I now you guys are probably very busy - but is there no way to show 'withdrawn' on the main contest page... i've just read 3 contest descriptions in a row and then reaslised that all were withdrawn !! Most still have 4-5 days to run - which means it will show up as a new contests for that length of time...
I've posted this a few times and agree..... All these should be *required fields* that have to be filled in by the CH.
along with: No. of pages for design required, colour preferances, link to available logo, reference sites, etc probably a few more, but you get the idea
links in the brief should be clickable too... !!
I think most fair minded people can see immediately when a design has been completed ripped - it comes down to layouts / design elements, being copied after someone has received a 4 star rating for example (happened to me 2 times just yesterday :-(.
Barack, has mentioned one of the main culprits - but there are more :-(
Totally agree with with #1 (I've asked for this before myself) and shouldn't be too difficult to implement.
#2 sounds like a good idea - (again, I've asked for this previously), when filling in a profile, it *should* be mandatory to show your country of origin.
**I'd also like to see the return of the sign up date for both CHs and designers - not sure why it was ever removed!
With the rate of abandoned contests increasing, there should be no choice :-) the contests should all be prepaid. There's been an increase in the number of high prized contests, but designers are loathe to enter due to the fact that they may be abandoned... PrePaid is the only way to go forward in my humble opinion :-)
Maybe an option that *any* contest over $400 has to be prepaid ??
I strongly with this one - has been asked for previously - wish there were more votes on it. Contest list is getting very messy - and as you say - it's a pain having to go wade through contests won and finding ones that that may be on page 2 or 3 that haven't been awarded as yet.
and votes are being wasted, because this has been bought up before too ;-)
The contest holder has every right to end it early if they find a design they like... why string along designers and have them enter, if they've found what they like in the first 2 days for example.
Moderator = guidance counselor (whether they participate in the contest or not), for both the designers and the contest holders. It can be done without prejudice, I know that for a fact :-) Giving advice to both sides, asking relevant questions of CH if they appear not to understand what is involved in specific situation, stop any bickering, report any offences to admin staff to handle.. etc
Only problem is that contest holders, even though informed via general comments area, still ask other designers to copy elements from other designers..... how to stop that? I have no idea :(
Why should a contest holder be held to the default setting (currently 10 days) for the length of a contest. What if they only want to run the contest for 5 days, or they find a design they 'love' after only 3 days. Not fair to other designers to submit, when CH already has an idea of winner
Why would it restrict the number of contest holders. If they paid up front, and if there weren't any designs they liked, then they would be able to get a refund. Same as any market place, if you don't like the goods or the service, then you apply for a refund... same applies here.
Would need to make it very clear in the contest description and the brief that a contest is only going to run for three (or however many) days.
The other advantage I can see from this, is that there are no fees associated with ending a contest early, so this can be added to the contest amount ?
If you see a contest where the CH doesn't understand the difference between coded and design contest, make sure you point this out. I've seen many designers enter a contest not even knowing whether it's a design or coded contest - they just don't ask and enter anyway - that's their risk, they should know better. A CH who isn't into webdesign - won't know the difference unless they are told.
I'm with Lachlan on this one, it has to be thought out and planned extremely well. I've seen some code that is produced and there is no way that I would submit that code to a contest holder, others wouldn't care what type of code they produced as long as they got paid.... continued.......
PS: I'm pretty sure the the guys are talking about the comments left over after you've withdrawn an entry. With the new addition of seeing names of withdrawn entries, all comments associated with those entries should be removed... I'm guessing that's what they meant and I agree :-) Any comments made in the general comments box are for public viewing, so they should probably stay I agree there
But the ability to edit our comments would be good - maybe a window of 15-20 minutes. I hate it when I make a comment and there are obvious typos or grammar mistakes, which can happen if you type in a hurry or can't see your whole message typed into such a small window (another peeve of mine that was going to be looked at ::
That would a great idea Paul. I too agree, there should be some accountability by the CH. We all realise that there may be a delay, particularly if there is more than one person involved in the final decision making, but at least designers would know that there is a decision pending.
eg: Fast 2 day contest , contest over for nearly a week, but not one word as to if there will be an outcome
I don't mind the win percentage per se, but not until the 'count number for contests entered' is fixed (I think it is 'planned'). At the moment, every entry is counted, it should only be the first entry into a contest that is counted.
I think that you would also see a lower level of concept copying in these types of contests which can only be a good thing. "Concept copying" is getting way out of hand at the moment, with more designers (beginners in particular, but designers that should know better also) feeling justified to 'take' someone elses' design elements just because the contest holder liked them in another entry.
I would give more votes to this, but ran out of numbers :-)
I highly agree with this one. Private contests with guaranteed prize money and designers by invitation only, may entice new contest holders to 99designs, particularly those that guard their privacy and don't want the world to know they are having a design outsourced. (Mr T said it much better than I did though :-)
It's a good idea for people who need to show a portfolio if they don't have one posted elsewhere, but hopefully, this will be a separate folio to the one that shows the designers' winning entries ;-)
@ ATAK - why would they lose business? If the Contest Holder is committed to holding a genunine -sure to find a winner-contest, why would they be afraid to pay the money up front? From seeing the responses to the guaranteed contests so far, they are more highly valued with a lot more participation that seen in other contests.
Don't really see why they should. It's a known fact that you should get your entries in early for this very reason. sometimes a CH or their client likes an entry so much that they decide to close early.. nothing you can do about that :-)
But how do you come up with a fair number. On another site I've been researching, there needs to be at least 25 entries, if less than that, the CH can get a refund - regardless of whether all 24 submissions (1 short of the required number) were quality entries - that's the type of thing I *don't* want to see here.
I think there should be a section for coded designs, but it needs to be handled a little differently that in earlier times. If you look at the web design contests, you'll see that many CHs want a fully functioning website. I don't know how many CH I've had to refer to the marketplace link to find a coder after they pick a design. Many just cancel the contest instead because it is too much trouble
I don't think that preventing the CH from completing a contest early is the answer here though :-) Many CHs like to close early for various reasons.As soon as winner is announced, contest should automatically 'close'. Same as when a contest is 'withdrawn', should see 'withdrawn' in list,. It's not until you go to the actual contest listing that you see that the contest is no longer open.
Maybe the ability to 'sort' them would work. Show running contests at the top, won contests at the end (or whatever way the designer choses to work with the list) :-)
I don't mind all the links in the list being permanent, but it would be nice to hide ones that have been 'won' so the list is more organised. It's a bit of a pain having to go from one page to the next (esp. if you have a quite a few pages still showing running contests) to see if a contest has been 'won'. (Email notification doesn't seem to come through if the contests are over xxx days old)..
What type of credits are you talking snugbrimm?? If you monetary, then who would be dishing out these credits :)
I'm guessing a lot of designers (probably the ones starting out anyway) would love to know whether they may have made the top 3 for example, may give them encouragement to continue and kudos alone may be enough for them until they start winning contests :-)
I'm with you on the copying problem Dawson and you know my stance on this :-) it's getting worse - new designers don't know the rules and copy anything to get awarded 4-5 stars, Contest holders asking other designers to copy elements from other entries etc., I've already commented in a couple of other posts here about this problem, and I'm really not sure what the solution is. :-(
and my post was related to the web design contests (I'm not a logo designer, so don't go there that often, unless there's a controversial contest I've heard about.) but copying or using copyrighted material would be across all contest areas I'd imagine anyway.
..maybe once moderators are allocated, they get permission to 'hide' a comment, but the final removal process would be done by admin staff if required. This at least hides any offending posts, but the final decision as to whether totally remove is made by 99designs staff. Just throwing an idea out there :-)
The main comments area does need to be open to designers, for example, what about when you need to ask a question pertaining to the brief... better to ask there, so everyone gets the benefit of the answer. I guess if there is no other way to remove comments, the old system of show/hide is better than none at the moment :-) ..... (more to follow)...
But you can already see that by clicking on a users id. For contest holders you click on their name and you see a list of contests they've held and their reliability record :-)
It is\was in place, but at the moment, I'm finding that 'contest won emails' are not coming through. Maybe over the last 3 days ? I posted this bug? to the blog.
Would have to be moderated I think, could be open to abuse. I agree though, copying certainly has to stop (posted about this under 'blind entry' thread. There are just too many designers here now who believe that using another designers ideas in their own entries is no problem... if they see a 4-5 star entry, off they go and copy elements from those designs, thinking to improve their own rating
How about when a CH asks the designers to copy elements from another designers' concept.... more and more contest holders are doing that these days (had it happen to me twice in space of a week), what should be done with the designers that DO COPY another designers' work and resubmit an entry with these exact same elements ? PS. Not in favour of blind entries, but this copying has to be stopped !
It can be done - all comes down to the reliability and trust-worthiness of the moderator - and as Lachlan says, a proven track record. As long as they prove to be helpful to *both* designers and contests holders in the long run and are deemed 'honest' by both, should be endorsement enough. Maybe a poll of some sort may work, but then trying to get everyones' attention to vote is another thing..
Totally agree. Often times you'll find feedback on another entry that can apply to all designers, but the CH may not think to write them up in the general comments area.
PS: I can understand a contest having to go on for longer than a week, particularly if the final decision is having to be made by a board of directors etc., but often times, there really is no need for such lengthy contest times.
they already have enough time :-) 6 days is not enough time to get in a submission?
If you look at the contests that are run for 2-4 days you will see that they are very very popular - sometimes the prize may not be as high, but at least the contest is over, a winner pick and monies paid directly. Contests going for over 6 days just tend to drag on and sometimes the CH may even lose interest.
Yes it should I agree, but the contest holder should always make the feedback on the individual designers' page.... how to get them to do that is another issue :-)
Maybe the backend is too difficult for them, or they don't realise they can go to the individual page (not sure how all that works).... or there is too much going backwards and forwards and they can't be bothered.... don't know
many contest holders would like to award more than one prize, I've seen it in many contests. maybe if there are 2 prizes allocated, then both should go into the designers' porfolio (not just the 1st winner).
I now you guys are probably very busy - but is there no way to show 'withdrawn' on the main contest page... i've just read 3 contest descriptions in a row and then reaslised that all were withdrawn !! Most still have 4-5 days to run - which means it will show up as a new contests for that length of time...
PLEASE - update the page as needed..
3 Main contest page needs info updated regularly... - 3 days ago
I've posted this a few times and agree..... All these should be *required fields* that have to be filled in by the CH.
along with: No. of pages for design required, colour preferances, link to available logo, reference sites, etc probably a few more, but you get the idea
links in the brief should be clickable too... !!
0 Let CHs choose the sourcefile (PSD/PNG/...) - 6 days ago
Already suggested :-)
http://99designs.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/4058
0 Add a feature for designers to give a star rating - 18 days ago
I think most fair minded people can see immediately when a design has been completed ripped - it comes down to layouts / design elements, being copied after someone has received a 4 star rating for example (happened to me 2 times just yesterday :-(.
Barack, has mentioned one of the main culprits - but there are more :-(
1 create a panel of judges to oversee copying complaints - 22 days ago
Totally agree with with #1 (I've asked for this before myself) and shouldn't be too difficult to implement.
#2 sounds like a good idea - (again, I've asked for this previously), when filling in a profile, it *should* be mandatory to show your country of origin.
**I'd also like to see the return of the sign up date for both CHs and designers - not sure why it was ever removed!
2 contest holder profile - 27 days ago
Fantastic Lachlan !! :-)
1 create a panel of judges to oversee copying complaints - about 1 month ago
Scrap this comment - user error or something :-)
0 Comments box gone? - 2 months ago
With the rate of abandoned contests increasing, there should be no choice :-) the contests should all be prepaid. There's been an increase in the number of high prized contests, but designers are loathe to enter due to the fact that they may be abandoned... PrePaid is the only way to go forward in my humble opinion :-)
Maybe an option that *any* contest over $400 has to be prepaid ??
0 Prepaid contests - 2 months ago
This needs to be implemented asap - ALL contests should be prepaid - the abandonment rate is getting higher every day !
0 Make all contests prepaid - 2 months ago
I strongly with this one - has been asked for previously - wish there were more votes on it. Contest list is getting very messy - and as you say - it's a pain having to go wade through contests won and finding ones that that may be on page 2 or 3 that haven't been awarded as yet.
0 Hide and unhide contests from your contest list - 2 months ago
Already listed with reasons why it's not a priority at the moment:
http://99designs.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/7135
0 Have coding as another contest category - 2 months ago
and votes are being wasted, because this has been bought up before too ;-)
The contest holder has every right to end it early if they find a design they like... why string along designers and have them enter, if they've found what they like in the first 2 days for example.
0 Ensure contests are not ended abruptly before end date - 3 months ago
Moderator = guidance counselor (whether they participate in the contest or not), for both the designers and the contest holders. It can be done without prejudice, I know that for a fact :-) Giving advice to both sides, asking relevant questions of CH if they appear not to understand what is involved in specific situation, stop any bickering, report any offences to admin staff to handle.. etc
0 Long time designers on sitepoint as Contest Moderators - 4 months ago
Only problem is that contest holders, even though informed via general comments area, still ask other designers to copy elements from other designers..... how to stop that? I have no idea :(
0 Disqualify entrants that copies ideas from another entrants - 4 months ago
Wish I had more votes left for this one !
0 Disqualify entrants that copies ideas from another entrants - 4 months ago
http://99designs.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/11131
0 Comment Management - 4 months ago
Thank you !! :-)
3 10 days is too long for a contest to run ! - 4 months ago
What about a time frame to allow you to edit comments - a window of 15-20 mintues... if you think this is a good idea - vote here:
http://99designs.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/11131
0 Editable Comments - 4 months ago
Yay ! Good to see this making a comeback..... now go and vote to bring back the standard length of contests 5-7days (not 10!)
http://99designs.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/11456
1 Bring back the Fast Track option - 4 months ago
This has already been bought up previously - http://99designs.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/5338
Why should a contest holder be held to the default setting (currently 10 days) for the length of a contest. What if they only want to run the contest for 5 days, or they find a design they 'love' after only 3 days. Not fair to other designers to submit, when CH already has an idea of winner
0 Don't allow CH to choose winner before contest actually ends - 4 months ago
We need this forum up and running asap :-)
Any word on when this may be implemented.
0 Forums for community - 4 months ago
Why would it restrict the number of contest holders. If they paid up front, and if there weren't any designs they liked, then they would be able to get a refund. Same as any market place, if you don't like the goods or the service, then you apply for a refund... same applies here.
0 Make all contests prepaid - 4 months ago
PS: Joey, my comment re: Fast track contest not one of yours by the way :-)
You are very good about keeping designers informed...
0 Ensure timely declaration from CH - 4 months ago
Ok, will post up a new request :-) though not many votes left for me :-(
0 Removing comments + with drawl from a contest completely. - 4 months ago
Would need to make it very clear in the contest description and the brief that a contest is only going to run for three (or however many) days.
The other advantage I can see from this, is that there are no fees associated with ending a contest early, so this can be added to the contest amount ?
1 Bring back the Fast Track option - 4 months ago
Joey is a master of the 'fast track' contests and always has a great turnout whenever he runs these contests.. so he does have a very valid point.
View more about the change to contest length rules here:
http://99designs.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/some-tweaks-and-changes/#comments
The bright side as Lachlan says: "Keep in mind that contest holders can declare a winner at any point." .....
1 Bring back the Fast Track option - 4 months ago
If you see a contest where the CH doesn't understand the difference between coded and design contest, make sure you point this out. I've seen many designers enter a contest not even knowing whether it's a design or coded contest - they just don't ask and enter anyway - that's their risk, they should know better. A CH who isn't into webdesign - won't know the difference unless they are told.
0 bring back coded category! - 4 months ago
I'm with Lachlan on this one, it has to be thought out and planned extremely well. I've seen some code that is produced and there is no way that I would submit that code to a contest holder, others wouldn't care what type of code they produced as long as they got paid.... continued.......
0 bring back coded category! - 4 months ago
PS: I'm pretty sure the the guys are talking about the comments left over after you've withdrawn an entry. With the new addition of seeing names of withdrawn entries, all comments associated with those entries should be removed... I'm guessing that's what they meant and I agree :-) Any comments made in the general comments box are for public viewing, so they should probably stay I agree there
0 Removing comments + with drawl from a contest completely. - 4 months ago
But the ability to edit our comments would be good - maybe a window of 15-20 minutes. I hate it when I make a comment and there are obvious typos or grammar mistakes, which can happen if you type in a hurry or can't see your whole message typed into such a small window (another peeve of mine that was going to be looked at ::
0 Removing comments + with drawl from a contest completely. - 4 months ago
That would a great idea Paul. I too agree, there should be some accountability by the CH. We all realise that there may be a delay, particularly if there is more than one person involved in the final decision making, but at least designers would know that there is a decision pending.
eg: Fast 2 day contest , contest over for nearly a week, but not one word as to if there will be an outcome
0 Ensure timely declaration from CH - 4 months ago
I don't mind the win percentage per se, but not until the 'count number for contests entered' is fixed (I think it is 'planned'). At the moment, every entry is counted, it should only be the first entry into a contest that is counted.
0 Win Percentage - 5 months ago
I'm talking about uservoice here, in case it wasn't too clear by my post :-)
0 date/icon needed for new comments - 5 months ago
I think that you would also see a lower level of concept copying in these types of contests which can only be a good thing. "Concept copying" is getting way out of hand at the moment, with more designers (beginners in particular, but designers that should know better also) feeling justified to 'take' someone elses' design elements just because the contest holder liked them in another entry.
1 Private Contests Upgrade - 5 months ago
I would give more votes to this, but ran out of numbers :-)
I highly agree with this one. Private contests with guaranteed prize money and designers by invitation only, may entice new contest holders to 99designs, particularly those that guard their privacy and don't want the world to know they are having a design outsourced. (Mr T said it much better than I did though :-)
1 Private Contests Upgrade - 5 months ago
It's a good idea for people who need to show a portfolio if they don't have one posted elsewhere, but hopefully, this will be a separate folio to the one that shows the designers' winning entries ;-)
0 Profile Portfolio - 5 months ago
@ ATAK - why would they lose business? If the Contest Holder is committed to holding a genunine -sure to find a winner-contest, why would they be afraid to pay the money up front? From seeing the responses to the guaranteed contests so far, they are more highly valued with a lot more participation that seen in other contests.
0 Prepaid contests - 5 months ago
Don't really see why they should. It's a known fact that you should get your entries in early for this very reason. sometimes a CH or their client likes an entry so much that they decide to close early.. nothing you can do about that :-)
0 contest holders should run full posted dates - 5 months ago
But how do you come up with a fair number. On another site I've been researching, there needs to be at least 25 entries, if less than that, the CH can get a refund - regardless of whether all 24 submissions (1 short of the required number) were quality entries - that's the type of thing I *don't* want to see here.
0 Minimum # of entries or can withdraw fairly. - 5 months ago
I think there should be a section for coded designs, but it needs to be handled a little differently that in earlier times. If you look at the web design contests, you'll see that many CHs want a fully functioning website. I don't know how many CH I've had to refer to the marketplace link to find a coder after they pick a design. Many just cancel the contest instead because it is too much trouble
0 bring back coded category! - 5 months ago
There's already a place to sell your logos /web page designs ;-) It's here:
http://marketplace.sitepoint.com/
0 Have Logos For Sale - 5 months ago
I don't think that preventing the CH from completing a contest early is the answer here though :-) Many CHs like to close early for various reasons.As soon as winner is announced, contest should automatically 'close'. Same as when a contest is 'withdrawn', should see 'withdrawn' in list,. It's not until you go to the actual contest listing that you see that the contest is no longer open.
0 Remove "won" Contests From "Find a Contest" - 5 months ago
Maybe the ability to 'sort' them would work. Show running contests at the top, won contests at the end (or whatever way the designer choses to work with the list) :-)
0 Hide instead of remove entries from contest lists - 5 months ago
I don't mind all the links in the list being permanent, but it would be nice to hide ones that have been 'won' so the list is more organised. It's a bit of a pain having to go from one page to the next (esp. if you have a quite a few pages still showing running contests) to see if a contest has been 'won'. (Email notification doesn't seem to come through if the contests are over xxx days old)..
0 Hide instead of remove entries from contest lists - 5 months ago
What type of credits are you talking snugbrimm?? If you monetary, then who would be dishing out these credits :)
I'm guessing a lot of designers (probably the ones starting out anyway) would love to know whether they may have made the top 3 for example, may give them encouragement to continue and kudos alone may be enough for them until they start winning contests :-)
0 give commendations/runner ups - 6 months ago
I'm with you on the copying problem Dawson and you know my stance on this :-) it's getting worse - new designers don't know the rules and copy anything to get awarded 4-5 stars, Contest holders asking other designers to copy elements from other entries etc., I've already commented in a couple of other posts here about this problem, and I'm really not sure what the solution is. :-(
0 Prevent Copying (very simple method) - 6 months ago
and my post was related to the web design contests (I'm not a logo designer, so don't go there that often, unless there's a controversial contest I've heard about.) but copying or using copyrighted material would be across all contest areas I'd imagine anyway.
0 Negative rating button for copyright violations on designers - 6 months ago
..maybe once moderators are allocated, they get permission to 'hide' a comment, but the final removal process would be done by admin staff if required. This at least hides any offending posts, but the final decision as to whether totally remove is made by 99designs staff. Just throwing an idea out there :-)
0 Add hide message feature to the discussion area - 6 months ago
The main comments area does need to be open to designers, for example, what about when you need to ask a question pertaining to the brief... better to ask there, so everyone gets the benefit of the answer. I guess if there is no other way to remove comments, the old system of show/hide is better than none at the moment :-) ..... (more to follow)...
0 Add hide message feature to the discussion area - 6 months ago
But you can already see that by clicking on a users id. For contest holders you click on their name and you see a list of contests they've held and their reliability record :-)
0 User Showcasing - 6 months ago
It is\was in place, but at the moment, I'm finding that 'contest won emails' are not coming through. Maybe over the last 3 days ? I posted this bug? to the blog.
0 Email alert for contest won by user - 6 months ago
Would have to be moderated I think, could be open to abuse. I agree though, copying certainly has to stop (posted about this under 'blind entry' thread. There are just too many designers here now who believe that using another designers ideas in their own entries is no problem... if they see a 4-5 star entry, off they go and copy elements from those designs, thinking to improve their own rating
0 Negative rating button for copyright violations on designers - 6 months ago
How about when a CH asks the designers to copy elements from another designers' concept.... more and more contest holders are doing that these days (had it happen to me twice in space of a week), what should be done with the designers that DO COPY another designers' work and resubmit an entry with these exact same elements ? PS. Not in favour of blind entries, but this copying has to be stopped !
0 Give exclusive rights to Contest Holders to view entries - 6 months ago
It can be done - all comes down to the reliability and trust-worthiness of the moderator - and as Lachlan says, a proven track record. As long as they prove to be helpful to *both* designers and contests holders in the long run and are deemed 'honest' by both, should be endorsement enough. Maybe a poll of some sort may work, but then trying to get everyones' attention to vote is another thing..
0 Long time designers on sitepoint as Contest Moderators - 6 months ago
Totally agree. Often times you'll find feedback on another entry that can apply to all designers, but the CH may not think to write them up in the general comments area.
0 Display if an entry has received feedback next to rating - 6 months ago
PS: I can understand a contest having to go on for longer than a week, particularly if the final decision is having to be made by a board of directors etc., but often times, there really is no need for such lengthy contest times.
0 Allow a specified contest completion time - 6 months ago
they already have enough time :-) 6 days is not enough time to get in a submission?
If you look at the contests that are run for 2-4 days you will see that they are very very popular - sometimes the prize may not be as high, but at least the contest is over, a winner pick and monies paid directly. Contests going for over 6 days just tend to drag on and sometimes the CH may even lose interest.
0 Allow a specified contest completion time - 6 months ago
Yes it should I agree, but the contest holder should always make the feedback on the individual designers' page.... how to get them to do that is another issue :-)
Maybe the backend is too difficult for them, or they don't realise they can go to the individual page (not sure how all that works).... or there is too much going backwards and forwards and they can't be bothered.... don't know
0 Count the number of feedbacks given by the CH in main forum. - 6 months ago
many contest holders would like to award more than one prize, I've seen it in many contests. maybe if there are 2 prizes allocated, then both should go into the designers' porfolio (not just the 1st winner).
0 Multiple prizes for contests - 6 months ago
Pointless and open to abuse
0 Allow designers to rate other designers entries - 6 months ago