Ethical Question

shatch

I've been showing my entry to a few people at work. They asked if they could vote and I told them no that only DGRIN community members could vote. A couple asked me how they could become a member. I didn't answer them because I felt that it would be wrong to get them involved now during a vote. After the finals, I will show them how, but I am afraid that their sole intent on joining was to vote for me now. Winning is fun, but only if you earn it. Do you agree with me or am I being to liberal in my interpretation?

cbsnet

shatch wrote:

I've been showing my entry to a few people at work. They asked if they could vote and I told them no that only DGRIN community members could vote. A couple asked me how they could become a member. I didn't answer them because I felt that it would be wrong to get them involved now during a vote. After the finals, I will show them how, but I am afraid that their sole intent on joining was to vote for me now. Winning is fun, but only if you earn it. Do you agree with me or am I being to liberal in my interpretation?

I agree. If the sole purpose of joining is to vote for you, I think you know the answer. You're damn good. Keep producing photos like you have.

If they REALLY want to support you, have them BUY photos. Think of the new lenses, tripods, lighting, etc. you can buy...

DoctorIt

You're being honest.

That being said, the registration process is not trivial. If they go through the whole thing, perhaps we'll have gained a member. My job means having to balance these things.

shatch

I agree we want more members. The larger this community grows, the better we will all become. If they really do want to join the community and participate with all of us, I think they can wait and will still be interested in a couple of weeks and then it won't influence the current competitions.

Greensquared

shatch wrote:

I agree we want more members. The larger this community grows, the better we will all become. If they really do want to join the community and participate with all of us, I think they can wait and will still be interested in a couple of weeks and then it won't influence the current competitions.

I agree with you and this line of integrity. Otherwise, it becomes not a matter of how good your image is, but how many people you know.

LiquidAir

I have an even simpler question along these lines: I assume those of us with entries in the thread shouldn't be voting. Right now I continually dismissing the vote dialog so I can chew on my fingernails as the voting progresses.

Travis

Vote 4 sale
For a Nikon D300 or even a Sony a700, I'll garauntee a victory for some lucky lady or gent. However, I need to receive it before the close of the polls!

DoctorIt

LiquidAir wrote:

I have an even simpler question along these lines: I assume those of us with entries in the thread shouldn't be voting. Right now I continually dismissing the vote dialog so I can chew on my fingernails as the voting progresses.

Do what you will, but even the President of the United States gets to vote.

TPBinKC

shatch wrote:

I've been showing my entry to a few people at work. They asked if they could vote and I told them no that only DGRIN community members could vote. A couple asked me how they could become a member. I didn't answer them because I felt that it would be wrong to get them involved now during a vote. After the finals, I will show them how, but I am afraid that their sole intent on joining was to vote for me now. Winning is fun, but only if you earn it. Do you agree with me or am I being to liberal in my interpretation?

I commend your honesty and integrity. Your photos are always of the highest quality and apparently, so are you.

Felicia

Oh, Shatch, I knew I really liked your work. Now it's clear why I also really like you as a person, being the family type man and one with high morals.

However, I am in slight disagreement with you. I say tell your friends where they can find your image online in the contest thread. Then let them figure out how to sign up for Dgrin if they want to do so. I don't see any need to KEEP your friends from becoming members. Afterall, this round is determined by POPULAR vote. Your friends may actually like another photo over yours; you never know... And your friends may really enjoy being part of this very welcoming forum.

LiquidAir, I don't see anything wrong with contestants voting in the popular vote. Your opinion should count just as much as any other member of Dgrin.

Mis dos centavos...

photogmomma

Well, I tried to get all my friends to register and vote for me, but I just dont' have any.... :cry

Seriously, I had a few people do that during the rounds I made it, but I asked them specifically not to. I just dont' think it's fair and I hope everyone else agrees with me!

SloYerRoll

I agree w/ Felicia and Erik.

It's not like your hiring a team of web wenies from India 200 bucks to spend 24 hours creating new accounts and voting for you (even though I wouldn't be surprised if that plan was already hatched)

They are your friends. If there was a competition that allowed the general public to show up and vote for a contest your competing in. You'd tell your friends not to vote?

That's absurd.

cjmchch

Without having read all the answers in this thread my response to your workmates would be simply this: "I appreciate your support and encourage you to join dgrin if you have an interest in photography. However, for this competition I ask that you please do not place a vote."

An image placed in this competition should be able to carry its own from existing members to advance through, and no doubt yours does.

I admire your integrity, as I do your photos.

urbanaries

To me the real problem would start when your friend joins and then votes for someone else! Hey, what if they didn't think yours was the best....D

DoctorIt

cjmchch wrote:

from existing members to advance through, and no doubt yours does.

WHOA!!?!

So we're afraid of outsiders? Don't want input from other shooters? Scary thought. I think many of you know that this forum has been accused of having quite a "clique". One of my biggest critiques of LPS has been that after the initial burst of interest, it has really become a closed community. Few new faces here and there. Not that community is a bad thing, you guys have really helped each other and it's been great - on the contrary, this was a pleasant surprise! However, one of the visions for LPS was BIIIIGGGG numbers. We need to reach out more to the VAST dgrin public.

I for one say, bring in the fresh meat. And on that point, nevermind new folks from the outside, there are over 20k dgrin members, and last I checked, only about 140 have voted here in SF4! Talk about poor sampling.

DavidTO

DoctorIt wrote:

WHOA!!?!

So we're afraid of outsiders? Don't want input from other shooters? Scary thought. I think many of you know that this forum has been accused of having quite a "clique". One of my biggest critiques of LPS has been that after the initial burst of interest, it has really become a closed community. Few new faces here and there. Not that community is a bad thing, you guys have really helped each other and it's been great - on the contrary, this was a pleasant surprise! However, one of the visions for LPS was BIIIIGGGG numbers. We need to reach out more to the VAST dgrin public.

I for one say, bring in the fresh meat. And on that point, nevermind new folks from the outside, there are over 20k dgrin members, and last I checked, only about 140 have voted here in SF4! Talk about poor sampling.

And nearly 12k have never made a post. But still, 20k, 8k, next to 130, they're both a ginormous number!

DoctorIt

DavidTO wrote:

And nearly 12k have never made a post. But still, 20k, 8k, next to 130, they're both a ginormous number!

Heck, I'd take 1k, then we'd still have just over 10% voter turnout. Ouch!

SloYerRoll

Kind of off the ethics thread.. but..
I was thinking the same thing.

Maybe the mods of each forum could inject random posts in their forums about other forums to generate more traffic? If a mod posts a thread. I'll usually read it on GP even if the title doesn't grab me since it's probably worth looking at.

I for one had tunnel vision and hardly got out of my "world" until I discovered the coolness of the, "New Stuff" button. Now the things that grab me are interesting titles. And I've found some great stuff I'd have never seen if I didn't click.

I know you mods already do a heroic amount of work in here. But it's just a thought.

DoctorIt

SloYerRoll wrote:

I was thinking the same thing.

Maybe the mods of each forum could inject random posts in their forums about other forums to generate more traffic? If a mod posts a thread. I'll usually read it on GP even if the title doesn't grab me since it's probably worth looking at.

We hate spamming and overloading with announcements. So, SF4 will just slide as is, but definitely, there will be some extra publicity when its time for the Grande Finale voting.

Felicia

DoctorIt wrote:

WHOA!!?!

So we're afraid of outsiders? Don't want input from other shooters? Scary thought. I think many of you know that this forum has been accused of having quite a "clique". One of my biggest critiques of LPS has been that after the initial burst of interest, it has really become a closed community. Few new faces here and there. Not that community is a bad thing, you guys have really helped each other and it's been great - on the contrary, this was a pleasant surprise! However, one of the visions for LPS was BIIIIGGGG numbers. We need to reach out more to the VAST dgrin public.

I for one say, bring in the fresh meat. And on that point, nevermind new folks from the outside, there are over 20k dgrin members, and last I checked, only about 140 have voted here in SF4! Talk about poor sampling.

I actually had no idea that some people consider this forum to be "clique-y." That certainly has NOT been my experience.

I repeat, let folks join the forum and vote as they wish! It's a FREE country where we allow FREE speech!. The only restriction on the voting is that they be members of the forum, not that they be experienced photographers or that they logged in so many hours viewing posts or that they have a certain amount of posts under their avatar.

Personally, for SF2 and SF3, I told as many friends as I could to check out the entry thread, join the forum and vote for their favorite (not MY favorite, THEIR favorite).

Remember, folks, this round is a POPULAR vote. Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote!

tamplum

Well as a new LPS player. I have to say, I have found this competition: warm, receptive, informative and not too cliquish. I guess it is how you look at things, and what you hope to get out of the experience. Many are playing to learn, challenge and expand their photo taking process. (the prize is added benefit ) so, you get what you take from it.


VOTE VOTE VOTE

DoctorIt

With all the discussion about voting... I think a link to the actual voting thread would be a wise idea:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=83607

SloYerRoll

DoctorIt wrote:

We hate spamming and overloading with announcements. So, SF4 will just slide as is, but definitely, there will be some extra publicity when its time for the Grande Finale voting.

I was thinking more globally than spamming or advertising.

It seems like you guys glance at almost every post in here. So if you see some sweet shots in Technique or a sick tut in Finishing school. Just post in your own forum to generate cross traffic.

Regardless,I'm not trying to sell you on it. Just telling you what my idea really was.

Keep up the good work

DoctorIt

SloYerRoll wrote:

I was thinking more globally than spamming or advertising.

It seems like you guys glance at almost every post in here. So if you see some sweet shots in Technique or a sick tut in Finishing school. Just post in your own forum to generate cross traffic.

Regardless,I'm not trying to sell you on it. Just telling you what my idea really was.

Keep up the good work

I know whatcha meant, don't worry. To clarify my reply: if the mods posted stuff all the time, you wouldn't look as much as you do. So I'm saving my "mod publicity" for LPS on the grande finale.