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ArcherDragoon
Geocacher
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 921
Location: Southeastern Minnesota
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 Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:40 am Post subject: COTM Guideline Dicussion |
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| msteffel wrote: |
What I've posted for time frames for the February CotM is my interpretation of the existing guidelines. While I think some tweaking might help, until the board has their meeting and reports back, I plan to follow the guidelines that are in place (though some catching up is needed for previous months). I'd want to discuss any tweaking with a co-moderator first anyway(if that's the direction the board decides to go) with some discussion on here as well.
As others have stated, and I agree with, it's the consistency/follow through/execution that will make the biggest difference. If people know what to expect [nominations are open x though y, voting is available a through b] and that happens - they can make arrangements. Sadly, there are other things in life than geocaching  and I'm sure we all understand these things come up (especially the big unplanned ones), but I/we will do our best. I've got alerts in my calendars so my fingers are crossed.
FYI, I may [if/as I figure out this whole moderator thing] move the discussion of what modifications to the guidelines people would like to see in another thread and keep this topic to just what the current guidelines are (don't want someone to have to read through pages of posts to figure out what what they need to do nominate a cache). |
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ArcherDragoon
Geocacher
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 921
Location: Southeastern Minnesota
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| Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:43 am Post subject: |
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Ok...first off...sorry for quoting and pulling so many things...but I figured I would get this one going...
| 15Tango wrote: |
| bflentje wrote: |
| msteffel wrote: |
| Apologies for the confusion, I updated it and hadn't responded here yet. |
If I were in charge, one thing I would change is the voting window. I would guess most people are not like us daily forum dorks in that they don't check in hourly or even daily. I would change the voting window to be a MINIMUM of 2 weeks. I think in an ideal world, the voting should happen during the same period of time for nominations for the following month, whether it's two weeks, 3 or even 4. But one week is not acceptable to catch all possible attention.
Just my lame and lowly opinion. |
I agree - a longer voting window would also give more of us an opportunity to actually visit the nominated caches. There was a little bit of controversy a couple years ago about people voting for caches based solely on the write-ups, and not on actual visits. |
As for voting based on the write-ups (and cache page descriptions), is that really an issue??? Not everyone is going to be able to travel, but I think it is great that we have people at least that involved to take time and read through the descriptions and cache pages and (hopefully) logs posted to base their decision upon...heck...when I was working more closely with Cache of the Month, I encouraged it...not to mention...that is how I voted a couple of times...
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You may only be young once...but I will be immature forever!!! |
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ArcherDragoon
Geocacher
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 921
Location: Southeastern Minnesota
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| Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:48 am Post subject: Re: COTM Guideline Dicussion |
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| msteffel wrote: |
| What I've posted for time frames for the February CotM is my interpretation of the existing guidelines. <snip> |
Ok...I just wanted to comment on that part...
As for guidelines...they have mainly been a collection of past guidelines from past Cache of the Month Volunteers...The ones I went by were a combination of those I took from threads before me...and than added or tweaked some to help make the schedule of voting and forum organization match my own preferences and style...
I still stand firm in that how it (COTM) is run, it really doesn't matter to me as long as it is consistent...
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You may only be young once...but I will be immature forever!!! |
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bflentje
Geocacher
Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 3652
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| Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:26 am Post subject: |
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| 7 days is not long enough for COTM poll.. but what does it matter? Participation in the forums overall seems very stagnant. Where is everyone? |
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ArcherDragoon
Geocacher
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 921
Location: Southeastern Minnesota
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| Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:40 am Post subject: |
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| bflentje wrote: |
| 7 days is not long enough for COTM poll.. but what does it matter? Participation in the forums overall seems very stagnant. Where is everyone? |
For a while there...I was worried I was just talking to myself...
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You may only be young once...but I will be immature forever!!! |
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loneeagle_24
Geocacher
Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Posts: 870
Location: Montevideo
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| Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:57 am Post subject: |
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| ArcherDragoon wrote: |
| bflentje wrote: |
| 7 days is not long enough for COTM poll.. but what does it matter? Participation in the forums overall seems very stagnant. Where is everyone? |
For a while there...I was worried I was just talking to myself...
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You mean your listening to the voices in your head?? Boy are we in trouble!!!! lol
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King of the Jeff Gordon TB's!
They put that cache WHERE? |
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msteffel
Geocacher
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
Posts: 414
Location: Eden Prairie
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:53 am Post subject: |
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Got something you'd like to see changed with CotM?
Discuss it here!
The current timing guidelines was basically inherited. If people have suggestions for changing it that they believe would make it less confusing, I'd love to hear them.
Currently nominations for the the next months Cache of the Month run the full previous month (i.e. February Cache of the Month nominations run from January 1st to January 31st) and then voting happens from the 20th of CotM's Month to the end of that Month (i.e. February CotM voting goes from February 20th to February 28th).
Some people have said it's confusing to be nominating February CotM in January.
Some people have asked why voting is only from the 20th of the month on? Why can't it be all month? It certainly could be. I believe the initially thinking behind it was to give people time to find the caches before voting, but it people would like the voting opened up all month that can be done. [Or if people have suggestions for different timelines all together I'd love to hear them.]
Also, I've noticed for 2010 the Wisconsin Geocaching Association has broken the CotM into 5 'zones' (Northern, West Central, Northeast, South Central & Southeast) and also add a CotM 'Series' designation. While I think this would be cool to do here, a lot of times we are lucky to get *one* nomination, much less 6. But I'd be interested to hear what people think. Are people outside the Twin Cities (or the other major cities) not nominating great caches for CotM because they don't believe they'll have a shot of winning and if we had 'zones' setup they'd be more like to nominate caches? [My initial take on this is... nominate the cache and do a good job on the write up, even if it doesn't win, it gets added to the nomination list and will get more people to visit it when in the area.]
Any other thoughts, changes, etc, that people would like to see. Cache of the Year was added this year, any changes people would like to bee seen there? |
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pfalstad
Geocacher
Joined: 02 Feb 2006
Posts: 963
Location: Edina
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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Seems to me that CotM is going just fine the way it is..  |
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Pear Head
Past MnGCA President
Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 5594
Location: north of Duluth
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| pfalstad wrote: |
| Seems to me that CotM is going just fine the way it is.. |
I agree. I understand the point about the out-state nominations, but that doesn't stop me from nominating one if I come across one. It would be different if you were receiving tons of nominations each month, but...
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Grey Wolf and Wild Rice
Geocacher
Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 341
Location: White Bear Township
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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My only suggestion would be to open up voting for a much longer time. If an entire month is workable, that might be better. A longer time to cast your vote could get a larger voting population interested. I would guess that many people miss voting due to the narrow voting window.
The rest looks fine. Keep up the good work. |
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timewellspent
Geocacher
Joined: 19 Mar 2008
Posts: 659
Location: Chanhassen, MN
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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| pfalstad wrote: |
| Seems to me that CotM is going just fine the way it is.. |
This coming from the winner of back to back months!  |
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bflentje
Geocacher
Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 3652
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Grey Wolf and Wild Rice wrote: |
My only suggestion would be to open up voting for a much longer time. If an entire month is workable, that might be better. A longer time to cast your vote could get a larger voting population interested. I would guess that many people miss voting due to the narrow voting window.
The rest looks fine. Keep up the good work. |
I suggested that once as well. |
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