Author Topic: Contest voting schedule (Read 31035 times)

Dem · **Reply #50 on:** October 04, 2012, 03:21:12 PM

I think the amount of voting time is the same, maybe slightly longer. It's just the groups that would go up each day instead of every two days. Yes?

eytanz · **Reply #51 on:** October 04, 2012, 03:34:07 PM

Ok, here's the proposed schedule for the remaining rounds. I'll give it until tomorrow afternoon to see if anyone can see any problems with it, then make it official:

- Tie-breakers will go up on 12 October (as soon as group 10 closes), and will close on 14 October.
- The second chance round will go up on 14 October, and close on 18 October.

- On 19 October, the semi-finals will start:
- Semi final one goes up on 19 October - 24 October.
- Semi final two goes up on 20 October - 25 October.
- Semi final three goes up on 21 October - 26 October.
- Semi final four goes up on 22 October - 27 October.

- The finals will go up on 28 October - 4 November.

Devoted135 · **Reply #52 on:** October 04, 2012, 06:02:12 PM

I see a problem with it! I'll be out of the country from Oct 21-Nov 6 and don't yet know how much internet access I'll have. What's that you say? That's not a good reason to change it? Bummer.

Btw, anyone have advice about using an American iphone in South Africa? Preferably without sacrificing an arm and a leg?

Unblinking · **Reply #53 on:** October 04, 2012, 06:44:21 PM

I think that voting schedule sounds good. A longer voting period is good so a day or two's plans won't make me miss out, but packing them all closer is fine because I've already read all of the stories. I already have some favorites and I'll only need to read those if I'm torn between two or more.

Fenrix · **Reply #54 on:** October 04, 2012, 07:54:54 PM

All the big time frames include a weekend, so we should be good. Thanks Eytanz.

Leslianne · **Reply #55 on:** October 04, 2012, 11:22:48 PM

That looks awesome, thanks for doing all this!

eytanz · **Reply #56 on:** October 06, 2012, 06:31:24 PM

As it seems to be quite popular and no-one pointed out any problems with it, the schedule I posted above is now official.

Umbrageofsnow · **Reply #57 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:57:55 PM

I got to this thread too late to comment on the schedule, (and missed voting on two rounds of stories

) but that is pretty much the ideal schedule for me. Good job mind-reading, eytanz.

DoWhileNot · **Reply #58 on:** October 10, 2012, 10:29:21 AM

Quote from: Devoted135 on October 04, 2012, 06:02:12 PM

I see a problem with it! I'll be out of the country from Oct 21-Nov 6 and don't yet know how much internet access I'll have. What's that you say? That's not a good reason to change it? Bummer.

Btw, anyone have advice about using an American iphone in South Africa? Preferably without sacrificing an arm and a leg?

I'm in charge of the corporate cell phone accounts for my company, and even with international roaming turned on and an international data package added, you can expect anywhere from a couple hundred to a thousand dollar bill if you use your phone while in South Africa. Poland is worse though.

I'd stick to just using your phone when you absoutely have to or when you have wifi access. Also watch out for text messages - you'll be paying something like $2.00 a text, even if you have unlimited in the states.

Probably the best thing to do is call the cell provider and ask what your options are - some companies don't allow general users to have international roaming or data packages - they only give them to their corporate accounts. If that's the case with your provider, I'd leave your phone home and buy a throw away one once you're in South Africa because it'll be much cheaper... heck it'd be cheaper to buy a retail price iPhone over there than it would be if you took your own phone.

Listener · **Reply #59 on:** October 10, 2012, 12:41:11 PM

Quote from: DoWhileNot on October 10, 2012, 10:29:21 AM

Probably the best thing to do is call the cell provider and ask what your options are - some companies don't allow general users to have international roaming or data packages - they only give them to their corporate accounts. If that's the case with your provider, I'd leave your phone home and buy a throw away one once you're in South Africa because it'll be much cheaper... heck it'd be cheaper to buy a retail price iPhone over there than it would be if you took your own phone.

Or just make sure your data is turned off and only wi-fi is left on.

Do people still text using carriers anymore? I've been using Google Voice for texting since I got an Android phone last year and even though my plan includes unlimited texts it still says "0" next to the Text line every month.

eytanz · **Reply #60 on:** October 10, 2012, 01:29:26 PM

If you're abroad and don't have data connection or a good roaming plan for voice calls, texting via SMS is often the only way to communicate.

Listener · **Reply #61 on:** October 10, 2012, 01:43:47 PM

Quote from: eytanz on October 10, 2012, 01:29:26 PM

If you're abroad and don't have data connection or a good roaming plan for voice calls, texting via SMS is often the only way to communicate.

Ah, indeed. I guess I'm just used to the ubiquity of wi-fi.

Devoted135 · **Reply #62 on:** October 12, 2012, 02:37:17 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone! We've decided to use wifi where we can and a cheap local phone where we can't. Hooray for keeping all of our arms and legs!

Father Beast · **Reply #63 on:** October 13, 2012, 12:03:39 AM

aren't we supposed to have three tie breaker contests? Or are we spacing those out a day apart also?

KaylingR · **Reply #64 on:** October 13, 2012, 01:15:36 AM

Ugh, life and sickness got in the way and now I'm crazy behind...

Father Beast · **Reply #65 on:** October 13, 2012, 12:04:01 PM

Quote from: eytanz on September 17, 2012, 03:08:42 PM

- Tie-breakers will go up on 12 October (as soon as group 10 closes), and will close on 14 October.
- The second chance round will go up on 14 October, and close on 18 October.

If the other two tie breakers aren't posted at the same time, then will there be a delay on the start of the second chance round?

daneyuleb · **Reply #66 on:** October 13, 2012, 12:44:30 PM

Quote from: Father Beast on October 13, 2012, 12:04:01 PM

If the other two tie breakers aren't posted at the same time, then will there be a delay on the start of the second chance round?

I think somewhere it said that only ties for 3rd place (of which there is just one) get a tie breaker. 4th place ties all go to the 2nd chance round. 1st and 2nd ties don't really matter at they go to the next round anyway. So, the current tie-breaker is it.

I think that's how it works.

eytanz · **Reply #67 on:** October 13, 2012, 05:21:06 PM

Daneyuleb is correct; there will not be tiebreakers for the two rounds where two stories tied for fourth, they'll just be 12 stories in the second chance round.

DoWhileNot · **Reply #68 on:** October 14, 2012, 01:07:47 AM

Quote from: Devoted135 on October 12, 2012, 02:37:17 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone! We've decided to use wifi where we can and a cheap local phone where we can't. Hooray for keeping all of our arms and legs!

If you're going to get a cheap phone there, look for one that's on the MTN network... it'll work almost everywhere in South Africa with voice, data, and text.

You might also check what the local laws are - for example, in Peru you have to apply for a license before you can buy a phone.

Father Beast · **Reply #69 on:** October 14, 2012, 01:31:29 AM

Quote from: eytanz on October 13, 2012, 05:21:06 PM

Daneyuleb is correct; there will not be tiebreakers for the two rounds where two stories tied for fourth, they'll just be 12 stories in the second chance round.

OK, thanks for the clarification.

julius blaze · **Reply #70 on:** October 14, 2012, 12:57:06 PM

What will happen with group 1 which has a three way tie for 4th place?

eytanz · **Reply #71 on:** October 14, 2012, 02:10:21 PM

It doesn't - it has a 3-way tie for 5th place.