About the monthly challenge

[Sw1tchFX]

The Sept challenge winner was won by someone with 1 post. Someone who's entire post history only includes two words: "Sounds Great".

I seriously think the challenges should have a minimum post requirement to keep people from joining, and just submitting an image w/o contributing to the community. At least something like 200 posts.

Am I the only one who noticed this? I just find it disturbing that anyone trolling around for things like this can just waltz in, drop off, and bounce.

 

[LaFoto]

But we HAVE made such changes! Is it the Challenge or the POTM?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

The challenge image that's on the first page.

 

[LaFoto]

But haven't we built in such restrictions for both voters and submi... erm ... those members who submit their photos to the Challenge? I think we have ... so how could this happen, I wonder? Will ask the others.

 

[terri]

What we have imposed restrictions on is the voting process.

There is nothing inherently wrong with a new member deciding to join TPF to submit an image to the Monthly Challenge. It is the TPF membership who votes on their favorites, so the majority vote will rule. However, new members have to have over 20 or 25 posts, as well as be members for a certain number of weeks, before they are allowed to vote in the Challenge. This hopefully stops the new member from getting his friends to join up just to vote in his image, or other similar voting abuses.

Hope this clarifies.

 

[EBphotography]

What we have imposed restrictions on is the voting process.

There is nothing inherently wrong with a new member deciding to join TPF to submit an image to the Monthly Challenge. It is the TPF membership who votes on their favorites, so the majority vote will rule. However, new members have to have over 20 or 25 posts, as well as be members for a certain number of weeks, before they are allowed to vote in the Challenge. This hopefully stops the new member from getting his friends to join up just to vote in his image, or other similar voting abuses.

Hope this clarifies.

But even so, it seems a person with 1 post shouldn't be able to win the award without even contributing to TPF, majority rule or not.

 

[terri]

I would imagine this is something that evolved from the very beginnings of TPF....from the day when Chase and Twist were happy just to get 4-5 contributors to the Challenge, and there was never any thought to try to weight it against anyone who wanted to join the site and play.

I'll make sure Twist sees this thread, and we'll be kicking it around. But I honestly don't know if we should have any kind of block to anyone who wishes to submit an image. We don't want the voting process to become skewed, of course, and this is where our attention was focused when we made recent changes.

Any and all additional input on this is welcome.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

ok, thanks! It just doesn't seem correct for somethign like that to happen.

 

[Battou]

Though it would seem a conclution has been reached I am gonna drop a couple pennies into the drink here. Given the bulk of my online carrer I am forced to agree with Sw1tchFX. One of the tasks of said carrer is locating and preventing theft and I can say with proof in hand that it is somthing very possible in an online community of this size and nature.

I am not saying or implying in any way septembers winner was not an original piece, but the possibility remains that every now and again there are people who are under the impression that they need to be impressive by normal standards in order to get noticed in a community like this, and they claim something not of their own just to fit in. It's sad but true.

I think that the user should atleast have a few images loafing around some where to be elidgable.

 

[keith204]

I'd agree that there should be a 20-25 post minimum for any part of the competition process. Submission and voting.

It does seem silly that a new person can come in and sweep up the glory. 20-25 posts isn't much, but it would definitely get people involved. C'mon... let's keep it in the family!

 

[nossie]

The Sept challenge winner was won by someone with 1 post.

But the competition could be what has attracted a new photographer to the site, so come 1 come all and let everyone play.

New members have to have over 20 or 25 posts, as well as be members for a certain number of weeks, before they are allowed to vote in the Challenge.

Good idea but it's not like it's a 10Grand prize so realisticly would anyone bother? If I enter I want to see if my photo will win on credibility and not because I want a token prize.

But even so, it seems a person with 1 post shouldn't be able to win the award without even contributing to TPF, majority rule or not.

Why not? It's a photo comp?

C'mon... let's keep it in the family!

Keep it in the family?.. I'm new here can I not be made feel welcome to join in? If there's the occasional channel hopper then shame on them for abusing the system. I'm sure you'll have a gay ol' time having your say so about it afterwards but don't tar everyone with the same brush.

 

[terri]

I am not saying or implying in any way septembers winner was not an original piece, but the possibility remains that every now and again there are people who are under the impression that they need to be impressive by normal standards in order to get noticed in a community like this, and they claim something not of their own just to fit in. It's sad but true.

Point taken. The same thing could happen whether it's a post count of 1 or 100. This particular challenge is based on anonymous (to the voting viewer) submissions, so good faith is required not only on the part of the submitter but TwistMyArm as well. It is not reasonable to ask Twist to validate all submissions for authenticity. If he questions an image for any reason, it is brought to the attention of the rest of the staff and he will discuss it directly with the submitter, as well.

Originally Posted by terri
New members have to have over 20 or 25 posts, as well as be members for a certain number of weeks, before they are allowed to vote in the Challenge.
Good idea but it's not like it's a 10Grand prize so realisticly would anyone bother? If I enter I want to see if my photo will win on credibility and not because I want a token prize.

We implemented the voting restrictions due to an incident where it became evident that new members were joining TPF for the sole reason of voting on a friend's submitted image. It was this behavior we attempted to restrict. Certainly, most anything can be gotten around, we're just trying to reduce its ease.

C'mon... let's keep it in the family!

I believe many people like to submit images to a contest without the necessity of further induction into our TPF family. It's a forum; one can be as deeply or as casually involved as they wish. It is not up to the TPF staff to police any member's level of involvement, but merely to make sure the voting processes are as fair as we can reasonably make them, and make sure the general TPF guidelines are followed by all.

 

[keith204]

Keep it in the family?.. I'm new here can I not be made feel welcome to join in? If there's the occasional channel hopper then shame on them for abusing the system. I'm sure you'll have a gay ol' time having your say so about it afterwards but don't tar everyone with the same brush.

I believe many people like to submit images to a contest without the necessity of further induction into our TPF family. It's a forum; one can be as deeply or as casually involved as they wish. It is not up to the TPF staff to police any member's level of involvement, but merely to make sure the voting processes are as fair as we can reasonably make them, and make sure the general TPF guidelines are followed by all.

ok I take the 'Keep it in the family' thing back.

At the racetrack I photograph at, there are the 'regulars' that come in and support the track all year long. A couple of weeks ago, the track ran this big "$2500 to win" thing. So, 2 professional drivers who never support the track, came to pick up the 1st and 2nd place checks. Anyway, it was frustrating for me, and I wasn't even competing for the money! So, that comment about "keep it in the family" was a reaction to a similarity between this contest, and that race.

 

[Battou]

Point taken. The same thing could happen whether it's a post count of 1 or 100. This particular challenge is based on anonymous (to the voting viewer) submissions, so good faith is required not only on the part of the submitter but TwistMyArm as well. It is not reasonable to ask Twist to validate all submissions for authenticity. If he questions an image for any reason, it is brought to the attention of the rest of the staff and he will discuss it directly with the submitter, as well.

Oh I understand all too well the amount of work that goes into the confermation process and yes, I do agree that TwistMyArm should not have to runaround and verify every thing. That is why I stated the user should have some images posted on the forum. As sad as it is, in the internet world, in order to keep a person honest you first need to make them honest. Some thing as simple as a post count is easily evaded, but having other images opens up the possibility for some other user to locate something invalid in the event it should happen, alliviating TwistMyArm of that work.

From what I have seen here in the time I have been here this forum is very honest and has some very good sets of eyes on it. People who are trying to claim the work of others won't last long here.

 

[TwistMyArm]

Hey Everyone. First off I'd like to apologize for being away and not being able to weigh in on this sooner.

I'd simply like to say that back in the early days of TPF the challenge was conceived to try and draw in new members. It was successful in doing this and many of those members are still around today participating in the challenge. I'm confident in saying that at least 20% of all submissions are from new members. Many new members literally state in their submissions that they joined because the challenge sounded fun. I believe that restricting new members from participating in the challenge would only hurt the challenge and the forum.

Anyway all members are free to submit photos. We've put restrictions in place to ensure only participating forum members can cast votes to decide who the winner is. After the voting is complete we (mods and admins) do have the final call. However it is highly unlikely we will ever overrule the votes simply because the member isn't active at TPF anymore. If it is the best photo as chosen by active members it should stand. Now of course we still make the call as to what prize we may award the winner and in some situations (such as this) we may simply decide to allow their photo to grace our front page and save any material prizes for another month .