Crunch Time!

[mbroberg]

OK Guys, the bash starts on Sunday! Mike R and I talked on the phone om Saturday and we THINK everything is covered as well as it can be but this time of year I always feel that I am packing for a long trip and can't quite figure out what it is I am missing.

Prizes seem to be filling out nicely thanks to the Magic of Bob!

I PMd Curtis several days ago to ask if he had everything he needed for the entry forms. I haven't heard back but I assume that he will be ready as he has in years past.

There will be announcement concerning the Bash and the IAP collection within the next couple of days. We will be offering the winners of certain contests an opportunity to have their pens voted into the Collection by the membership.

WHAT IS BEING OVERLOOKED? Do you all have any questions or concerns that we can take care of now? Does everyone know what to do come the 1st?

Thank you all again for your hard work on this. Without your willingness to donate your time and talents there would be no BASH.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Hi Mike - Are we going to move the rules to individual forums where the contest manager will have the ability to do the final edits (preferably a day or so before we go live)? Or should I be making an early reservation for a Mike to do the final cleanup? I think I remember something about Jeff moving the rules threads back to the planning forum and undoing "soft" deletes of planning committee comments?

Will we have a test forum where we can practice setting up our polls? That was a huge help last year as I learned to set up a poll. It would be a huge help this year as I try to remember how to set up a poll.

Ed

 

[mbroberg]

Separate forums will be created for each contest. I believe the plan is to have the contest chairs cut and paste their final rules from the discussion forum into the first thread of their contest forum. These forums will be set up ahead of time and hidden from public view until the Bash begins. contest chairs will have Mod privlidges in their contest threads. The discussion forums will be moved back into the planning thread and the soft delete will be restored so we will have a record of both private and public discussion.

Polls may be set up ahead of time in the planning forum and when they are ready I, Mike R, Jeff or one of the Mods can move to the appropriate contest forum.

 

[mbroberg]

The Public Forum has been created, we just need the contest sub-forums.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f266/

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Looking good, fellas!

I'm so very appreciative that Bob was able to help out. My time has been exactly zero this past month - and I just heard today that they're switching my job AGAIN starting on Monday...so I'm just swamped!

Well done by everyone to get ready thus far! Great job!

 

[mbroberg]

We've missed you Andrew! Don't worry about letting your real life get in the way of your IAP life. We will just work you twice as hard next year!! :devil:

 

[Ed McDonnell]

When will we know the prizes for our contest?

Ed

 

[mbroberg]

Prizes are always one of the recurring problem areas. They can't be allocated until we know what we have to allocate. When we are satisfied that the list is nearly complete Jeff goes through and picks out what he wants to include in the Donation Drawing. Mike R sits down with what is left and starts doling them out to the rest of the contests. That is a lot harder than it sounds because he is mindful of values and keeping things equal between the contests. We also have to keep in mind that some donors inflate the value of their prizes.

So, I guess the best answer to your question is...As soon as possible.

 

[mredburn]

Usually it is a day or two after the contests start.
Unfortunatly there are always late arrivals that can significantly affect the prize pool.
We will edit the prizes in or let you do it since you will each have mod status in your own contests.

 

[mmyshrall]

Poll question.

Since this is my first time working with the poll feature, do you have any tips on creating contest polls? I have read the FAQ on this and it seems pretty straightforward. I just want to make sure that I don't mess it up and I do it as efficiently as possible.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[mbroberg]

Since this is my first time working with the poll feature, do you have any tips on creating contest polls? I have read the FAQ on this and it seems pretty straightforward. I just want to make sure that I don't mess it up and I do it as efficiently as possible.

Thanks,
Michael

Michael,


Feel free to experiment by setting up a dummy poll HERE

When it comes time to set up your real poll you can do it in the planning forum and we will move it to the public forum when you say you are ready. The nice thing about doing it this way is you can build it as you go instead of trying to get it done all in one sitting.