It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

[Ian]

No, this isn't a telecoms ad, but we do want to encourage more involvement in forum discussions.

A forum is only as good as the discussions that take place and if everyone is just reading and not contributing to the debates, the value of the forum can't flourish.

About 20% of the registered forum members here regularly post messages.

We know that many more than those visit and read the forum posts, many of whom are not registered as members.

So why not come and join in? - start your own discussions or contribute to others. If you aren't yet a member - go on, register now; it costs nothing but a little time and could be rewarding in more ways than one!

Starting this month, each month we'll be awarding a small prize for the most interesting individual message posted on the forum and one for the poster who has shown the most enthusiasm. The first winners will be chosen by the forum moderator team this time next month - so get posting now!

Ian

[Stephen]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

Nice one Ian, you can't beat a bit of incentive

[coupekid]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

No, this isn't a telecoms ad, but we do want to encourage more involvement in forum discussions.

A forum is only as good as the discussions that take place and if everyone is just reading and not contributing to the debates, the value of the forum can't flourish.

About 20% of the registered forum members here regularly post messages.

We know that many more than those visit and read the forum posts, many of whom are not registered as members.

So why not come and join in? - start your own discussions or contribute to others. If you aren't yet a member - go on, register now; it costs nothing but a little time and could be rewarding in more ways than one!

Starting this month, each month we'll be awarding a small prize for the most interesting individual message posted on the forum and one for the poster who has shown the most enthusiasm. The first winners will be chosen by the forum moderator team this time next month - so get posting now!

Ian

Waaahayy

Sounds good!

[cowcrzy06]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

Ian,

What A great Idea! Not only does this encourage more people to post but it also encourages a positive attitude! Way to go! I cannot wait to see who gets the first prize!

[19ninety]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

... ^^^^^^^^ ... will type for money

[paul.r.w]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

spam, spam, spam, spam ....

[lumix]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

Ian,

What A great Idea! Not only does this encourage more people to post but it also encourages a positive attitude! Way to go! I cannot wait to see who gets the first prize!

Thanks everyone, it was me.

[ekkl]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

So who are the other winners? (if any)

[Guest]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

At last ! - It was time that those who contribute got at least the chance of some reward. I was going to suggest in the other long running thread on 'Prizewinners' that it could be made a condition that to be eligible to go into the prize draw only those that had made 'x' number of contributions to forums or posted photo for critic or to a gallery would be eligible. That would weed out those who contribute absolutely nothing and only register when they think there might be chance of a free prize. But I realise before anyone says so, that I know that there might insurmountable difficulties in administering such a scheme.

[ekkl]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

I actually googled the Mju camera a while ago and found a link to a competition forum.

I clicked on the link and the main forum was mostly links to other forums offering prizes in competitions.

I followed the Mju link and the main post was a link to this foum with it's recent competition!

Now I do not think this is fair as some people who entered, maybe the winner I don't know who the winner is to be honest, just registered here just for the chance to win the camera therefore taking the opportunity away from the regulars with a genuine interest in the prize, a chance of winning.

These kind of sites that just offer links to other sites that offer prizes for competitions (you log on to the forum, look through the threads and click on the links then register and enter the competition having no interest at all in what the prize is as long as it is expensive) attract the kind of people who if won the camera offered here would just put it on ebay and see what they got for it rather than have someone like a regular from here who would look after it and use it well.

There should be some kind of system, like Dennis has pointed out, that stops these chavs coming from other sites just to enter the competition. Maybe a minimum of ten posts or something like that, I don't know but I would be gutted if the winners didn't really have an interest in what they were winning from here.

[Guest]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

Well said Ekkl - your evidence backs up what I was trying to imply. These people have no real interest in the main purpose of this site which is to promote discussion, assistance and interaction with other like minded individuals with a real interest in Digital Photography. The site should not simply be about getting large numbers registered,particularly if they have no genuine interest. One has only to look at the number of views to this thread and only a few contributions to wonder if the title words "And we'll reward it" was the main attraction.

[Stephen]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

There seems to be two issues here. One is to encourage more discussion on the forum and to offer a small prize as an incentive. Then there is the more general point of prizewinners for competitions run by DPNow and won by entrants who are no regular forum participants.

The original thread was posted to announce an initiative to reward best posts and people who contributed most. This has fallen by the wayside, largely it seems to me, because it was difficult to come up with someone worthy of the accolade. In the second month we couldn't come up with a worthy winner and since then it seems to have got forgotten about. Now I'm pretty sure Ian would like to reinstate the idea, and there is nothing I would like more than to encourage discussion and debate on the forums. However unless you, the members do it, or contribute to something started by others there is little that can be done in awarding an accolade to a worthy person.

So has anyone anything further to add to this issue, without clouding it with talk of prizewinners not being active forum members?

[Patrick]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

There seems to be two issues here. One is to encourage more discussion on the forum and to offer a small prize as an incentive. Then there is the more general point of prizewinners for competitions run by DPNow and won by entrants who are no regular forum participants.

The original thread was posted to announce an initiative to reward best posts and people who contributed most. This has fallen by the wayside, largely it seems to me, because it was difficult to come up with someone worthy of the accolade. In the second month we couldn't come up with a worthy winner and since then it seems to have got forgotten about. Now I'm pretty sure Ian would like to reinstate the idea, and there is nothing I would like more than to encourage discussion and debate on the forums. However unless you, the members do it, or contribute to something started by others there is little that can be done in awarding an accolade to a worthy person.

So has anyone anything further to add to this issue, without clouding it with talk of prizewinners not being active forum members?

My first reaction is, if someone is interested enough they wont need a prize to contribute. Prizes if they appear to work could be leading to posts of questionable merit simply to get numbers up.
But of course it is in reality a numbers game, advertisers are more interested the quantity of hits rather than in the regular contributer. It might surprise them to know its the regular contributers that generate the interest for those hits.
Second and we return to an old chestnut, if prizes are given the winners should be announced promptly and on time in an easy to find location on the front page not go to this link and follow that link. I still can't find any winners list posted any where despite the links offered to find out, all I get is the original offer of a prize. A front page announcement of winners would also be good advertising.

Patrick

[Pol]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

My first reaction is, if someone is interested enough they wont need a prize to contribute. Prizes if they appear to work could be leading to posts of questionable merit simply to get numbers up.
But of course it is in reality a numbers game, advertisers are more interested the quantity of hits rather than in the regular contributer. It might surprise them to know its the regular contributers that generate the interest for those hits.
Second and we return to an old chestnut, if prizes are given the winners should be announced promptly and on time in an easy to find location on the front page not go to this link and follow that link. I still can't find any winners list posted any where despite the links offered to find out, all I get is the original offer of a prize. A front page announcement of winners would also be good advertising.

Patrick

Well said, Patrick. Excellent post imho.


Pol

[ekkl]

Re: It's good to talk - more! And we'll reward it

So has anyone anything further to add to this issue, without clouding it with talk of prizewinners not being active forum members?

On this basis then can you justify the 8 or 9 posts that 'cloud' your 'Gizmo' thread that are related to food, totally nothing to do with the main thread that you started about remote controlers.

At least the comments here about prizewinners have a serious point to them.