New Photo Contest Starting!

oh crap, here we go again

Rhaorth got flamed because she does exactly what she called others out for, that is hypocrisy.

Sure photo contests are a dime-a-dozen as you put it and that is because they are popular.

People do cheat but as a person who develops one of the contest type it is highly discouraged and I personally take many steps within my contest to try to lessen it.

This involves making recommendations about how they are run amongst other things but the people running the contest ultimately get to chose how to run it - that is their perogative.

I cannot say about the boards of other but my boards are designed by weighting the votes and the L$ to avoid being gamed as much as possible. I also suggest using weekly voting rather than daily or anytime as people can game that more easily.
My boards are hacking proofed so they listen to no other objects.

However just like how you cannot stop people using alts for anything, how can a contest owner prevent alt abuse? Most contest owners that are above board and want to discourage cheating will ban a suspected alt abusers (or any other abusers) from the contest as soon as they are detected.

I don't care whether you are impressed or not Peggy as I don't spend my life getting validation from you. Your assessment of the people who enter and win these types of contests is a gross generalisation, pure opinion and nothing more unless you prove otherwise.

My business started by fulfilling some scripting work for a customer and then others came and wanted to buy the same thing, so I productised it and gave them what they wanted. I maintain and upgrade it also in a professional manner.
There is nothing shady about me or my business, I am up front and honest. I would not have any credibility with my customers or the contestants otherwise. How my customers run their business is their concern not mine, as I say I make recommendations and that is all I can do.

Facts are nobody is forced to pay, contest owners are not scammnig anyone but often get scammed by people who cannot play fair. I understand that you personally do not like the contest, same for everyone here. That is up to you but it still does not alter that lots of people find them a lot of fun.

For the record, I too don't think the OP should have posted her advert here, however as there is so much other abuse of the rules of which I am guilty also I felt it was not my place to tell others what to do, unlike some.

I would also like to say for the record that people who know me also know that I would never scam or assist in the scamming of others willingly. I do not believe in doing that, being unfaithful in dealings with others or any kind of cheating. You only have to see my views on traffic bots and picks to see how I feel about cheating. However that said I cannot be aware of what uses my system is necessarily put to and I cannot talk for anyone elses system.

All I can say is that I try to be fair and reasonable to everyone and anyone in everything I do, not limited to my SL business and I try to make my contest as cheat proof as I can make it including taking suggestions on improving especially that aspect of it.

Anyone who thinks differently of me does not know me at all.

Disclaimer: I do not run my own contests as I see that as a conflict of interests with my customers.

I don't want to ask this because I really don't want to read your answer but I feel I must anyway. Why, then, have I read in two threads (just today) where you and your 'sidekick" have called Rha out? You say (in so many words) she deserves it since it's "hypocrisy".........hmmmm, what is that now? It's not your place to scold anyone in these forums. I know Rha. I've been reading her posts for over 2 1/2 years now. I know how she is. I guess what............I like her. She has every right to voice her opinion just as you do.........without harrassment. I think you and your buddy should maybe take a break from your reactiing in a negative way to everything she says.

This thread is derailed......actually it was once the OP posted it. So flame away at me.....it's happened before from people better than you.

Oh, and on your product. My best SL friend has one of your contest boards. I agree it's not made for exploitation.......she loves it. I wasn't lumping you into contest scamming or highjacking. I was voicing my opinion on contests in general. Contest boards are part of contests. So, I'm still not impressed.

Well I am not paying to vote for anyones picture that is nothing but a headshot of a avatar.

sorry, I have not ever paid to vote for anything. No wait I did once, ok was for a freind but thats different isn't it... and I thought I was buying it... but I wasn't... so I dont pay to vote anymore..

I like hte contests where you actually vote for ones you think are nice, like works of art.. Photography sure, but not your faceshot..

I tped in looked what it was about got spammed by a treasure hunt sim message and tped out.. toodles.. But I must say there were a lot of people there.. I imagine she made good money today

Peggy, I don't have a sidekick at all. I have an opinion and am voicing it just like everyone else. It was not an attack and so it was not a question of deserving anything. It is definitely a case of pot calling the kettle though and I said that. At least one other agreed with what I put.

I don't react negatively to everything she says, just taking issue on these two posts. I'll say it again, I post alone, nobody tells me to post and my opinions are my own.

I have no intention of flaming you at all, if you have issues with what I put that is up to you but I everything I said was about Rha's behaviour, not her personally. It was also stating the truth without any attacks.
Don't forget Rha started the flaming in that other thread by her comments and here too, so she cannot claim any kind of victim hood. I wanted to point out to the OP there and remind Rha that "hey you did that so why not just let it pass"?
That is different from me enforcing forum rules to others when I have broken myself, that I will not do and so I didn't. That is why I am not a hypocrit in that regard.

You have to right to defend your friend, that is up to you and I have no problem with you. I felt like I was showing support for Blu in that thread against Rha's attack. So how is that different from you coming to "tell me off"?
Actually I have no general problem with Rha either despite the wild insinuations she posted about being flamed in PMs and people being out to get her. I just had a problem with what she did in both these threads today.

Though why you are being insulting to me is something that mystifies me ("better people than you". You don't even know me or what my quality is and yet you feel free to sling that around freely.

Fair enough on the contest side of things, it did not seem clear and you did seem to be lumping everyone together.

All games are gamed, not just contests. Some here consider traffic a game and want to win, using any means possible. Some consider land dealing a game and game it, same with advertising. It is wrong but nobody says that having land is bad, or having a search engine, few people think that *all* adverts are bad. Same with contests and other games, the cheats are just cheats and should be caught where possible and dealt with.

If you have something that involves people and there will always be those who want to subvert it or game it somehow. It is very sad but true. However if we stop everything that can be gamed because of those people then the fun is lost too, sometimes you have to play anyway or you let others ruin things for you. That is my belief anyway.

So my question to you is do you intend to attack or flame me?

At least in the contests that are usually run with my system, the pictures are large and full length, not just head shots. However I have seen some contests being run that way and cannot for the life of me think why as it is totally unnecessary.

I look at the SL photographs on flicker and stuff and I am totally impressed by many, to me the headshots I saw at this place was nothing more than as someone said a popularity contest..

Now, I'm totally turned off by images on SL that feature 1 avatar proclaiming the beauty of said self, exceptions are of course erotica and clothing skin shape images .. I have seen to many good sl photographers works to even think headshots could be considered a photography contest.. And I mean no offence to anyone who can do this well.. You must have the right light etc to take a good head shot, as we all know at the dmv they lack..

and maybe to this was the wrong area to post, perhaps if in the correct forum area it would have been better received but I was interested because my sl dude is a professional (rl) photographer and I was interested in getting him into the mix, but I didn't even bring it up to him because to me it was a joke and I would not insult his talent with anything as silly as that... he does do rl headshots but I am certain he would not enter one in a contest.... unless specifically for such things.

So if anyone has any real photography contest send me an IM. He is awesome and proof can be seen at his gallery. I really would like to know of them. ; )

I would not worry too much about where to post if I were you, the thread is not exactly going places. Like I said before I am the last one to tell people they violate the forum rules too, I have done it and so has everyone who has participated in the undead thread.

I agree with your point of view though, might as well make the contest about nice big pictures and not tiny head shots. Have to keep in mind though that many people find it hard to take a good photograph and some contest owners may not want doctored photos in the contest either.

ok now explain how me saying that I have seen such contests and that they were pay to vote and pay to enter, is something that is exactly what I did?

I have no such contests, have entered no such contests and own no such contest boards, and have not entered any such contest

I have however had friends im me asking me to vote and they would pay the cost of the vote, THAT is why I said sad indeed

WHO wants to have to pay for votes?? for themselves???

as for the rest of your post and the other post.... why do you feel the need to point out that every post I made is BAD and that I shoudl not have my say, EVEN if it does go against something I have said or done before???

If you stop, and read a lot of the other posts in the forum, you will see I am not the only one here.

try your own advice and just not bother to say anything


(and for your info, they are not "alleged" im's and pm's, I have gotten im's and pm's from folks on this forum, who stated clear cut they do not like me.)
at least they did it in private, but you know what, I don't care if they go public with it.... but they know, keeping it private means that I look bad, and paranoid...

*shrug*

oh well, in the end, just what does this all amount to. the forums, SL, all of it...

when we unplug, turn it off, etc.... it is REAL LIFE that matters...

so... does it really matter what I have to say? sure seems like it

Show me where I pointed out you being bad or wrong on *every* post that you have written. You cannot because I have not. That is simply untrue.

You admitted you did wrong in the other thread, you even apologised to the OP. I said you should cut them some slack or take your own advice - that was my opinion which I am also entitled to. You could have just let it lay there but instead you have decided to start making it look like I am one of the ones PMing you and hating you which is blatantly untrue. That is what I mean about insinuations.

I'll decide what I say and when I say it. Once again, mind your own business and not that of others.

Sorry but I only have your word for that. Anyway my comment was not that harsh that it needed to spawn all this drama from you. You could have said something like "fair enough" in response and let it end there, because in actual fact what I said *was* true and if you are allowed to critisize the OP then, I have just as much right to critisize you too.

I have no idea what the hell you are talking about, I never was involved in any PMs/IMs about you nor would I engage in such things. Why is this even being brought up because I critisized you? What relevance does it have? I can only conclude you are bringing it up to garner sympathy, you do seem to like to cry victim a lot.

Again I have no idea what you are driving at.

Its simple, you critisized someone I felt unfairly because you also had done the very thing yourself. Nobody else posting there to my knowledge had ever done that - that is why your post was singled out.



In this thread I felt you grossly misrepresented what goes on at the majority of the contests, and I see hundreds of them. So I felt obliged to correct you on it, surely you will admit your limited experience does not necessarily have to be the whole experience for everyone? That is all I did here.

Your opening post did not differentiate between your experience and what might be going on in the wider case but concluded with "sad indeed" If you had added some qualification like you have in this post then that would have been a different story entirely.
My efforts and the efforts of many honest and concientious contest owners try very hard to keep cheating out of the contests but if you go around spreading "facts" around you don't even know are true generally then you are affecting my business and the businesses of many others before you have even checked them.

Yes I will take the time to correct you on it.

OMG!! that is cute lol

ok fair enough, not every post, but enough to stick out. (and I am not going to go searching for all the posts you felt the need to so





I see, well sorry you think that I am implying you are one of the ones who did it, you are not.


I will do the same, say what I want, and when I want, maybe take your own advice and mind your own business.
Sure seems like you are the hypocrite now



and I too have the right to criticize (be it a person, or a thing), just as much as you have the right to criticize me. and you insinuating that I am a liar, is what offended me.



I never once said you did it, you are the one who brought it up first in this thread. I was merely replying to that comment without actually quoting it (check your past comments and maybe you will see why I said it)



fair enough, but that doesn't explain the other times you have decided to single me out (and no I am not going to go searching for them)




I still stand by my opinion, am I not entitled to my opinion?



and I will take my time to correct you and/or defend my opinion if I feel the need

There has been these two posts of yours and one long ago, there has been no others. Again you misrepresent the truth. You are making accusations here, prove them or drop them. I almost never even respond to your posts.

I don't think you understand what hypocrite means, where did I say you could not have your opinion? I didn't.

You are a liar, you lied in the previous post and you are lying again. I hardly ever respond to your posts, ahh you cannot easily prove anything can you - you deleted too much, not the actions of someone who stands by what they say. I delete nothing. You can go look through my posts, so can anyone and see I hardly respond to you let alone pick on you.

I don't as a rule single you out. I responded today as you happen to pick things that pushed my buttons and I feel strongly about. Everything else to the effect that I routinely pick on your posts is a provable lie to anyone who wants to check my posts. Show me where I single you out or drop the lies.

Sure but when you perceive it that something someone says will affect *your* business you are the first to cry about how you are only just surviving and how harsh that person is for making a comment about you or your business that is negative. That is another case of being a hypocrite and another cry for sympathy.

I don't expect anything else. You should not expect anything else either, so where is the foul in what I said originally in either thread? Only person crying foul here is you.

Wow, look what my simple little post started.... OK here goes my 2 cents...

First, yes the contest does bring in some lindens that we use to support the land expenses. The land that the contest sits on is expensive. We are not looking for a profit by any means, but this is a tool to help pay our land expenses.

Those that have been to our land know that we have a huge variety of activities on our two connecting sims (Club, Whale Riding, Jet Skis, Tiki Huts, Large Outdoor Movie Theater, 1500 Prim Yacht, Sky Diving, Free Cabin Usage, etc) and everyting is totally free for anyone to use.

Secondly, those that have been in the contest (This is the fourth time we have run it) have had a great time and the top winners have also won a ton of Lindens. If this type of activity is not for you, great. But some enjoy it and have a great time.

The reality, in my opinion is this: For MOST in SL, this is a free game to have fun and explore. However the people that supply the lands here pay a good deal of money to allow others to have a free experience.

What's wrong with them adding things tohelp recoup that cost? Especially the people that supply lands that are open to the public with many free activities?

Remember, SL is supposed to be fun! Enjoy it!

*coughs* That's your own choice, dear. Nobody says you have to provide fun for free for other people. But then coming up and saying "Why do people complain about us making money from this? We do so much other stuff that costs nothing!" sits a bit weird with me. Might be just me, though.

I couldnt agree more with you, Novis. But what is wrong with putting something on that land that is not only fun, but will help recoup some of the expenses?

No one has to participate if they dont want to. I have never made a profit on Sl, and to be honest dont want to.

For me, its all about having fun.

I've actually been in one contest, and hosted three contests.

Being in the one sucked - I hated begging my friends to come spend money to vote. It's really not my style to ask people I know to do things for me anyway, and to ask them to spend money to help me? bleh

I went on to host three contests, and yes, I made money on the first two and the last one sucked up the profits from the first two, because both Gabriele's system and the system I used (another creator) have to be manually stopped - which can lead to allegations of favoritism or cheating. Not an acceptable outcome for me. So until such time as someone creates a system that you can set to end at an exact time...I'm out of the contest business.

You should have come to me and told me that HoneyBear, I can certainly look at adding that feature if it is a deal breaker for you. I am very receptive to adding new features. I will see what I can do about it for the next upgrade. Fact is that nobody has asked for that particular feature before.

One question though, if you publish the exact date/time that the contest will end before the contest starts and then stop it at precisely that time manually - how is that perceived differently by your customers than if the contest stops itself automatically?

Maybe we should move this to PM to discuss but I am very interested in getting your viewpoints and information from you to improve the contest.

No the opinion of the contest was opposed by several others before Rha entered her opinion but for some reason it was Rha's opinion that was singled out. That in my "opinion" is seriously messed up.

Actually MoxZ if you read the comments before Rhaorth's again you will see that they were making no assertions about the contests - just joking around and saying pretty much harmless stuff. Rhaorth's post was the first one to start making incorrect assertions about the contest and the people who play it. That is why I corrected her on it.

Also if you read what I put it is mostly explanation, only the first 2 lines actually address and correct Rhaorth's assertions, and whilst it is fairly strong, it is in no way any form of attack. It is in fact my own opinions about her post.
She was judgmental and she is also wrong about these contests in the general case. That is all I said.

The rest is informational. Hardly anything to get hugely worked up over either.

I'm keeping this out here in the open...I think it's useful to other people, and transparency in this issue is important.

You've apparently forgotten Gabriele that I *did* contact you and ask you about your system, and if it could be set to end at a specific time. You told me, as did the creator of the system I used, that the contests had to be ended manually.

In the particular instance of the favoritism allegation, it was a matter of the contest ending at 7:00PM SLT. At 6:59, I was interrupted by RL, and so yes, it was 7:00 when I ended the contest, but it was like 7:00:45, instead of 7:00:00. In that last 45 seconds, there was a flurry of votes - and the person who was in 1st dropped to 2nd. Unfortunate - because that was actually who I did want to win, not that I would ever make that happen.

I promptly received a very hostile IM which ripped on me for so long and so hard, despites my protests that the person who dropped to 2nd would actually have been my preferred winner, that I ended up muting the person - not an action I take lightly or easily, since I'm a business person first and foremost.

I have a "fishing tournament" game that I used to run. In there, you could tell it that you wanted the contest to run for 168 hours (or however many hours), and at the end of that time, it would end the contest and pay out the winnings. I can't see why the photo contests couldn't be set up the same way.

And just think...if you'd posted this on a more appropriate forum - like, oh, Special Attractions - in the first place, likely none of this would have happened at all!

Oooh, good point Puss

It is quite possible that I have forgotten that you made a query about this. My response was definitely true also, that the contest cannot be made to do this as it stands. That is not requesting it to be changed though. I probably had no idea that the feature was that important to you.

Please bear in mind that I get many queries each day but strong requests for features are definitely put into a document I have for future implementation. Having said that I am human and do make mistakes, it is possible that I missed this one off and failed to realise how important it was to you, especially as I don't recall anyone else asking for this feature before or after.

I can definitely look at this again if you are think that there will be others whose situation is similar to your own.