Canon POTD - DPChallenge Forums

03/03/2006 09:52:09 AM · #8

Don't you guys think it's, uhm, unethical to herd votes like this? Is this fair to the other participants of the contest? Do you do the same for your pictures in the DP Challenges?

nova

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

03/03/2006 11:17:08 AM · #9

Originally posted by agenkin:

Don't you guys think it's, uhm, unethical to herd votes like this? Is this fair to the other participants of the contest? Do you do the same for your pictures in the DP Challenges?

I see your point, but I think there is a distinction in that DPC is a closed community, whereas the Canon POTD contest is a free-for-all, open to whoever wishes to drop by. On American Idol, for example, don't you think the family members of the participants all vote for their guy (or gal) regardless? On the other hand, on Surivor, the audience doesn't get a voice at all... when someone gets voted out, it is the "tribe" that has spoken.

Besides, back in May when I was up for POTD, DPCers voted for me :) So scrum8, you got a FIVE from me! Great picture, good luck.

(edit typo)

Message edited by author 2006-03-03 11:18:00.

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

03/03/2006 05:02:38 PM · #10

Originally posted by nova:

Even if we assume that DPC is, as you put it, "closed" community (but there are open challenges too, aren't there?), what difference does it make? You are expected to win your challenge by making a great photograph, but the way this goes, wins he who has the most friends and is arrogant enough to ask for votes publicly.

The picture by scrum8 may be a good one (although I am not a big fan of technical pictures), but what matters is how it compares to the other pictures that compete along with it. When scrum8 invited us to vote, most of us go in, see *one* picture, give it a five, and leave. Is this an ethical thing to do?

As for your references to what I believe are television programs, I'm sorry, you lost me there. I (by choice) do not watch television at all, and have only the slightest idea about only one of the two shows that you mentioned. But, that aside, as you no doubt know, two wrongs don't make a right. So, if everyone else is doing it does not mean that it is the right thing to do.

coolhar

03/03/2006 05:36:12 PM · #11

I've had a few of my shots selected as POTD at PowerShotUser.com but never felt comfortable with posting here touting my own shots and asking for votes. I have, several times, posted here when I see a shot by another dpc'er selected. One would hope that people don't go to that site just to vote for a friend or fellow dpc'er, but rather are interested enough to go and vote every day. And to send in some shots to be considered for POTD. Entering there is as easy as sending an e-mail with an attachment. You have to edit them a little smaller (600 pixels max and 100kb) but in general, the same type of shots that we see here all the time do well at PowerShotUser. And all Canon cameras are eligible, not just the PowerShot models. Ocasionaly they will offer a prize for the highest score of the month, usually a CF card. I like the fact that they run the site with no ads.

scrum8

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/03/2006 09:16:30 PM · #12

I only asked for a vote, and took my chances doing that. The photo is what it is, and can stand on its own merit. I think it would have been unethical to ask everyone to vote it a "5".

Originally posted by agenkin:

Don't you guys think it's, uhm, unethical to herd votes like this? Is this fair to the other participants of the contest? Do you do the same for your pictures in the DP Challenges?

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/03/2006 09:19:41 PM · #13

I like when folks from here point out there POTDs. And as Bruce pointed out, he didn't ask people for a specific vote at all. After all, don't we ask for "votes" every week here? :-)

kari1

Panasonic DMC-FZ30

Panasonic DMW-LTZ10 1.5x Teleconverter

03/03/2006 09:31:14 PM · #14

That was a really cool picture .. I vote as I see things .. no one tells me what to vote .. but I like to know when people have entered things so I can have a poke around :)

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

03/03/2006 09:36:26 PM · #15

Originally posted by Melethia:

... After all, don't we ask for "votes" every week here? :-)

We ask people to vote on all the challenge entries; we even ask them to vote at least 20% in order for their votes to be counted. But we don't ask them to vote for a specific, individual photo.

03/03/2006 11:59:30 PM · #16

Originally posted by scrum8:

I only asked for a vote, and took my chances doing that. The photo is what it is, and can stand on its own merit. I think it would have been unethical to ask everyone to vote it a "5".

First of all, as coolhar points out, it's impossible to vote fairly on one image only without having seen the others.

Also, simply getting more traffic around your image creates an unfair advantage, especially if the people are already heading that way to help you or do you a favor.

nova

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

03/04/2006 12:05:22 AM · #17

Originally posted by agenkin:

Even if we assume that DPC is, as you put it, "closed" community (but there are open challenges too, aren't there?), what difference does it make?

First to your statement: whether or not there are open challenges here misses the point. At DPC, members and registered users alike have all signed up to participate in the site as designed, part of which involves viewing and ranking the photos as they see fit. On the Canon POTD site, anyone at all can drop in and vote on a single photo (no registration requirement, and no 20% minimum rule, notice) and, as at DPC, by whatever criteria they wish to apply.

What difference does that make, you ask. The way I see it, all the difference, in that someone who goes to the Canon POTD (or another similar) site and votes on a single photo for whatever reason may move them to do so, has acted according to the rules and design of the website. I would expect that other submitters there solicit votes from their friends and family as well. Do you presume otherwise?

Bottom line about the whole thing, though, is that it seems petty and well, rude, to me to question the practice within the thread of someone who asked for consideration of a vote. I started off by saying that I do see your point, but scrum8 did nothing other than many others have done when asking folks here to take a look and throw him a vote (and as he points out, not to do him any favors, but to vote as they see fit) and I wanted to at least offer a mild defense of his action. If you wanted to bring it up, I would have rather read it a day or two later in a separate thread. Not that my opinion matters, but since you wondered out loud where I was coming from, well, there it is.

Actually I feel the same as Harvey, being a bit hesitant to bring it up here when my photo was being considered at the Canon POTD site. Friend that he is, though, coolhar shined the spotlight on my entry on my behalf and I benefitted from that bit of extra exposure. I am happy to try to do the same from scrum8.

No hard feelings, I hope. You and I obviously have different opinions on the subject. I've stated my case and will leave it at that. Best wishes to you, agenkin.