Weekly Competition #61 Bridge(s)

I know you are right, John, and I dont want to go over old ground but somehow the competition being on a drop down menu - a wee scroll and a whole two clicks away - makes it divorced from the forum.

Perhaps it is confusing to have this separate thread altogether. Flying in the face of my earlier gripe, why dont we close this thread and use the space under the competition thumbnails for the weekly competition discussion. I know and understand why some might be unhappy at that but it is clear that we have to either revert to the previous format entirely or embrace a new one; right now we are falling between two stools.

I think the positive things about the new format are ease of use and the thumbnails. I think some advice on optimal file sizes would be valuable since I noticed some artifacts appearing on one of mine as part of the automated downsizing.

What do you all think? possibly the wrong thing to have asked...

Ken

I agree that we should make full use of the new facilities, but the challenge is to get people to make those two clicks to go from the forum to the competition.

A thread here to introduce (and discuss) the competition, with a link, as so: link should, I hope, do the trick.

G

It has to be said that there are some very good entries this week. Poor judge!

G

gartmore, I understand the point you are making, but I think at the moment that we just need to settle in to the new routine. Everyone has found this thread and everyone knows where the competition is. If anyone looked here, they would soon understand what was going on and I think that's the important thing.

Now that the gallery seems to be wroking OK we can relax and just enjoy entering.

In one sense I don't think it matters how we do it, just that we do it and everyone does the same thing.

As regards the gallery, to be honest I'm using EPZ-sized images so probably virtually no resizing takes place. If you want them to be considered "as is" for the magazine then they need to be 1500 pixels or longer on both sides. It actually stipulates that somewhere, but I'm not sure now where I read it.

Up to 26 entries now, and looking hopeful that it might end at the correct time....fingers crossed!

Personally, the new gallery works well for me and as JR says you can always view the photo's later whereas a link to flickr has the risk at some point the photo gets removed. Did not have a bridge photo that I felt was good enough this time, hoping for a subject I can submit for this time.

Wow that was an interesting read. Didn't cause as much fuss as the new site did though. It was a light hearted comment and I entered because I was told it might be a good idea. First and last time though. Sorry if I haven't used proper English. Anyway back to admining.

Anyone want to comment on this? I won't. I am sitting in a corner, feeling a bit embarrassed of my membership at the moment.

Martin.

I would urge Dan to re-read this thread and note that there has in fact, been only a single negative reaction to the entirely inoffensive comment he posted in the competition area.

I greatly doubt that it is representative of the membership at large.

One of the disadvantages of a moderation policy to summarily close threads that get too heated, or 'argumentative', is that people become a lot less willing to pile in and express an opinion, for fear of being seen to fan any flames.

It is in that context that there have been so few reactions like Gwyn's, which I suspect is more representative.

So I'd encourage Dan not to let this put him off either entering competitions, or indeed contributing in other ways.

The more involvement we can get from the people that manage, develop, and maintain this forum, the less there'll be of an 'us and them' feeling about it.

So, Dan, more please

Thanks Chris, yeah I think I'll find chance to enter again. I was just surprised by the reaction to an innocent photo and comment. I do use the odd word you won't find in the dictionary, such as gonna & yeah, but that's what I've learnt over the years and it's nothing compared to some of the computer language used these days.

My reply was mostly to confirm that it was a light heated comment. I wasn't aware of any rules regarding commenting before the competition had been judged. Oh and Admining was meant to be light hearted as well.

Take it easy, Dan. My "gonna" comment was tongue in cheek.

G