Reporting on the inaction about polling ability - still holding off on December contest

[Mira]

It's a New Year, and a month into the New DU3, and in spite of asking a number of times I have no answer about when we can do polling.
I'm miffed that other than Skinner saying something so obscure that I could not follow it, and if you care, find it in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12406747#post8
there has been no answer to my question about a time table or real recognition of the question.

I have had kind offers from folks with ideas on how I could do a work around, and I dug in my heels saying no to that, because I think it would be additional work, has a high potential for error, and subjects me to criticism from observers, none of which interest me.
for instance: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12407226

In return I asked the folks with the suggestions to just DO it, and lo and behold, Ruby the Liberal stepped up and offered. Since he/she is not a regular photography group member I asked him/her to address you folks about it and read up on how the usual contests go down.
I very much appreciated the offer.

Since I am the one on whose watch the change over happened I'm deciding to keep on holding and waiting. Whoever is not OK with that can take the entries and do a make shift contest.

If I could, I would do a poll in GD:
I beat the drums to see photo contests again
I'm glad they seem to be gone
I don't care either way
Robb is still a ding bat

[Mz Pip]

1. I hope this gets worked out

I would miss the photo challenges. They always made me think outside my comfort zone.

If this doesn't get resolved I won't be doing the Winter contest, either.

[Mira]

3. So many views - so few responses

I think, honestly, that I'm almost the only one to whom it seems to matter, really, to get our polling back.

I also think that without a small revolt by people other than just me, which I have not been able to inspire, our contests are not a priority to the administrators whose brains may not be wired to have a need for art.

I felt I owed it to the photographers whose photos are in abeyance, and to whom I owe the running of a contest, to make an effort to report a time estimate of when to expect it, and I stood on my head and gargled peanut butter but couldn't even get recognition of the question.

I also think, honestly, that polling will straggle in as an also ran in what has become undue time, and that I'll then run the contest for December, and you'll run "Seasons of Winter". I sure hope we don't have to skip that one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Above all I think that if our efforts were important the polls would have been in place. Or that in their absence my questions would have been handled with the courtesy of an answer, or that by now apologies to all of us had been extended.

Yup.
I'm annoyed.

[Solly Mack]

2. We need those damn polls.

Seriously...the photography group's contests are something DU members look forward to and appreciate.

We need it. ****I**** need them.

I'm OK with waiting for the polls. I just wish those damn polls would get here already.

[Mira]

4. Solly - go to what you called your second favorite place

(Help and Meta discussion)
and be another voice in the wilderness asking for polls.
PLEASE

[Solly Mack]

5. I'll add my voice again...I've mentioned it before there..a while back.

My gut feeling is that we won't be getting polls anytime soon

[Mz Pip]

7. Polls semed to be a big part of DU

Everything from the silly to the profound found itself being polled at one time or another. It wasn't just the Photo group. Can't imagine why this hasn't been resolved.

[Solly Mack]

8. Very true! Some of the funniest threads ever began with a poll.

They (admins) said that polls were coming (at a future time... OP in H/M).

[Celebration]

6. Ugh

Been preoccupied lately, but how hard can it be? They did it with the old software...................

People used that feature, and I mean other than the photography group. I'm not wired in enough to know how to start a movement, but I will join in if someone gives me instructions.

[Earth_First]

9. I posted over to Help and Meta-discussion

I realize that I am an extremely small voice here, but raised mine none the less...

Hope this helps!

[Earth_First]

10. Apparently the topic is 'off discussion' for GD...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002115337

:sigh:

[Burgman]

11. There's a surviving thread on the same topic.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002115475#post10

[Callalily]

12. Thanks Mira for being so

diligent on this topic. I think most of us in the photography group really like the monthly contests. They are both challenging and a great learning tool.

Let's hope the Admins hear our voices!

[Mira]

13. It's one of my jobs at the moment, and I'm passionate about it to boot.

I believe that squeaky wheels will get the grease if they don't have too obnoxious a sound.
Except for one single occasional visitor the photography group in its entirety really likes the contests.
That's what matters.

[Robb]

14. Thank you for your tirelessness on this, Mira.

I say that as a guy with something of a love/hate relationship with DU polls, but whose identity is forever entwined with them.

It ain't the same without them. I'm confident the lads upstairs are working on it as a high priority.

[regnaD kciN]

15. As much as I hate to say it...

...I fear we've probably seen the end of photo contests on DU.

DU3 seems to have brought many nice new features, but I definitely miss some things that were left off, polls among them. Still, I have to assume that, if The Powers That Be thought polling to be a needed feature, it would have been implemented by now. After the big changeover, I don't see a lot more work being done for awhile. (And, to be honest, I can hear some say "this is supposed to be a progressive political discussion site, not a hobby group for a bunch of photographers.&quot

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. I really don't think so.

The poll option just isn't a priority now.

I am sure it will return. After all, we weren't the only folks using it.

You'll see!

[alfredo]

18. You know they have been busting their humps getting this software up and running.

They'll get to it when they get to it.

I'm happy we got DIY avatars again.

[alfredo]

17. Maybe it is time to try another group participation activity.

[Mira]

19. You sound disillusioned, I don't like to put the idea of giving up out there...

and I refuse to join you in that.
I chose to think the programmers are assigning different priorities, and our need for polling has not reached the top of the line.

I'm disappointed hat we never got an answer about my queries of "when"; at the time I said I was holding December contest entries and wanted to report to the participants with a timeline.

I believe if polls were not to happen they certainly have the guts to tell us about that decision; I fully trust that Skinner meant it when he said in the switch over that polls were a feature to come.

It is true that this inattention gave me the feeling our contests were not as appreciated by those with scheduling powers as I had hoped - though I'm quite sure that the GD folks liked the diversion we brought to them every month.

I am sad that you, regnaD kciN, not only seem to throw in the towel where there was no fight (yet), but to extend veto power to those few who "may" dismissively call us a hobby group.
You have won /hosted /volunteered often and have been a tireless participants as an entrant. Therefore you know that the folks appreciate our work, most seem to delight in it.

As you all can tell I am making liberal use of the new posting buttons. I love them almost as much as I will love the polling ability.
Polling is used for things all the time. We are not the only ones who use them.

Furthermore, I believe as is evidenced in the new front page, that there is humor and whimsy in the minds of the "powers that be", and that they ultimately welcome and understand the need for a properly presented diversion from the routine of hosting a progressive political discussion site serving many diverse people.

[Celebration]

20. I know what would get their attention!

We could have a chemtrail photo contest............



Just kidding, everyone!

[Behind the Aegis]

22. I have no idea how I missed this post.

I will support your decision. IMO, the contest is yours to run. I could also help, though I don't post all that often. I have been a participant in this group and the contests. Trust me, I already have plenty of people who hate me, so a few more, ain't nothing but a thang!

I haven't really seen a need though. Many people don't seem to have migrated to DU3 or aren't posting (maybe they are getting their bearings). We can wait. Then again, it is possible if we do a "fake" poll, it will demonstrate the need for that to be the next function. But I don't know, given all the misspellings in posts, spellcheck still isn't a high priority, much to my chagrin!

To restate: I will support your decision. (I know it wasn't an offical poll question...see the problem with "fake polls?"