to track or watch their scores during the voting period of a challenge. It would eliminate a lot of fabricated problems other members seem to think exist; an entrant voting low because their image is doing poorly, cherrypicking people, and so on.

This would stop a lot of the banter which carries on around here.

This is an interesting suggestion, and it initially had some appeal to me. However, I think that shutting off the scores during voting would lower traffic on the site. The ability to check my current score at any time is what often draws me to the site. Once I check it then I generally check what's going on in the forums, maybe post a comment or start voting on a challenge. If scores are only revealed at the end of challenges I for one would visit the site less often.
11/20/2012 01:57:53 PM · #20
Originally posted by Venser:


As I wrote previously, vote accordingly if you can't see the entire image and you're too lazy to scroll. We shouldn't stay put because some people don't want to move forward.


Yes, I come here to be insulted.
11/20/2012 02:11:51 PM · #21
Originally posted by markwiley:

Originally posted by Venser:

One of my biggest gripes about this site are the people who continuously complain about trolls and/or people who may potentially vote low during challenges.

The fix:
Don't allow anyone to track or watch their scores during the voting period of a challenge. It would eliminate a lot of fabricated problems other members seem to think exist; an entrant voting low because their image is doing poorly, cherrypicking people, and so on.

This would stop a lot of the banter which carries on around here.

This is an interesting suggestion, and it initially had some appeal to me. However, I think that shutting off the scores during voting would lower traffic on the site. The ability to check my current score at any time is what often draws me to the site. Once I check it then I generally check what's going on in the forums, maybe post a comment or start voting on a challenge. If scores are only revealed at the end of challenges I for one would visit the site less often.


I agree with this. when I check my score, I also tend to check what's going on in the forums.
if people could just grow up and stop being immature... we wouldn't have the "troll/low voting" banter in the forums to begin with.
11/20/2012 02:13:44 PM · #22
Originally posted by Ann:

Originally posted by Venser:


As I wrote previously, vote accordingly if you can't see the entire image and you're too lazy to scroll. We shouldn't stay put because some people don't want to move forward.


Yes, I come here to be insulted.

Not my fault if you're a masochist.
Back to the discussion at hand. Staying put because some members couldn't be bothered to scroll to see an image is exactly why we're still stuck at 800px. It's absurd and you're solution is to do nothing.

edit - Does that mean we should cater to members who are still browsing the net with their VGA monitors?

Message edited by author 2012-11-20 14:16:24.
11/20/2012 02:20:52 PM · #23
Originally posted by Cory:

Simple.

Follow through with the community manager position, and start advertising.
Craziness. It makes too much sense.
11/20/2012 02:27:58 PM · #24
Originally posted by Venser:

Fix spelling mistakes in challenge descriptions.

The fix:
Fix spelling mistakes in challenge descriptions.


Holy crap, thank you for pointing this out! It doesn't take but 2 seconds to re-read the descriptions! This just puts a bad image on the site (pun intended... Lol).

I've got a problem/solution as well...

Problem - No one knows where to give suggestions for the site (hence this being in "general discussion").

Solution - Get rid of that goofy "Get Satisfaction" website. Good grief... That site worked for about a week, then no one ever went on it...
11/20/2012 02:28:40 PM · #25
Hi
... I have just renewed my membership. I love DPC. I don't do all the challenges, I just haven't got that amount of time, but each challenge I tackle I feel makes me a better photographer. Since I am very much a Novice, that is probably not hard. I love looking at the images others produce. Of course I have my favourites - everyone has, but I find many others inspiring too.
I don't do half the stuff we could do here, but when I do ask a question on the forum or in a private message, I have always received very quick, very nice and very helpful replies - thank you.
I have found an amazing tutor here, who has helped me so much.

Are there issues I don't like? Well of course .... how about all those "1-voters" to start off with :-), or all the moans and often very unpleasant personal exchanges. But I don't have to read those. I prefer to look at the bigger picture and that I definitely like :-).

Having said all that, I noticed that the number of entries have decreased in the challenges. I wonder why? Perhaps that would be the first step to find out: Why do you enter fewer challenges than you did a year/2years ago? Is it the theme or the editing criteria, the votes or comments you receive (or don't receive) or something else?
Maybe a poll would be a good idea with specific questions? Its easy to set up.

I often read moans about the editing restrictions. I LOVE editing, I can spend hours editing. And yet, I found the recent "Tree" challenge with Minimal editing fascinating. As much as I think there is a place for photoshoping in this day and age, perhaps it is also a good idea to occasionally re-visit basic camera technique with minimal editing challenges.

Or ask what attracts people to other sites? Why do they prefer or start to enjoy other photo sites over DPC? What about them is different/more appealing?

Anyway, just some thoughts from a "Happy Member" (Yes, we DO exist :-))

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