re: 2010 "$1 Store" Lightsaber Contest - WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
But it would be okay to get bumped off the winners list because the number you were assigned by someone else was high? Just food for thought.
In the end there's probably no fair way to do it. Here's hoping that all ties are broken!
I sent them in to the staff, in a slightly different order then they came into me. And I can tell you that they were posted in a MUCH different order then they came in to me. The order is there for rather random. Doing the spreadsheet thing, is a bit like gambling with someone else's money. I mean, yes, it could mean, that if there are 2 folks tied for 12th place, one of them will fall off the prize list. So, who gets something, and who doesn't is a mater of chance, but I don't think that is more, or less fare then a coin flip, or deciding the list based on when the entries came in.
I think the spreadsheet idea, at least has something slightly more tangible to it, then the other means of determining things.
I'm sure, ideally, we would have a tie braker. But, that could drag out for ever. I mean, right now we may be headed for a few ties. If we were to start tie braking threads, for each of them, when folks vote to brake each tie, each with a week to vote, it could just keep, going, and going. And what if they tie agian? What if everyone just gets bored with it all, and no-one bothers to vote?
If we had opened this up to the public, ties still could have happened. If we had reveled the identity of each person in the contest, it would have just been a popularity contest. I really don't see any perfect way to do it, that will make everyone happy.
I like the poll as it is. I would be happy if we had it again next time.
As for the ties. I think we should stick with the spreadsheet thing, this year.
Next year, I think, we may be less arbitrary with the number of prizes. We may just have prizes for say the top 5 spots, or something like that, with "back up" prizes" in the case of ties. If there are five clear winners, then we would just hand out the 5 prizes, and anyone offering to donated prizes beyond that, would get to keep there items, or offer them for another contest. If there was a tie, then we could call on the extra donations, to make sure that all the top 5 places get someing, even those involved in a tie. Though that still raises the issue, of who gets to pick first, but at least no-one would fall off the prize list that way. I don't know, I have a year to work it out for next year, but for this year, we are going with the spreadsheet. Right, or wrong, that is the way we are going this year.
It's not that I don't appreciate everyone's suggestions, and comments on this. We just need A plan, and if I change that plan every time someone posts a new idea, it will just lead to confusion, and disorder. With all this talk about these things, we have folks contacting me, asking if the contest is over, among other things, so it is already confusing some. I just feel like we need to make a decision, and stick with it, and this year, that decision is the spreadsheet.
