I still think that the best place for our weekly competition is back in its original location, where we can retain total control (manually) on when we start it, when we judge it etc. etc.

I have a natural aversion to automation, particularly when there is no manual override.

I think that we all want the forum to flourish and one of the best things that happened to the forum was the idea to have an informal weekly competition.

At the risk of repeating myself, I just want that competition to carry on flourishing and I think for that to happen it needs to be brought back into the body of the forum.

I fully appreciate that JR needs to balance all views and without John's diplomatic skills this forum would not be anywhere near as civilised as it is.

John, hopefully that response might help to convince you that the Competition flourished when located within the forum but is now likely to perish in its current location.

For me, I guess that the first thing for us (the end users of the Forum) to do would be to decide that Competition No. 61 will take place back in its original place on the Forum.

That way we retain total control over how it operates and with a bit of luck the entries will increase again.

A very good summary.

I think that we need to 'drag' the competition back into the forum, where it was born.

I feel that it is an inherent part of the forum.

The forum is all about learning from others and that is also what the competition is all about, or at least should be about.

A very good point.

At least we would retain control over the competition and it is supposed to be part of the Forum.

At the moment it appears to have become almost totally automated.

There would have been two more entries for this week's competition (Belinda B. and myself) if the auto shut off facility had not kicked in at the wrong time.

The only benefit of the new system is the ability to have the judge's comments directly under the relevant photograph. But that is of no benefit at all, if the judge does not make any comments.

I guess the new forum is a good example of the old maxim about "features and benefits".

Features are of no use whatsoever if they are not a benefit to the end user.

This might have been my entry for this week's competition "Alone" :-

[IMG]http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s30/Hyram_Hare/IMGP1332-1.jpg[/IMG]

.........but it is too late now

[IMG]http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s30/Hyram_Hare/IMGP1327-1.jpg[/IMG]

I think that the competition does need to be linked more closely with the forum.

Also I think that the only acceptable reasons for a judge not commenting on each entry are :-

English not being their native tongue.
or
A family crisis occuring during the competition, requiring the judge's attention elsewhere (as happened to Gwyn a while back).

Most people enter in the hope of learning something and they can only learn if they receive some feedback.

I have been away for a few weeks and have just logged on remotely prior to arriving home shortly. During the past few weeks, commenting on competition entries seems to have disappeared, which for me is the main point of the competition and the closing date seems to have changed.

What is happening :