Botm

[Chris Gwynne]

What exactly does BOTM get voted on these days? Seriously, it can't be design can it?

[JacquiiDesigns]

sometimes it's been a bit of a popularity contest.... until I won it that is LOL

[Chris Gwynne]

I had a quick through it last night, I'm seeing entry after entry of poorly designed communities with little posts. I'm wondering what the criteria is if any.

[JacquiiDesigns]

there are guidelines (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/info.php?do=botm) of course - but criteria? no. not much.

[Chris Gwynne]

Seems little point in holding the contest. Good communities used to win, well designed active communities. Now any old crap can get through. Shame.

[SaN-DeeP]

I do agree with Chris.

[JacquiiDesigns]

Seems little point in holding the contest. Good communities used to win, well designed active communities. Now any old crap can get through. Shame.

I said this years ago lol. Unfortunately - I do not think vB.org is going to be changing/reforming the BOTM competition anytime soon.

[Paul M]

Nope, its not going to be changed. How long it will continue is another question entirely.

[JacquiiDesigns]

Nope, its not going to be changed. How long it will continue is another question entirely.

I was thinking the same thing actually - I remember a time when a suggestion was floated around that BOTM might be BO(every 2)M or was that vB.com? I forget - but vB.com has disbanded their BOTM - I never quite understood that really...

[BirdOPrey5]

On the occasion I nominate or vote the style is obviously the first turn on (or turn off) for me... but second I look at the forum stats... if it's a great design but has no traffic it's not BOTM material IMO. Unfortunately I think you'd really need to be a member, and an active member, of each forum before you can make an informed decision and that just isn't practical so inevitably any contest of this type will always be a popularity contest and/or style contest. That said I'm happy to see it continue, I've found a few interesting forums by reading the nominations over the years.

[Chris Gwynne]

Nope, its not going to be changed. How long it will continue is another question entirely.

So is there a point to actually holding BOTM then?

It doesn't appear like anything gets discussed with the community on here anymore, I've seen several threads whereby each idea has been shot down instantly by Admin. Once upon a time, communities used to thrive on user input. :rolleyes:

[Paul M]

Sorry the facts dont agree with you. However, feel free to discuss away.

[Chris Gwynne]

Sorry the facts dont agree with you. However, feel free to discuss away.
What were the "facts"?

[JacquiiDesigns]

What were the "facts"?

That vB.org BOTM sux? LOL - IDK - but I'm sure looking forward to entering my newly redesigned poetry forum into the frey once the redesign is finished :D

[vbenhancer]

I've seen several threads whereby each idea has been shot down instantly by Admin. Once upon a time, communities used to thrive on user input. :rolleyes:

actually, i'm with Paul on that... *(most of the time, really)

if you are willing to implement or modify something on THIS site, why don't you try it on YOUR OWN site and live with it?

why every idea from any member here has to be approved by the admins here and executed?

do you like being suggested day after day to modify your own forum just because one of a million members ask to do so?

[JacquiiDesigns]

do you like being suggested day after day to modify your own forum just because one of a million members ask to do so?

I would have to say that I'm quite sure it's not "one of a million" members here who have made suggestions only to be ignored and sometimes perhaps even giggled at. If that were the case then vB.org would at bare minimum allow for .psd attachments in the graphics share area as Shelley suggested what seems like years ago. Anyway... Just saying.....

And I won't even mention the various suggestions I personally have made.

I would imagine also that you've made a suggestion or 2 or 3 in your time here at vB.org that has(have) gone ignored as well Nexia LOL :P

--------------- Added 1288475971 at 1288475971 ---------------

btw - what's your site url Chris? I'm curious now that Nexia says "if you are willing to implement or modify something on THIS site, why don't you try it on YOUR OWN site" :)

[vbenhancer]

actually, Jacquii, i could say that in my position on this site in the last 8 years, none of my suggestion was implemented. i posted dozens of them... if i remember right, the only suggestion i made that was retained and applied was a change in the template of the 2.x version of the site... 6/7 years ago... rofl

oh, yeah, and it was from Erwin/Boofo period... :)

[Roms]

Lots of things have been implemented! So start making suggestions and become more active in the site.

You can start buy helping others make their boards better and nominating them! (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=253061) ;)

[championcycle]

So only good ol communities should win? so only forums with thousands of users should be this contest? How would that be fair to the rest of the people who just want to have a little fun.

I'm guessing new communities should not try and participate in anything because they have little users, and small amounts of information? Interesting,

Great to know all old forums when made came with hundreds of users with it and the ability to have awesome graphics and features, what was i thinking!, some how i thought it was slow and took time to create a forum, change it from time to time, make it better when you could and gradually build a user base.. pfffff silly me.

i should have hired you long ago.. *slaps hand on forehead*

but first id love to see you AWESOME better than the rest site.. please show us.

Last time i checked just because a forum has users and looks good does not mean the little guy hasent worked just as hard to start building something just as good.

[BirdOPrey5]

Who are you talking to? :confused:

[JacquiiDesigns]

So only good ol communities should win? so only forums with thousands of users should be this contest? How would that be fair to the rest of the people who just want to have a little fun.

I'm guessing new communities should not try and participate in anything because they have little users, and small amounts of information? Interesting,

Great to know all old forums when made came with hundreds of users with it and the ability to have awesome graphics and features, what was i thinking!, some how i thought it was slow and took time to create a forum, change it from time to time, make it better when you could and gradually build a user base.. pfffff silly me.

i should have hired you long ago.. *slaps hand on forehead*

but first id love to see you AWESOME better than the rest site.. please show us.

Last time i checked just because a forum has users and looks good does not mean the little guy hasent worked just as hard to start building something just as good.

My forum won (http://wlsjourney.org) and it is not nearly as active as I'd like it to be. But apparently I've become lazy in promoting member activity.

My forum (http://wlsjourney.org/community-forums/) is a relatively new forum as well - active about a year and a half...

I don't think anyone is saying "new communities should not try and participate in anything because they have little users, and small amounts of information" -- Noone's saying that at all, except for you perhaps... But rather, comments have been made that QUALITY forums with quality design and quality content should win BOTM...

And that criteria is not exclusive to only established boards.

Jacquii.

[Roms]

Not sure where some of the animosity is coming from but it's all fairly simple. Nominate it, other members like it and it gets seconded... get enough seconds and you will be in the poll. Totally member based.

Lets keep this positive! What do you want changed?!? This is member based, I think the setup is good. I think we just need everyone to nominate, second, and lend a hand to make good boards so those boards will get votes!

Jacquii kept adding her boards, improving them and won! ask her for advice! ;)

[BirdOPrey5]

I nominate my board most months but I really don't see what the value of "winning" is? It's not like the link is prominently displayed anywhere- you have to go digging to find out who even wins... and it's not like there's any great need on the web where someone is looking for links to new forums.. As the contest stands I don't see why anyone would care if they won? Merely getting into the voting will probably bring as much traffic as actually winning. :confused: Maybe I'm missing something?

[JacquiiDesigns]

...but I really don't see what the value of "winning" is?

Personal satisfaction in knowing that a community of webmasters really appreciate all the hard work you've done perhaps...? :)

[BirdOPrey5]

LOL... good one.