Polls

[Kingy 0]

When I log on there is usually not much in the "View new posts" except for poll statistics without comments. I find this slightly frustrating.

 

I would like to suggest that once you vote, why not add a comment perhaps explaining your view on that subject.

[supersound dj 0]

well I was gonna vote couldent care less,if it would let me.

 

Too many polls over trivia mainly.

 

What happens to the collated info?

 

sometimes a poll can be usefull but not for every instance.

 

Can we have a poll to get Kingy some sad pills?

[Dukesy 0]

Funny! :lol2: A poll to find out if we have too many polls! :bouncy:

 

[McCardle 1]

I was going to start a poll to see if business was slow and things were quiet. I think this has negated the need and also answered the question........ :karen:

 

 

I always thought polls made it really easy for some to answer a question, after all, some people seem to struggle with starting a topical discussion :shocking:

 

Please god, make this recession end, then perhaps we can have REAL gigs to talk about :mcps:

 

 

What happens to the collated info?

 

Santa Claus reads it, then passes it on to the Easter Bunny, what do you think happens to it??, or rather what would you LIKE to see happen to it???

 

 

:bouncy:

Edited February 20, 2009 by McCardle

[Danno13 0]

I quite like the polls, but I agree with Kingy that it's annoying that they get bumped to the top when they're voted on, and not just when a comment is posted.

[andyw 0]

i don't take much notice of the polls either way,but agree with danno nothing worse then when someone joins and votes on a poll from 2 years ago and it bumps it to the top and we end up reading something ads wrote 2 yrs ago

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

Polls can be useful tools especially when trying to gauge how the DJ industry is at the present.

I would agree that people should leave a comment with a brief explanation how they voted.

 

 

[UKHero 0]

Polls can be useful tools especially when trying to gauge how the DJ industry is at the present.

I would agree that people should leave a comment with a brief explanation how they voted.

 

But then that would mean your vote is not private... I voted but would have to kill you if I told you how!!!

 

 

Nik

[C.S 0]

there are so many different djs here from so many different areas that i dont really see the use in them. I dont think they are benificial to how you dj and what other people in completely different places are doing doesnt really help much. however for trivia collectors they are probably ok.

[McCardle 1]

It is interesting though that despite the anonymous aspect its usually the polls which have the largest number of follow on replies, in fact in more recent times they have turned out to be some of the most popular topics with 3, 4 or 5 pages worth of follow up discussion and relative debate. Don't just take my word for it, go and have a look for yourself - the 1st 1 - 5 pages of the marketing section alone speak volumes and prove my point entirely . I'm sure that if the polls were reduced / removed then some would be then starting topics about how quiet it was and how there was nothing much to talk about or being talked about, yet judging by the results most would actually prefer it that way.

 

Edited February 21, 2009 by McCardle

[andyw 0]

problably the reason they get more replies is they are on subjects that is either relevant or interesting,nothing to do with the fact it is a poll,i can't remember looking at the results of a poll just like this reply,i am replying to your comment but i do not have a clue what the results of the actual poll are( i just might go back and look in a minute)if a thread is interesting/contraversial or relevant it will get replies if not it will fade into nomans land and be forgotton, my theory the only extra replies you get from a poll is when someone new joins and then they bring it to life but most of the time then the topic is irrelevant or a fresh poll (sorry thread would be better) for example not long ago there was a thread brought back to life ads started about finding it hard to download legal tracks and was brought back to life even though it was started in 2006 ,downloading legal music in 2006 was very much different to today so all the replies and votes done in 2006 were a waste of time (no comment about all the rest of andy's posts tongue out icon )and there is numerous examples of this i think andy started one about his wax cylinders melting once but not worth discussing that now

maybe we could put a 6 month time limit on polls because the way technology is moving what we are discussing today won't be relevant or useful in 6 months time and if it is we can all do a search or start a fresh thread

Edited February 22, 2009 by andyw

[Dukesy 0]

I am surprised  that with the economy deep in recession and the industry so clearly in the doldrums that a subject as frivolous as this is considered 'marketing' in some quarters 

 

Interesting debate either way. It's just a shame that polls are indeed anonymous - then we could research exactly just how much interesting content those who are openly whinging about the efforts of others are bringing to the community themselves smile icon

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that those who are most vocal about what is wrong with a community are coincidentally also the same ones whom contribute the lowest and just harvest information and rarely (if ever) start any creative topics of their own, and who seldom join in any of the debates....unless its to lumber around just in order to find something else to collectively moan about.

 

There is a simple and logical solution to the issue of there being more polls than topics, and that is to even the balance. So for every poll, perhaps 'you' should be starting an equal number of ordinary subject related debates, thus diluting the polls and maintaining the status quo.

Simple eh?! And then everybody will be happy!

 

I'm more than happy to allow these individuals the opportunity to now be the front-of-house exemplars in removing the need for the polls which they consider superfluous, and instead of moaning and jeering from the backbenches, they should be willing to now come to the forefront and be instrumental in being the first to help out the new members as well as sparking some new and interesting on-topic-debate, hopefully on a daily basis. smile icon

 

In the meantime, we'll be keeping the polls open until the time when the number of fresh, interesting debates outnumber the polls and so the need for them will no longer exist. When, and if this (unlikely) event ever occurs will depend entirely on "you" the contributor.

 

I think its only fair that people should get back exactly what they put in, and if you don't like the polls, then its up to you to put in the effort in order to give the community a working alternative.

 

Hopefully these lead weights who just feel that its a case of "self praise and honours for the non participants" will wake up and eventually start practicing what they preach, instead of promoting a self serving attitude which is potentially far more damaging to any given community than any poll smile icon

 

[andyw 0]

surely dan what you call whinging can also be interpreted as continuing the debate, do you really see us as jeering from the backbenches

Edited February 22, 2009 by andyw

[Dukesy 0]

Yes - especially when others can ‘interpret’ and ascribe to the opportunity to openly moan, criticise and attack the integrity of this forum. Openly, only a few months ago, the following:

 

"...when i first joined this forum it was through my then 15 yr old son,what a find a group of professional dj's willing to give there time/patience and expertise free of charge. there were strict rules in place and they were upheld i was pleased to let him loose on here,now if he found it today i feel it would be a different kettle of fish. reading through the threads today i see people directly calling the ethics of other dj's into question, i see personal attacks and i even see a thread asking what is wrong with illegal downloads,all of this on a forum that is suppose tobe the best moderated and most professional of them all…."

[Kingy 0]

Funny! :lol2: A poll to find out if we have too many polls! :bouncy:

 

You don't think this COULD have been my intention do you Dan? :scared: :shocking:

[dj will 0]

I generally find the polls interesting but lately there seems to have been a bit of a poll overload. :scared: Nevertheless I think they are worth having, as it allows you to get a general idea of the thread before you read it. However the polls themselves are not that interesting and what is more interesting is the discussion that follows.

[Dukesy 0]

Call it what you like, 'jeering from the backbenches' or fodder, whatever, when such subjects are brought to the table, even if the OPs intentions may have been light-hearted, like I said, when others can ‘interpret’ and ascribe to the smallest opportunity to openly moan, belittle, criticise and attack the integrity of this forum (and its members) because such threads are opened, indeed, concern for individual interpretation is VERY, VERY significant from my position, especially after the forum was forcibly taken off line some months back due to what amounts to be the same thing: a select few members openly moaning and criticising others.

 

I'll fully support those members who actively choose to stay and help to improve the standing and integrity of the community, but if the menu served here has become sooooooo disagreeable, I'll also fully support their freedom decision of choice to partake elsewhere in exactly the same manner that if the BBC are serving up a program which doesn't meet with my tastes then I'll switch over to ITV / SKY / Freeview, whatever, and I alone can make that personal decision without starting a public debate asking for further advice on the matter or feeling the need to write to "points of view".

 

[Kingy 0]

It's a real shame that you see this as you do Dan.

 

I think you ought to lighten up a bit. I have not seen anyone critise the forum openly and I don't think that many of the long stayers would waste their time on here if they were un-happy.

 

Although having said that, considering the massive number of members registered with it, we don't seem to have many of the well respected names from the past dropping by these days...which is a shame.

[Dukesy 0]

There are many reasons why people stop using a forum, natural wastage being one of them, not to mention a few members from 2003 /4 / 5 who have simply sold up and moved on.

 

I guess as you have mentioned seeking alternative employment at the moment that your time on the forum may also become even more limited in the future too? Who knows what the future holds for any of us?

 

People move on in life, whether its a change in relationships, circumstances, career, taking career breaks or even moving to a different country, its personal progression and that's how it is and how it should be.

 

I don't have the time to go chasing any one of them, neither should I be expected to. Membership is entirely voluntary and members can come and go as they please.

 

People should use the forum because they want too, not because somebody begs them to or leave just because they no longer have any mates to sit next to, because those are entirely the wrong reasons.

 

People may stay in a job for years then wake up one morning and decide that either the surroundings no longer suit them, or that they no longer like their employer, and that they want to move to another company - the same philosophies applies on forums as in most things in life.

 

Non of us are serving a life sentence here, myself included.

 

The main point here is that people are indeed posting and I don't really care what format it is in. The main importance is that people are bothering to take the time to contribute content and in the case of the polls in this section, the bonus is that I consider them to be, in the main, well thought out points and topical business related discussion.

 

Clearly given the debates which followed and number of replies others also thought that the subjects were indeed topical - if they didn't then why are they getting 60+ votes?! - that's 60 individual people who visited the thread and thought it worthy of their input regardless of whether an actual post followed or not. I would be more concerned if the polls in question all had a handful of replies and single figure votes, but they don't do they, unlike some posts. So perhaps we should judge on content rather than format?

 

However one person has decided that they don't like the format in which those posts have been made, so they feel that its worthy of an entire forum-wide debate in order to gain some strength in their personal complaint. Surely the importance is on the content and not in which manner it has been conveyed?

 

I could understand it if they were multiple irrelevant topics (as surprisingly we have had in the past but never drew any such complaints) such as what football team do you support, or which soap opera do you watch, but I don't see how some of these topics could have even been started without the options of a poll.

 

I really don't want posts like these alienating and discouraging people from taking part or from posting, whether its in the form of poll or otherwise, or that their content and contribution would be unwelcome here, which is exactly what it conveys.

 

You cannot please all of the people all of the time, and in a service industry such as this you will already be aware of that. However, we seem to have a balance of polls and posts and they are clearly marked in the forum sections and view new posts lists, so exercise some freedom of choice, and if you see one which is marked as a 'poll' and has a poll icon, then just don't click on it, and let those who do want to read and take part on them, do so.

Edited February 23, 2009 by Dukesy

[vokf 0]

My personal thought is that I don't mind the polls.

 

Members that object can create an interesting topic for discussion in the same section as a poll. This would mean the poll would move slowly down the list (unless someone votes)

 

Those that have an issue with polls are freely available to create their own topics, or simply skip to the previous post.

 

Essentially, they are another way of asking opinion, and starting discussion- we're free to join in and not vote (but still contribute to the thread)...

 

 

Jason

[Kingy 0]

You know what...?? This has become almost pathetic!!

 

Just because I have asked a question about the actual validity of something it has almost been intimated that I should "Go away"!!

 

I was simply slightly frustrated that the polls keep coming back as new posts when in actual fact there are no "new posts", merely someone has voted. This is annoying and it's not only me that has this view. I thought I would create this post as a light hearted way of raising this, not as an all out blatant critisism of everything on the forum.

 

There is nothing wrong per say with polls, I agree that at times they can be interesting. BUT, look back at some of them, not exactly gripping stuff. It's interesting that so many have voted but not many take the time to post a comment....almost like some kind of soap opera...what happens next??

 

As for natural wastage being one of the reasons for people not dropping by, this is correct, but some of the more respected, experienced and knowledgable DJs who used to come on here have gone. Not through natural wastage, they are still out there and still fall into the catagories of being respected, experienced and knowledgable, just no longer active members on here. I don't think it's because they are "too busy", they simply can't be bothered.

 

And I think I know why............. :rant:

 

There is no need for this, it is only a thread on polls.......I have not (nor has anyone else) slagged off anything. I (we) have just expressed my (our) view(s) and do not expect the public flogging you seem to be offering me Dan!!

 

Perhaps I will think very carefully before I post anything else on what I considered to be a public forum of which I am a long standing member!! How dare I ??

 

 

[deejaymitch 0]

I was going to keep my head down when I saw this thread turning ugly, but I'll stick my neck out and see what happens.

 

I think everyone gets annoyed when they click on the "recently updated" threads to find there are no new posts and simply an additional vote. It's probably an over-reaction as it only 'wastes' a few seconds of our time, but we have all felt that frustration.

 

It is also true that, regardless of the poll results, the polls themselves spark lively debate and often generate ideas for new threads. They are incredibly valuable in keeping the forums fresh and active.

 

I don't believe for a second that Kingy's tongue wasn't firmly in his cheek when he started this thread, anyone who has been here a while will probably feel the same.

 

However I can accept Dukesy's point that threads like this may deter newer/less active members from contributing and/or starting polls of their own. I have commented elsewhere that newer members may find the "old boys club" mentality of some long-standing members intimidating or off-putting. However, as was pointed out to me at the time, it is difficult for those members who have been here for years and seen most discussions over and over again to retain interest, and there is no harm in people having a laugh with each other. It would be a shame if they couldn't.

 

However the tone of this thread now is possibly more damaging than previously as a bit of a public slanging match has kicked off. Perhaps this could have avoided with a discrete PM from one member to another, explaining his concern.

 

The intimations on both sides that there is something more sinister afoot are depressing. Perhaps both sides can admit that they might have approached the issue differently to resolve it better. It would be disappointing if this ended bitterly.

 

:hide:

[YourBigEvent 0]

CALM DOWN DEARS !

 

I took it as a light hearted poll on the amount of polls on the forum.

 

Nothing more, nothing less.

 

It has turned into a heated debate now.

 

As one of the first members on this forum, even joining before Dan himself !, I have my views on the state of the forum, I have stuck with it, but have to agree in some parts with both parties.

 

The amount of posts that I read, as I try and read every post, that asks the sort of question I would not ask on a public forum (what lead do I need to connect x to y etc), as the client can also view this. If you need to ask that sort of question, then you need to do some work experience with someone who knows what they are doing, the experience is invaluable, and it was the only way to become a DJ, roadie first, now with computers, lighting etc being so cheap, anyone can become a DJ, but not anyone can become a good DJ.

 

This site was my homepage, was the first site I visited every morning etc et etc, now I log on after everything else has been done, the characters are not here at all, the experienced, respected DJ's are not here, but I still log on to try and help if I can, I can honestly say I have not learnt anything from this site for a very long time, but hopefully I have taught something, although lately I have not posted much because the quality of posts have dried up.

 

I do not care what DJ Fred is charging, whether he lives 10 minutes away, 10 miles away or 10 hours away, I am interested only in my business(es), I do not care how many lights you have, what you did last weekend, what you are doing next weekend, whether you have 100 songs, or a million songs, I do not even care that you played at Knebworth with Status Quo as your warm up act on a Thursday in February. It also means I do not post as often as I did.

 

In my humble opinion, the site is not as good as it has been, that is not to say it is not as good as it is going to get, and I admire Dan, who spend time, money and effort in this vein, however it must be hard when you start up one day and log on only to find a question, 'How do I connect my laptop to my mixer', or 'Do I need a mixer' questions plastered all over your forum, I know for one I would not bother with it, I have better things to do with my time than answer stupid questions. I know you will say, as some did, when I replied 'if you don't know, don't try and get the job', you do not have to answer the question with a stupid remark, but sometimes these question are so stupid it frustrates me that I have click on the topic in the first place.

 

I wish Dan all the best with this venture, and knowing Dan for as long as I have I know it will work, it just frustrates me that all the fun, characters, banter, has disappeared, along with some of the best forum members we have had, many of which are now friends.

 

Maybe I am getting old and grumpy, but it is not just me.

 

Dan - Continue the work, and don't get disheartened by idiots.

Kingy - Can I be demoted to page 26 now !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[UKHero 0]

I also took the post as a tongue in cheek question from Kingy hency my post about choose your favourite Poll (which I think has been deleted). I think you have to be able to laugh at your self before others can take you seriously.

 

I hope you guys can calm down a bit, this site is better for the both of you as you bring a wealth of experience to the forum that new members can draw from.

 

Just my 2p worth

 

Nik

[McCardle 1]

The amount of posts that I read, as I try and read every post, that asks the sort of question I would not ask on a public forum (what lead do I need to connect x to y etc), as the client can also view this. If you need to ask that sort of question, then you need to do some work experience with someone who knows what they are doing, the experience is invaluable, and it was the only way to become a DJ, roadie first, now with computers, lighting etc being so cheap, anyone can become a DJ, but not anyone can become a good DJ.

 

From what i have seen many deejays are intent on going out and doing that first gig regardless of what common sense would dictate and whether their questions get answered or not ain't gonna change that. Well I for one would prefer them to at least get some basic idea on how to do that gig that they have foolishly commited themselves to, and get through it purely for the clients sake, rather than leave the house with no idea at all, its when they stop asking the questions that we should start to worry, because that signals that not only do they have no clue about what they are doing but they have a misplaced and illdeserved false sense of confidence in their abilities and are under the impression that they know it all - a dangerous combination :scared: . Its not a perfect situation but then this is an imperfect world, and such a situation should perhaps be regarded more as damage limitation rather than as trying to teach 30 years worth of experience in one post, which is going to be impossible.

 

Yes, you are right, its a daft and needless situation to be in, people commiting to weddings and such with no experience whatsoever, however it seems that they are determined to go out and fulfil these obilgations and carry on regardless of what anybody says, so like I say. nothing to lose and everything to gain from at least limiting the damage and ensuring that the client at least gets a disco rather than a disaster.

 

That said, not everybody reaches these shores with a booking on the horizon, some are purely asking questions out of interest or out to get advice before going down that road, as far as i'm concerned the starting out area has been here for as long as I have and this is the first time the novice style post content which you'd expect to find in there has been up for debate. I'm sure that vodaphone customer services also get their fair share of silly questions too, from people who haven't bothered to read the instructions or charge their phone before use, in fact i'm sure of it, as will sky and a million other entities. However that doesn't mean that the questions shouldn't be answered, its only a silly question if you actually know the answer.

 

On the odd occasion when I have seen posts offering to be roadies for dj's in return for advice and experience appear they have largely gone unanswered so its not through those who want to learn are not trying to go the right way about it, but then the goodwill also has to also exist in the first place.

 

Of course you could run a closed members forum containing only people who have been in business for 'x' number of years or do more than 'x' number of gigs but isn't that likely to open the floodgates for even more criticism, just in the selection process of who can / who gets refused membership alone.

Edited February 23, 2009 by McCardle