Call for nominees: semi-democratically selected DTA7 category

ohaimark · 22 Dec 2016, 16:48

Many people had issues with certain things in the awards this year. I don't expect to change much for DTA7, but I would like to extend an olive branch.

Pitch one new category (and its rough rules) to the forum. I'll start a poll sometime near the end of next week.

I reserve the right to modify rules and category names, but I will do my best to preserve the spirit of whatever you all choose. I have no issues with the nominations being limited to DT members in this semi-democratically selected category. I intend to do something like this after every DTA. One year it could be "The Deskthoritarian" and the next it could be "Best wiki contributor." It will be your choice what to do with this floating category. Have fun!

seebart · 22 Dec 2016, 16:57

Good to now (already) know you'll be managing DTA7.

ohaimark · 22 Dec 2016, 17:26

Well, matt3o and webwit can still deselect me for next year...

citrojohn · 22 Dec 2016, 19:08

Given the goings-on in the "meaning of Tai-Hao" thread:

Best Offtopicthority. To be awarded to the poster of the best off-topic comment. Criteria: suddenness of diversion; dissimilarity to the original topic; number of subsequent posts on the new topic; amount of strife caused (I think less is better, but feel free to disagree

).
Original posts in the off-topic section are disqualified, but subsequent posts that take the thread off its original off-topic topic can be nominated.
And of course, to refer to a Reddit or GeekHack post as Offtopicthority would be absurd... OfftopicHack? Derailddit?

Muirium · 22 Dec 2016, 19:15

I like that one!

Actually, here's what we should really do: DEFINE the 2017 DTA categories before the year begins instead of all the way out in November/December. That we we'll all be reading and posting in the forum with them in mind, and can tag things along the way.

See, one of my peeves about the DTAs is the ritual headscratching that happens when you realise you read a whole bunch of neat shit you want to nominate, but can't remember exactly where to find it or what it was called. This is especially true with photos. This surely hurts early in the year content, and definitely leads HaTaa to bombard us with his seasonally timed relic discovery threads with both eyes on the prize!

The nominees phase is the hardest of all. It'd flow a fair bit easier if we knew the rules throughout the year rather than in a hurry at the end.

lot_lizard · 22 Dec 2016, 21:09

Best Desktop Setup or Work Environment?!?

I know that it would be something that GH users would be interested in and could contribute as well. Maybe since it was a first year, it is a not restricted to any timeline to really open it up for some fun ones? Only rule might be that it is your PERSONAL work station/environment.

Things with pictures that you can come up to speed quickly without following the thread actively are nice for this type of "rotating category". I enjoyed the artisan one because I knew NOTHING, but felt like I could make a valid choice in the end.

seebart · 22 Dec 2016, 21:11

citrojohn wrote: ↑Given the goings-on in the "meaning of Tai-Hao" thread:

Best Offtopicthority. To be awarded to the poster of the best off-topic comment. Criteria: suddenness of diversion; dissimilarity to the original topic; number of subsequent posts on the new topic; amount of strife caused (I think less is better, but feel free to disagree ).
Original posts in the off-topic section are disqualified, but subsequent posts that take the thread off its original off-topic topic can be nominated.
And of course, to refer to a Reddit or GeekHack post as Offtopicthority would be absurd... OfftopicHack? Derailddit?

Interesting, I'm an auto-nominated candidate for that one! It's a good idea though.

Muirium wrote: ↑The nominees phase is the hardest of all. It'd flow a fair bit easier if we knew the rules throughout the year rather than in a hurry at the end.

True, we should at least get started on it, not sure how soon we can all agree on changes.

ohaimark · 23 Dec 2016, 05:18

I'm leaving the categories from this year in place. The DTA team spent a lot of time considering things, and the current lineup strikes a nice balance between numbers and specificity.

They cover all areas of our hobby in some way. In addition, anything more than the current categories +1 democratically selected category would be prohibitive in terms of wingnut purchasing and DTA management.

Bender · 23 Dec 2016, 23:30

Just don't let Ripster compete and everything will be fine.

kbdfr · 24 Dec 2016, 08:28

Bender wrote: ↑Just don't let Ripster compete and everything will be fine.

Congratulations to your very first post (brown font = sarcasm)

I don't like ripster as a shit poster, but he undoubdtedly has great merits in keyboard things
and I would certainly vote for him if I feel he deserves it more than others in a given category.
I just don't feel he deserves an award called "The Deskthority".

Call it "Deskthority Platin Wingnut" or "Deskthority KeybOscar" or "Deskthority [whatever] Award" or anything else and it will be fine with me,
but don't call it just plain "The Deskthority".

All of us together are "The Deskthority", not just a single person, and certainly not one who's be banned from Deskthority for trying to hamper its functioning.

fohat · 24 Dec 2016, 14:27

Off-Topic thinking should be its own reward.

I do agree with a larger number of nominees narrowed down to 2 finalists, otherwise a weighted system is preferable to a straight plurality from the first round.

ohaimark · 24 Dec 2016, 16:34

Well, I don't plan to change either of those things. One I won't change, and the other I can't.

The Deskthority will stay as-is. You're welcome to pitch an award called The Deskthorian in the semi-democratically selected category this topic.

I'll consider a ranked system if the new forum software is compatible with it.

vivalarevolución · 28 Dec 2016, 02:04

citrojohn wrote: ↑Given the goings-on in the "meaning of Tai-Hao" thread:

Best Offtopicthority. To be awarded to the poster of the best off-topic comment. Criteria: suddenness of diversion; dissimilarity to the original topic; number of subsequent posts on the new topic; amount of strife caused (I think less is better, but feel free to disagree ).
Original posts in the off-topic section are disqualified, but subsequent posts that take the thread off its original off-topic topic can be nominated.
And of course, to refer to a Reddit or GeekHack post as Offtopicthority would be absurd... OfftopicHack? Derailddit?

It would be hard as heck to remember the exact post with such a comment, similar to the category for best input device photo. There are so many good photos and comments, but it's hard to track them down. But fun idea.

ohaimark · 28 Dec 2016, 05:20

We have these wonderful things called hashtags. All you need to do is #DTA7 and it will be available for next year's awards! Along with a couple of useless posts like this one, of course.

vivalarevolución · 28 Dec 2016, 14:13

ohaimark wrote: ↑We have these wonderful things called hashtags. All you need to do is #DTA7 and it will be available for next year's awards! Along with a couple of useless posts like this one, of course.

I nominate this post for the new category next year. #dta7