posted
Over at Sci-Police Hq forum, Greybird raised concerns that my Poll limit being raised from one to two is unjustified.
I thought I'd create this discussion topic on Greybird's concern.
What follows is a copy of my response to him, beginning with my response to his specific point about why should I be allowed to do two Polls?:
"Because my Polls are popular. Several people have stated how much they enjoy them, not only now, but repeatedly over three years.
I believe so far that within just three or four days, four people have asked or suggested Polls for me to do, including Lightning Lad. Even though they themselves have the capability to do Polls, they asked or suggested that I do them. They didn't ask other people to do them. They didn't ask you. They asked me.
By my estimate I've done at least 60 Polls, maybe 100, and many of them have been major efforts like the Legion World Census (of which the current is the third one.) I have run many Most Popular Legionnaires, Villains, Supporting Characters, Writers, Artist, etc. I received appreciation, often strong, on nearly every one.
I doubt that LL increased my limit because of my "ferver." (Hey, LL, did you increase my limit because of "ferver?") I assume it's because of my unmatched experience, proven ability, and enthusiastic popular demand.
You given me a great idea, Grey. Why don't I run a Poll about whether or not I should be limited to one or two Polls at a time? Since you feel my whopping two Poll limit is unjustified, I'm sure you'd like to see a membership vote on the matter.
I absolutely swear to abide by the decision of the majority of the voting membership.
Like I said, since I've already been given permission for two simultaneous Polls, there would be nothing provocative about it. A simple up or down vote whether I should continue to have the privilege."
So I'd like to get other members' opinions on whether they want to see me continue doing two Polls at a time, and also whether I should run a Poll asking whether my two Poll limit should be removed.
What's being requested -- an unlimited, automatic, personal privilege -- is a practice that nearly destroyed the database of this Website the last time that polls were allowed in such numbers. That's what matters.
I couldn't give two shits, otherwise, about whether someone runs one poll or sixty. The two founders, though, who want to keep this site running, do care, and it's their call, and it's their place to call for any vote -- or none.
[ November 17, 2003, 06:33 PM: Message edited by: Greybird ]
From: Starhaven Consulate, City of Angels | Registered: Jul 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
My impression has always been that all one needed to do in order to create more polls is ask the founders if it was okay. That's what Reep did. It's never been the case that justification for the creation of additional polls was necessary, one just needed to make sure there was no reason not to.
If there were reason to deny his request for an additional poll, then the founders should do it. However, there isn't, and they didn't. Reep's second poll no danger to the message board software. Nor is it preventing others from starting polls. There isn't exactly a huge number of people trying to start polls at present.
The point of the "one-poll-per-poster" guideline is to limit the total number of polls. They had gotten out of control at one point because of the large number that were being created. This isn't the case at the moment. While I would certainly be opposed to allowing Reep the freedom to create as many polls as he wanted to, I see no problem with the ways things stand at present.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Responding to Grey's points over in Sci-Pol Hq...
But Grey, LL has already given me permission for two Polls. A Founder has spoken on the matter. And it is my recollection that NC also gave me permission before I retired for simultaneous Polling, but that was a while ago, so my recollection my be wrong.
There is no preemption of Founder authority at all. (Why are you insinuating there is?) I've been granted a two-Poll limit. The suggested Poll about this would be an opinion Poll of the membership if they want me to exercise the limit privilege given to me by LL, or just do one Poll. There no abrogation of Founder authority whatsoever.
And I most certainly do have the right to say I will abide by the membership in this vote. What a bizarre statement for you to make. It's my decision to use this privilege or not. Not yours.
And if the majority of the voting membership feel that me doing two instead of one Poll is unacceptable, then I will use my freedom of choice and only do one Poll at a time.
I remain in accord with Founder wishes. I have petitioned for more Polls, which is my right, and when both Founders have conferred and given me their final decision on more possible Polls I will of course abide by it.
But I still may run my Poll on my limit to see if the membership wants me to do one or two Polls.
posted
I'm not voting in this poll 'cause Reep's already been given the OK to do more polls so why bother?
Reep's polls ARE fun and let's face it, the Planetary Chance Machine was kinda gasping for air there for a while.
I would say let him run as many polls as he wants as long as there's no danger to the server involved, but I realize that wouldn't be fair to any others who might want to set-up multiple polls at once.
posted
Oh well... I suppose things WERE getting a little too harmonious around here recently...
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Point the First: The only rule is that one ask permission before running simultanious polls.
Point the Second: Reep asked publically, and was not denied permission by either the esteemed founders or and Board Moderators.
Point the Third: Reep is well aware of why polling was limited, and although he has started several threads on the PCM boards (and the more the better IMHO) has acted responcibly and limited his actual polls to two.
Point the Fourth: I personally trust Reep not to go coo-coo go nuts and limit himself to two actual polls at a time.
Point the Fifth: I trust Reep not to take carte blanche to run simulatnious polls and to ask each time hr wants to start a second one.
Point the Sixth: Reeps polls are fun, I enjoy his contributions to these boards, and I am glad to have him back posting regularly.
Point the Seventh: Should Reep's polling get out of control, I trust him to accept any limitations or rulings made by the founders or moderators with graciousness.
Point the Eigth: This endorsement of Reep is in no way meant to be any sort of condemnation of Greybird, whose posts I also enjoy.
From: Sumner, ME | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Pov: So, how many poles do you WANT to handle at one time, Reep? A regular little gangbanger, ain'tcha??
Excellent question. At the risk of being excoriated by Greybird , here are my personal preferences on Polling.
Since it has become somewhat accepted that shorter duration Polls are the wiser course, it would be foolish for my own efforts to ever run more than four Polls at once.
Why? Two reasons:
1 - I normally follow the Polling results, observing trends, seeing where the "races" are, etc. I would need to be Carggian to keep track of more than four Polls running at the same time.
2 - I usually do a "Final Tally," which is a VERY time-consuming write-up of the results. It consists of reorganizing and grouping all the results into a highest to lowest percentages bracket-structure, comparing all these numbers, doing secondary groupings of like-minded responses, noting various anomalies and trends in the numbers, general commentary and a lot more stuff, not the least of which is trying to add some of my loopy snarky humor to these dry stats.
If I had more than four Polls going at once I would need a staff of Carggians to do these Final Tallys. As it is, I'm giving an enormous amount of my free time to these Polls.
And this is a unworkable maximum situation of four "major" Polls like Legion World Census or the current Favorite Stories Poll-Project-Thing that it seems I've embarked on.
I have 6 of the Fave Stories Polls researched, organized, and written up, but I wouldn't run more than two of these major Polls at once BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH FUCKIN WORK! It seems most of the members posting above have deduced this.
And with the current wiser short duration approach, having four major Polls running means I would wind up doing nothing but constantly writing up Final Tallys! The whole thing would collapse on itself, I wouldn't have time to create any new Polls! There would be mass chaos! Cats and dogs living together! Plagues! Locusts! Insurance salesmen!
I understand that the colossal (luv using that in a sentence) Legion World Census skews everybody perception on the matter. LWC is very much the extreme, nowhere near the norm.
If I had a limit of four simultaneous Polls (and without the formality of having to get permission for each one,) I envision a maxed limit situation of two "major" type Polls (3-7 days duration) and two short 1-2 question humorous or topical Polls (1-3 days.) And again, this is the maxed out situation; the short Polls would be spontaneous ideas, so they ain't always gonna be there.
On the other extreme, there may very well be periods where I have no Polls running. Seriously. Obviously.
I have tried to be honest and transparent here in my intentions. Like Portfolio Boy expresses, you have to trust me.
I've said repeatedly I'm here to have and provide fun and to liven up this moribund forum.
Whatever the decision of the Founders, I'll abide by it.
posted
Since you already have the permission to run two simultaneous polls, is there any reason why you could run two major polls a week, and just make the two "minor" ones into surveys instead?
And as for the question of allowing you even more polls, I think allowing you a second poll is already being very generous, considering that no one else is allowed to do so. Allowing more than two just feels a little too... unfair... to everyone else. Your poll topics aren't any more important than anyone else's, in my opinion, so I think allowing you two polls is more than enough, especially if you only plan to have them last for 3 to 7 days anyways.
Ultimately, though, the decision really is up to Gary and Scott, regardless of what anyone else thinks. I don't start polls, and seldom vote in them, so ultimately the decision doesn't affect me one way or the other. My only concern is for what is fair to other people who might wish to start polls, and how they might feel about the situation.
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Cru, Polls and Surveys, as I have defined them in my Surveys, are two entirely different things. They're not interchangeable. Polls are for gathering groups views and statistics, and it is extremely helpful using the Polling software.
My surveys, as I have defined them, are designed and intended for listing individual responses, creating a picture of each member's views on related topics. They're not at all "minor" Polls. Different purposes, different methodologies.
I don't have that much enthusiasm for these Surveys as compared to Polls, and it seems response is slow to them at best. It takes time for people to decide what there opinions are in the areas I have identified.
If my Poll limit stays the same, I have no desire to therefore increase Surveys. My enthusiasm is for Polling.
Realistically now, how unfair is it to increase my limit on Polls? Nobody else is doing them. How am I being unfair to the huge overwhelming majority that have either no interest or time to do Polls? Seriously, where's the "injustice."
It never was a question of my Polls being "more important." I'm perplexed at that comment. I've repeatedly said, and have to keep saying, I'm doing this to increase the fun here and liven up this forum.
It's only a question of importance if you think increasing the fun in this forum is important.
If some members's noses are getting bent because I am simply trying to revive the fun around here, too fuckin bad. Such people have expressed they aren't that interested in the Polls anyway. Yet they want to curtail my efforts.
Nobody else is doing Polls and nobody is doing my kind of Polls, which have been repeatedly praised for years. What's the diff if I do four Polls, or if four people do them especially when THERE ARE NO FOUR PEOPLE DOING THEM?!
[If everybody started doing them, and I had a four Poll limit, then I would naturally cut back and discuss my limit with the Founders. Do I really need to state this?]
Where's all the outrage at my suggestions? Where is it? Greybird doesn't count of course. If I said the sun is yellow, he'd say there is no sun. We all know this. And Cru admits he not really interested in Polls, he's concerned about other members.
Where's the indignation from the people who like Polling if it's such an injustice? What is happening is that I'm getting support from members who are interested in Polling!
Greybird's "concern" stands revealed as a tempest in a teacuup it is. Otherwise where's the hue and cry from people who feel they're being unfairly treated?
I'm awaiting the Founders decision and I hope it is soon forthcoming.
Once yet again, I will abide by it.
One way or the other, let's get a ruling and move on.
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, here are my personal preferences on Polling.
