TO EVERYONE: PLEASE READ RE: Patience, courtesy, and reason -- MY PHILOSOPHY OF INDYFAN.com CONTESTS

Posted by Adam from spider-wq052.proxy.aol.com on May 12, 2001 at 21:20:59:

In Reply to: Hey, Micah... posted by bud-arc on May 11, 2001 at 20:57:21:

: How many Art Showcase entries have you received so far? I just want to see if either graml or myself have a chance...:P

The nature of such contests is to NOT do any judging until ALL of the entries are received. This is for a variety of reasons: First concerns simple convenience. Setting up a page takes Micah's time, and it's certainly easier for him to work on showcasing them once they're ALL in.

Second concerns fairness. If people see what has been submitted so far, they would have an advantage over the competition by knowing what to beat. Therefore, NO ONE should see what they're up against. When you run in a race, you run as fast as you can, no matter where you place -- looking sideways at how the others runners are doing would slow you down.

Third concerns my own objectivity. We do not wish to establish any preconceived opinions. Aside from any entries that are mailed to me, I do not see anything until Micah has prepared them all for my review. With the last contest, we separately judged the works on our own before discussing them with each other over the phone. After some deliberation, we come to a shared agreement. Fortunately our opinions were virtually identical, with little arguing or bickering.

I take personal offense to any claims of bias as a judge of any Indiana Jones-related contest. As I do not know any of you Indyfans out there personally, and have never even met Micah myself (I don't even know what he looks like), the notion of my showing a personal favoritism to a bunch of complete strangers is rubbish. Micah and I judged last year's contest fairly, giving the honors to those who we felt genuinely earned and deserved it through their work.

(It should also be mentioned that I sincerely feel as though Micah is quite objective himself. With the Wested Jacket contest, I DID submit an entry -- but did not make the finals. Surely Micah is reticent to any signs of favoritism, even with me.)

Finally, this site represents a labor of love on Micah's part. These contests he has held out of his own generousity and hard work. The prizes on the trivia contests, which I prepared, took me an extraordinary amount of time to prepare and judge, as well as a great deal of MONEY, too boot. THESE ARE ACTS OF GENEROUSITY ON OUR PART, and I find it disgusting when those of you out there (and you know who you are) can do nothing better than whine and complain about such generousity. My suggestion would be to try to establish a web site of your own, and extend such opportunities -- contests, forums, prizes -- at YOUR own personal expense.

The last trivia contest, held in 1999, required two months of research, three weeks of reviewing the entires, and cost me over $200 FOR SHIPPING THE PRIZES ALONE -- let alone the COST of the prizes! Think about that the next time you go bitching about it.

I'm not speaking for anyone but myself here, but at times I feel as though the median I.Q. of people on this forum -- if not, at least the level of thoughtfulness and courtesy -- has significantly dropped over the last two-three years.

CASE IN POINT: I remember when Indy Magnoli was kind enough to donate a copy of his GRAIL replica for a prize in the contest. And how did people respond? THEY BITCHED ABOUT IT.

Such things really pisses me off, and a lot. I used to post here daily -- but now very rarely, and sporatically at best. Call me oversensitive, but I for one really need a pep talk. Is there ANYONE out there (aside from Micah, of course) who still gives a damn? Let me know, otherwise I won't friggin' bother here anymore...

Follow Ups:

My original question... bud-arc 11:35:04 5/13/2001 (1)
- This wasn't directed at you personally, but rather a general commentary Adam 15:34:32 5/13/2001 (0)

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: : How many Art Showcase entries have you received so far?  I just want to see if either graml or myself have a chance...:P

: The nature of such contests is to NOT do any judging until ALL of the entries are received.  This is for a variety of reasons:  First concerns simple convenience.  Setting up a page takes Micah's time, and it's certainly easier for him to work on showcasing them once they're ALL in.

: Second concerns fairness.  If people see what has been submitted so far, they would have an advantage over the competition by knowing what to beat.  Therefore, NO ONE should see what they're up against.  When you run in a race, you run as fast as you can, no matter where you place -- looking sideways at how the others runners are doing would slow you down.

: Third concerns my own objectivity.  We do not wish to establish any preconceived opinions.  Aside from any entries that are mailed to me, I do not see anything until Micah has prepared them all for my review.  With the last contest, we separately judged the works on our own before discussing them with each other over the phone.  After some deliberation, we come to a shared agreement.  Fortunately our opinions were virtually identical, with little arguing or bickering.

: I take personal offense to any claims of bias as a judge of any Indiana Jones-related contest.  As I do not know any of you Indyfans out there personally, and have never even met Micah myself (I don't even know what he looks like), the notion of my showing a personal favoritism to a bunch of complete strangers is rubbish.  Micah and I judged last year's contest fairly, giving the honors to those who we felt genuinely earned and deserved it through their work.

: (It should also be mentioned that I sincerely feel as though Micah is quite objective himself.  With the Wested Jacket contest, I DID submit  an entry -- but did not make the finals.  Surely Micah is reticent to any signs of favoritism, even with me.)

: Finally, this site represents a labor of love on Micah's part.  These contests he has held out of his own generousity and hard work.  The prizes on the trivia contests, which I prepared, took me an extraordinary amount of time to prepare and judge, as well as a great deal of MONEY, too boot.  THESE ARE ACTS OF GENEROUSITY ON OUR PART, and I find it disgusting when those of you out there (and you know who you are) can do nothing better than whine and complain about such generousity.  My suggestion would be to try to establish a web site of your own, and extend such opportunities -- contests, forums, prizes -- at YOUR own personal expense.

: The last trivia contest, held in 1999, required two months of research, three weeks of reviewing the entires, and cost me over $200 FOR SHIPPING THE PRIZES ALONE -- let alone the COST of the prizes!  Think about that the next time you go bitching about it.

: I'm not speaking for anyone but myself here, but at times I feel as though the median I.Q. of people on this forum -- if not, at least the level of thoughtfulness and courtesy -- has significantly dropped over the last two-three years.

: CASE IN POINT:  I remember when Indy Magnoli was kind enough to donate a copy of his GRAIL replica for a prize in the contest.  And how did people respond?  THEY BITCHED ABOUT IT.

: Such things really pisses me off, and a lot.  I used to post here daily -- but now very rarely, and sporatically at best.  Call me oversensitive, but I for one really need a pep talk.  Is there ANYONE out there (aside from Micah, of course) who still gives a damn?  Let me know, otherwise I won't friggin' bother here anymore...

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