Broadband survey winners

Deadmanza said:
With all the one post wonders, the additional accounts people no doubt create to enter competitions with. Do you honestly think that is the best way?
Click to expand...

To be honest, we honestly have NO idea how the current system works - and from the information gathered by other forum members, it doesn't seem to be all that random. The fact that a 1-post wonder has never won anything (anyone care to verify that?) just shows that there isn't a random element to the selection process - the majority of winners all had post counts in the thousands.

RNG would make it truly random - yes, there are people who will try and make additional accounts just to enter comps (Hi there, R9000 competition), but even if one of them won, surely there should be a way to verify that it's not a dupe account?

I just think in it's current format, and with a lot of theories coming to light, it may in future actually dissuade people from entering, because they know that no matter what, there isn't a snowball's chance in Hell of winning a main prize - unless, of course, you're one of the predetermined entrants.

P.S: I'm not whining because I haven't won a main prize like some people might be. I've already won a couple of cool second-tier prizes during my stay here (headphones and a multi-tool). I'm just genuinely curious as to what it takes to win one of the big ones.
 
Nerfherder said:
How about excluding previous winners for a period of time
Click to expand...
That's unfair as entrants are not aware of future prizes to be able to pick and choose which competitions they want to enter.

eg. this week's prize is a iPad mini and I enter and win. Next week a R35k gaming notebook is up for grabs, which I would really really want but am now disqualified from entering.
 
Nerfherder said:
How about excluding previous winners for a period of time
Click to expand...

I think that's probably already done. I've never seen someone win a major prize over a short period of time*. Cerebus won his 4 tablets over 4 years.

*except userZ but those were mystery gadgets.
 
MickeyD said:
That's unfair as entrants are not aware of future prizes to be able to pick and choose which competitions they want to enter.

eg. this week's prize is a iPad mini and I enter and win. Next week a R35k gaming notebook is up for grabs, which I would really really want but am now disqualified from entering.
Click to expand...

Oh shame.

That's how it works everywhere else. With radio competitions and other regular giveaways.

What is not fair is the same people winning over and over. If it's a prize you don't want then don't enter
 
Nerfherder said:
Oh shame.

That's how it works everywhere else. With radio competitions and other regular giveaways.

What is not fair is the same people winning over and over. If it's a prize you don't want then don't enter
Click to expand...

I can win the lotto 3 times week. (if I played)
 
MickeyD said:
That's unfair as entrants are not aware of future prizes to be able to pick and choose which competitions they want to enter.

eg. this week's prize is a iPad mini and I enter and win. Next week a R35k gaming notebook is up for grabs, which I would really really want but am now disqualified from entering.
Click to expand...

Are you telling me that had I entered the second myBB survey and won an iPad Air again, it wouldn't have been redrawn and another name selected?

I find that hard to believe. Especially considering the outcry now. Imagine the outcry if the same user wins to major prizes consecutively.

Or is it only if the prizes are different? Not that it makes much of a difference.
 
rpm said:
Can you explain how it is transparent and verifiable? Hence, how can someone at a later stage verify that the winners were selected using that number generator, and reproduce the results?
Click to expand...

Before I answer, I have to ask: have winners ever been verified at a later stage, and have results had to be reproduced? Who is privy to this information?

I'm just thinking RNG would possibly be simpler? Competition thread has 150 posts. Random /150 = post number 27. Is the winner an actual forumite and not posting on a dupe account? Yes. No other factors that could disqualify winner? No. Announce winner.
 
How about giving a company like PWC or E&Y some advertising space in return for auditing the competition process?
 
rpm said:
Can you explain how it is transparent and verifiable? Hence, how can someone at a later stage verify that the winners were selected using that number generator, and reproduce the results?
Click to expand...

Psuedo RNGs are seeded, so always reproducable...



abzo said:
I think that's probably already done. I've never seen someone win a major prize over a short period of time*. Cerebus won his 4 tablets over 4 years.

*except userZ but those were mystery gadgets.
Click to expand...

Why does everybody forget that CamiKaze also won in a short period too (26th Apr and 20th Apr)?
 
abzo said:
Are you telling me that had I entered the second myBB survey and won an iPad Air again, it wouldn't have been redrawn and another name selected?

I find that hard to believe. Especially considering the outcry now. Imagine the outcry if the same user wins to major prizes consecutively.
Click to expand...
I don't know nor do I care whether it would have been redrawn.

Personally I would have no problem with it and would have wished you well and had joy in my heart on your behalf.
 
rpm said:
Can you explain how it is transparent and verifiable? Hence, how can someone at a later stage verify that the winners were selected using that number generator, and reproduce the results?
Click to expand...

A random draw doesn't have to be repeatable, that's the whole point of 'random'.

Nobody expects the lottery machines to keep spitting out the exact same six balls.

I'd propose some draw that is easy and fun that's undeniably random, and video tape it.

Assuming that the old classic of 'names in a hat' is too much admin, the only thing that needs to be drawn is page number (of competition thread) and post count from the top (with an agreed display of number of posts per screen).

Dartboard comes to mind. Ring-toss is another classic.

The idea is to make the draw impossible to fake, even if you WERE aiming for a specific number.

You could easily turn it into a cool highlight that generates more conversation and traffic, without a vast amount of effort.
 
Sinbad said:
How about giving a company like PWC or E&Y some advertising space in return for auditing the competition process?
Click to expand...
Can you organise it for us? It will be cool if such a company can do it for us.
 
abzo said:
How about this for the next competition, whoever cracks the competition formula wins a grand prize.
Click to expand...

RPM confirmed its a formula and i suspect Cerebus has cracked it, hence he wins the competitions ;-)

So your grand prize winner will most likely be Cerebus, you sure you want this?
 
MickeyD said:
You want the audit...
Click to expand...

I don't. I'm not fussed about the competitions. I'm just tossing ideas in here to find a solution that will work for everyone :)

I even considered volunteering for the discolsure thing, but not sure that 1) I'm senior enough or 2) I care enough to actually verify things :D
 
Deadmanza said:
With all the one post wonders, the additional accounts people no doubt create to enter competitions with. Do you honestly think that is the best way?
Click to expand...

The one post wonders are who the competitions are aimed at aren't they? If the competitions are meant to attract more site traffic.

As for clones, that's really an issue with the forum software and user validation not the competition, as it is with the troll clones out there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X