Is POTW Dead?

[postcardcv]

There is an issue with embedding photos like the one above. If the person who posts it makes any change to the photo on Flickr then code for linking to it changes so you end up with a dead link in the thread. This makes threads look really untidy and in some case will stop the thread making any sense (imagine a critique thread where the photo being discussed is no longer viewable). By hosting the images within this site we can avoid this happening.

As for the site needing a facelift I am not sure what you are suggesting should be changed? If you have specific ideas please let us know though to be honest I think it is a fairly straight forward site to find your way around (but that might just be because I am used to it). I would also add that the mods are not he ones who make decisions on the way the site looks or is run if anyone has any specific issues with that it is something that the site admin would need to look at.

As for needing people with more time on their hands to run the site I would repeat what I said earlier in the thread. How active a forum is is solely down to the members. All of our members (from those who have been here since the begin go those who have just joined) can start threads, post photos in the gallery, start competition threads, offer critique. Us mods could start more threads but unless I know what people wish to discuss that won't help. If you want to discuss a topic then start a thread, if it is something that I can contribute to I will reply (as will a number of our committed members).

As for photo of the week it seems that we are limited by he software used to host the gallery so adding a voting button doesn't seem to be an option. I think the best way to get it back up quickly is to go with the idea of a panel of judges each taking it in turns to select the winner. It would just need one person to take on the job of sorting the rota (I am happy to be on the panel or held in reserve) I am sure someone said earlier that they would be happy to take on this role.

[omalanrf]

When I put a photo up on flickr, I have already done all I wanted to do with it via software i.e cs6 and then I dont have to touch it again. I think that way theres no resizing of any images and I think its the easier for new members who just join the forum to get to grips with it faster. You can also make folders on flickr and say entitle them WPF. Anyway as I say, its just a thought.

[postcardcv]

Originally Posted by omalanrf

When I put a photo up on flickr, I have already done all I wanted to do with it via software i.e cs6 and then I dont have to touch it again. I think that way theres no resizing of any images and I think its the easier for new members who just join the forum to get to grips with it faster. You can also make folders on flickr and say entitle them WPF. Anyway as I say, its just a thought.

Although you might not alter photos once they have been posted on Flickr plenty of users do. I have seen loads of threads on other forums with dead links to Flickr photos and it just looks silly, definitely something that I would avoid if possible. I thought that the photo uploading system on here was fairly straight forward (certainly no harder than using Flickr), both for the gallery and tad ding images or threads.

[omalanrf]

sure thing, whatever works best but do you guys mind if I submit my photos the flickr way?

[Gidders]

Originally Posted by omalanrf

(in Fortnightly Challenge thread) I think if we go to the below thread (Is POTW Dead) as it explains how easier it is to view the POTW photos, it will be faster and easier to view them and with this poll added, I think we will generate more interest and have a winning combination..

PTOW & Fortnightly Challenge are two different types of competition.

The FC is with a specific subject (set by the previous winner) for photos actually taken during the two weeks that particular challenge is running. Members who want to enter submit one photos by posting it in the challenge thread and at the end of the fortnight the challenge setter creates a poll of the entries posted (usually between 5 & 15/20 depending on the set subject)

POTW is selected from all the photos posted in the gallery in the previous seven days. Just by uploading a photo to the gallery it automatically becomes eligible for consideration for POTW and can be often 100~200 photos - clearly to create a poll for that many images just isn't feasible.

[marydoll]

I have missed out on all this discussion, probably because I've been busy - I do like this forum but do find there are less and less posts - we all tend to be pretty positive about each others pics which can be very encouraging. I don't really have any notion of how to suggest changes. I post quite a lot on FB and have 1 or 2 regulars who comment but when I meet people they tell me how much they like to see my pics. So you really do not know the influence the forum has. Everyone on here have been really friendly and helpful, perhaps we need a getting to know you section, I have been on for a couple of yrs and only feel I am familiar with a few people. Anyway, whatever is decided I do hope it is for the greater good of photography and that we can all participate. Thank you to all who work hard behind the scene.

[Tugboat]

Marydoll... there is a section at the bottom of the home page "Over Exposed" for chatting about anything you like....I also saw a thread somewhere for people to add a photo of themselves to say hello, that was an old thread..here's hoping we can get a bit more active on here... join in on the proverb photo fun if you like..

[Tugboat]

are we going to give Clives idea a try and see how we go?
I am also happy to take a turn.

[Steve.]

Have a peep over at this site http://www.photography-cafe.com/ it uses smf forum software and coppermine gallery software, they are bridged together meaning one login for the user and both are connected/available.

On the sites home page, they have displayed POTD, POTW and POTM, admin change these as required, simply by inserting a number into a box.

Now click on the gallery link and when there click on one of the thumbnails from the main block at the bottom, your now on a page where you can comment (just like you can here) and you'll also notice a selection of stars, clicking on of these stars will "Rate" the photo from one to ten and you will stay on that page. So you rate then comment and go to the next photo. The ratings are stored in a database and added totaled.

On the admin side of the site a page is written that gathers ratings and displays them for admin to see so they know who has won Photo of the day (POTD). only ratings from the last 24 hours are displayed, so the winner is always a freshly uploaded photo and scores cannot accumulate over the course of a few days.

Now go to this link in their forum..http://www.photography-cafe.com/foru...?topic=18777.0 in here you will see a mini display of photo's, these are the photos that have received ratings within the last 24 hours, and the photo at the top is "POTD" The listing was completely generated by the forum sotware so all the admin has to do is copy and paste the code from an admin page to a new forum topic, this also includes the hyperlinked photos in the list so that if you click one, you can go directly to its place in the gallery and leave a comment

So to sum up, you view a photo in the gallery, rate it, comment..then admin copies and pastes to a new forum topic and then puts a number in a box to set the POTD...simples..

How do I know this, I coded it all and the system that I recommended earlier in the topic is the system that was in use at the cafe when I replaced it with what they have now.

Go have a look and see what you think.

Steve...

[omalanrf]

very interesting indeed, a great system me thinks