Off topic:

mariusg wrote:

Off Topic: I logged on a minute ago and it showed 656 unread posts. My first thought was “oh dear, did the spammers get us?” Then I realized I was using another browser than usual, it hadn’t been here for a few days :)

That could be a nice moment :)

Denis Kormalev wrote:

chetankjain, as I think something like 2-3 moderators per user.

I really think the best system is one that doesn’t disclose how the result was formed.

That is, you have X points but have no idea how you got them. You don’t need to update the points in real-time either, as this encourages people to spam more when they see their points rise. You could have it update once a day. This encourages more responsible, calm, thoughtful posting, I think.

Well they’d have a whole day not getting any points.

But the point is there can be complexity in this. Such as points based on views+rating with a maximum of X and only rewarded Y times and so on. No one would have enough time to completely learn the point system and the point system could change at any time (as it does).

Basically everyone would forget about gaining points and be more worried about gaining important posts.

xsacha wrote:

Basically everyone would forget about gaining points and be more worried about gaining important posts.

Which is exactly what Ron has achieved over at FN…

tamhanna wrote:

xsacha wrote:

Basically everyone would forget about gaining points and be more worried about gaining important posts.

Which is exactly what Ron has achieved over at FN…

I agree to this that point system will always have some disadvantage if its automated. At FN administrators take pain to judge the quantity and quality of posts. So when results are announced everyone is happy. And even the spammer knows that he is at the wrong place.

This would obviously work, but require a large amount of dedicated staff.

i’d say: Let’s look at how active people will be after project elf is over. I think, if we all have our C7’s and the warm feeling of having won something utterly pointless, work will kcik in again…

tamhanna wrote:

i’d say: Let’s look at how active people will be after project elf is over.

If anything, this Project Elf gives the admins here some real information about how people use the forums/wiki/faqs and how they react to the points system. It’s a stress-test so to speak.

xsacha wrote:

People are going to be leaving to go overseas and so on and might not be as active. I will be taking a two-week vacation and rarely using my laptop or phone, for instance.

So you feel that there wont be much action in the coming weeks during vacations even with project elf continuing.

My vacation will be from end of december (Christmas) through new year in to Jan. I think Elf will have ended while I’m on vacation.

Most people will have that time off. And then back to work.

hi,
I, for one, will be less active from the 24th to the 2nd – I am on a vacation with my wife and she would whine loudly if I spent all my time in front of notebook :)

of course, I will still respond – but less

xsacha wrote:

My vacation will be from end of december (Christmas) through new year in to Jan. I think Elf will have ended while I’m on vacation.

Most people will have that time off. And then back to work.

Right if the last week is not counted then 27th might be the day when last set of winners are announced.

Hi QtK,
this news just saved my marriage ;). My wife is starting to get angry about the amount of time I invest into this board…

xsacha wrote:

If anything, this Project Elf gives the admins here some real information about how people use the forums/wiki/faqs and how they react to the points system. It’s a stress-test so to speak.

You Sir, are as wise as the hills are old :)

Well, it definitely will show who is an insomniac.

And no, I am going to sleep. In fact, I already would sleep if it werent for two annoying comments from Volker.

But in fact, it served a good shower for me where to focus company priorities in the future…

mariusg wrote:

This discussion really makes me wish I had a few extra web dev guys and a spare week to really dig into making a point system that has higher ambitions than “good enough”.

That’s always the way of it though – there’s always more good (and usually even important!) stuff to do than there is time.

tamhanna wrote:

And no, I am going to sleep. In fact, I already would sleep if it werent for two annoying comments from Volker.

Can’t sleep… [xkcd.com]