Are "write-in" polls a good idea?

[JoeP]

The powers that be (aye, that it be) have seen fit to create a "write in" facility in polls.
Okay, some new features added today. Some routine updates of old hacks, others in response to requests in this thread. More to come.

...
When creating polls, you may now select to allow write-in votes.

Enjoy! :slide:


Is this A Good Thing?

[Sock Puppet]

Shh! Don't warn them! You'll interfere with my nefarious plan. :caught:

[livius drusus]

I requested the hack 'cause I thought it was a neat feature. It's like an enhanced "Other (please explain)" option.

ETA: OMG you are so tricksy! I swear i posted this before I saw your poll. :giggle:

[ceptimus]

We need someone to take up the user name, 'please specify' so that all the polls with 'Other (please specify)' will look like a write-in vote for that user.

[viscousmemories]

I think it's funneh that I can write-in an option and not vote for it. :snicker:

[wei yau]

Hey! My write-in was there and now it's not!

Well, I wrote-in again, and this time it better stay wroted.

[JoeP]

You probably need to refresh, wei. Your option's right there. I respect your culture and all, but on the internet we refresh.
:P

[livius drusus]

Man, there are a lot of good options now. You should have made this a multiple choice poll.

[wei yau]

Thanks for the advice, Brainiac!

I wrote-in twice, it should appear twice. Refresh or no.

Frankly, I blame your racism.

[JoeP]

You should have made this a multiple choice poll.

Hmm. Can you administratively-retrospectively make it so?

Also, why can't ethnic-Chinese people make multiple write-in votes?

[livius drusus]

'Fraid not. The multiple choice option can only be picked by the poll-starter; it can't be edited in.

The yellow peril should be glad we let them hang out with us at all.


The hack is designed to allow only one write-in option per person. Not really sure why. I suppose to prevent spammage.

[Crumb]

can I edit my right in voat. I think it's mispelt.

[livius drusus]

No, but I can edit it for you.

[Crumb]

Actually, I think it fits.

[livius drusus]

Excellent choice. I think it does too. :nod:

[Sock Puppet]

I totally entered the first write-in and voted for it, and now the stupid thing says I voted for JoeP's write-in and mine is completely not there. Refresh does nothing. I call shenanigans, and they ain't even MY shenanigans.

[Shelli]

What a buncha :loon:s. :cuckoo:

[viscousmemories]

Are you serious, Sock? If it's buggy we have to know before the wrong smilie gets in to the Hall of Fame.

[Ensign Steve]

I think it's funneh that I can write-in an option and not vote for it. :snicker:

Yeah, that's like, wrong.

[Kyuss Apollo]

Well, if it's so wrong, then why does it feel sooooo right? :hugpop:

[godfry n. glad]

Don't wave that thing at me!

I've seen 'em before and I'm sure I'll see 'em again.

It. Is. No. Big. Thing.

and no...I am not laughing at it.

:hahano:

very much

[curses]

Are write in polls a good idea? Yes. Wait, no..hold on...maybe? I guess it depends.

[happykat]

We loves it, my precious!

[Sock Puppet]

Are you serious, Sock? If it's buggy we have to know before the wrong smilie gets in to the Hall of Fame.Yes indeed. I entered the first write-in, about how write-ins are not allowed on Planet X. Apparently, I was transported to Planet X right after I did it, 'cause that option disappeared and the italics indicate that I voted for JoeP's option instead.

Probably the way to test it out is to do a test poll and see if the first write-in similarly disappears after the second is entered.

ETA: I just used the "Change your vote" option to add a new one. That's new too, ain't it?

[Ensign Steve]

We can change our vote? Awesome!

So, how many write-in options do you think it will allow? The same number as the regular poll limit?

[Shelli]

Ooo! Being able to change your vote is a cool option. :yup2:

[viscousmemories]

It's an option available on all polls now, not just write-in polls.

[JoeP]

Well I tested adding multiple write-ins and they seem to have stuck. Wei yau - if you try again (same browser and everything) do you get the same problem? (And if you do, post details of browser etc, and we can pressurise the Admins That Be to report this to the mod authors.)

eta: you won't be able to try again, at least not on this thread!

The score for the option I originally voted for now shows as -1. I wonder if Diebold was involved in this particular mod?

[viscousmemories]

Our theory is that you and Sock tried to write-in your votes simultaneously, resulting in his being lost in the void but showing up as a vote for yours. Apparently when you changed your vote his shifted to where it was supposed to be, thus an option that had only one real vote (yours) saw two votes subtracted (yours and his) resulting in -1 total. We still need to do more testing.

[JoeP]

So, how many write-in options do you think it will allow? The same number as the regular poll limit?

If my calculations are correct, we now have 30 options listed (the max for predefined options). Who wants to try and break the entire board by writing in option 31?

[livius drusus]

Oo, me! I want to make the universe to fold in on itself!1 :hyper:

ETA: The universe is no fun. :sadcheer:

[viscousmemories]

I tried.

This poll already has the maximum number of options set by the administrator.

[Shelli]

So, no universe collapsation? Bah. :walk:

[JoeP]

Our theory is that you and Sock tried to write-in your votes simultaneously, resulting in his being lost in the void but showing up as a vote for yours. Apparently when you changed your vote his shifted to where it was supposed to be, thus an option that had only one real vote (yours) saw two votes subtracted (yours and his) resulting in -1 total. We still need to do more testing.

That is strikingly similar to my theory.

When you say you need to do more testing - is this a mod you have developed by yourself(s) or one from the vb community?

And in the meantime, can we get one of the options down to -2 or lower? :drevil:

[JoeP]

The experiment was a failure
:boyscientist:

[Uthgar the Brazen]

"This business will get out of control! It will get out of control, and we'll be lucky to live through it!"

[JoeP]

I tried.

This poll already has the maximum number of options set by the administrator.

Also, it's amusing that both the admins have pointed out that they weren't able to exceed the maximum number of options set by the admins. It's that old adminological problem: can admins set limits they can't exceed?

[livius drusus]

Ah, but we're not omnimax admins, you see. More like demi-admins.

[JoeP]

ETA: The universe is no fun. :sadcheer:

Also, can admins spoil their own fun? With the forum members watching? :fflove:

[JoeP]

Ah, but we're not omnimax admins, you see. More like demi-admins.

Which, rearranged, says "mad demiins". Quid est veritas, indeed.

[viscousmemories]

When you say you need to do more testing - is this a mod you have developed by yourself(s) or one from the vb community?
As far as I know it came from God (http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=142964). By 'testing' I just meant we need to beat on it some more.

[Shelli]

:orly:

[Dingfod]

I vote JoeP off the island for hogging all the write-ins.

[JoeP]

Ironically, you can't vote that. :P

[SharonDee]

Also, can admins spoil their own fun? With the forum members watching? :fflove::emotiporn:

:wank:

[Sock Puppet]

Our theory is that you and Sock tried to write-in your votes simultaneously, resulting in his being lost in the void but showing up as a vote for yours. Apparently when you changed your vote his shifted to where it was supposed to be, thus an option that had only one real vote (yours) saw two votes subtracted (yours and his) resulting in -1 total. We still need to do more testing.The problem with this theory is that I viewed the page after entering the write-in, voted for it, then viewed it again. It wasn't until I viewed the thread again, later, that my write-in was gone and my vote had shifted to JoeP's write-in. Unless maybe there's a sort of limbo period during which what I view isn't actually written to the database? Sort of an interim step between a preview and a normal view? I dunno, I'm ignern't on this stuff. Also, I changed my vote to my new write-in, so I don't think it shifted to my lost-to-the-void vote, it just shifted to my new write-in.

Which, BTW, is now tied for first place. :cheer: That just means that one other person voted for it, but I'm still using it as an ego-stroke. It's my personal truth.

[Crumb]

So the "Change a Vote" option is available on all polls now? Is there a way a poll creator can disable that option?

[viscousmemories]

No, but feel free to argue for the power to control other's votes, Mussolini.

[Crumb]

:confused:

[viscousmemories]

Um, I mean no, it is not possible for the poll creator to prevent people from changing their votes. However it is possible to restrict the ability to those polls where write-in votes are enabled, and we're open to hearing any arguments in favor of doing so.

[wei yau]

I liked it better when you called Crumb a fascist.

[Sock Puppet]

:yeahthat:

[viscousmemories]

Don't worry, it's like when one of the lawyers says something totally objectionable, and the other lawyer objects, and the judge tells the jury to forget they ever heard it. Nobody thinks they'll really forget, do they? ;)

[Crumb]

:brooding:

[wei yau]

No, no Crumb. You got it all wrong. Hitler had more of that wide-eyed angry glare.

[Crumb]

I'm not Hitler!

[viscousmemories]

I notice you're not denying the Mussolini connection. :chin:

[mickthinks]

I've got Hitler on "Ignore".

[Ensign Steve]

Um, I mean no, it is not possible for the poll creator to prevent people from changing their votes. However it is possible to restrict the ability to those polls where write-in votes are enabled, and we're open to hearing any arguments in favor of doing so.

So that every poll doesn't end up like this one?

[Crumb]

I am not a fascist of any kind! :glare:

[livius drusus]

Um, I mean no, it is not possible for the poll creator to prevent people from changing their votes. However it is possible to restrict the ability to those polls where write-in votes are enabled, and we're open to hearing any arguments in favor of doing so.

So that every poll doesn't end up like this one?
What's wrong with this one? Except for that -1 bug which we're working on, I don't see that the ability to change votes has caused any problems in this poll.

[Ensign Steve]

Not arguing against changing votes. Arguing for the poll creator's option to disallow write-in votes.

[livius drusus]

Oh, 'cause you quoted vm on changing votes. The poll creator already has the option to allow write-in votes. (By default they're disallowed.)

[Ensign Steve]

I was responding to, "However it is possible to restrict the ability to those polls where write-in votes are enabled, and we're open to hearing any arguments in favor of doing so."

Having not started any polls recently, and not knowing that the option was already available to the poll creator, I took the above to mean it was possible by the software, and vm was looking for a reason to implement it.

[livius drusus]

I was responding to, "However it is possible to restrict the ability to those polls where write-in votes are enabled, and we're open to hearing any arguments in favor of doing so."
Right. It is not possible for the poll creator to prevent people from changing their votes. However, it is possible to restrict the ability to those polls where write-in votes are enabled.

Having not started any polls recently, and not knowing that the option was already available to the poll creator, I took the above to mean it was possible by the software, and vm was looking for a reason to implement it.
The ability vm and Crumb were discussing was the ability to change votes. We can set it so people can change votes only in write-in polls (presumably when a new option comes along that better suits them), but right now we have set so people can change votes on all polls. We're open to hearing arguments against that, though, if folks think allowing vote changes on non-write-in polls is a bad idea.

[Kyuss Apollo]

I notice you're not denying the Mussolini connection. :chin:

I am not a fascist of any kind! :glare:


:roflmao:

[Ensign Steve]

Still unable to parse ...

"Right. It is not possible for the poll creator to prevent people from changing their votes. However, it is possible (for whom?) to restrict the ability (what ability?) to those polls where write-in votes are enabled."

Edit: :chicken::chicken: I read your edit.

[livius drusus]

"Right. It is not possible for the poll creator to prevent people from changing their votes. However, it is possible (for whom?)
For the admins, via the ACP.

to restrict the ability (what ability?)
The ability for members to change their votes

... to those polls where write-in votes are enabled."

Edit: Yay! :chicken: :chicken:

[Crumb]

I notice you're not denying the Mussolini connection. :chin:

I am not a fascist of any kind! :glare:


:roflmao:
What? :dopey:

[MonCapitan2002]

The powers that be (aye, that it be) have seen fit to create a "write in" facility in polls.
Okay, some new features added today. Some routine updates of old hacks, others in response to requests in this thread. More to come.

...
When creating polls, you may now select to allow write-in votes.

Enjoy! :slide:


Is this A Good Thing?
I happen to think so. Being able to write in a vote would be an incredibly nifty feature.

[livius drusus]

Would be? It already is a feature.

[Crumb]

I assume the ability to change your vote ends when a poll closes? If so I have no objections to leaving the ability in for all polls.

[viscousmemories]

You are correct, suh.

[Crumb]

:hatsoff:

[viscousmemories]

Whoa, my vote has disappeared. :eek:

[viscousmemories]

This hack seems to have been abandoned by its author, so we (and by we I mean you, JoeP) might have to take a look at the code ourselves if we want to get to the bottom of the disappearing votes.

[JoeP]

I don't see a particular connection, for the poll-starter, between enabling write-in votes and enabling vote-changing. If it's possible to enable/disable vote changing as a separate option that would be ideal. It should also be possible for admins to change this option during the life of the poll.

[Ensign Steve]

Can I see the code, too? I can't actually be of any help, but I'm teaching myself php, and I'd love to have an actual problem to work on instead of the random shit I come up with for myself. I am so not creative.

[JoeP]

ES, learn from your car experience. The code has all sorts of newfangled electronic moving parts. Leave it to the men.

[Leesifer]

I can't add mine. So I'm not going to vote for any of youse fuckers! :mutter:

[Watser?]

How does JoeP get to have -1 votes? :? :wtf:

[Shelli]

:giggle:

[SharonDee]

Whoa, my vote has disappeared. :eek:Complain to an admin. Don't let them get away with a substandard feature!

[Ensign Steve]

ES, learn from your car experience. The code has all sorts of newfangled electronic moving parts. Leave it to the men.

Wow. That is so mean!

[Crumb]

ES, learn from your car experience. The code has all sorts of newfangled electronic moving parts. Leave it to the men.

Wow. That is so mean!
This is why JoeP has -1 votes.

[viscousmemories]

I sent Steve the code, but joking aside I don't think it'll be much use to her without a working knowledge of vBulletin's backend.

[ceptimus]

Can I see the code, too? I can't actually be of any help, but I'm teaching myself php, and I'd love to have an actual problem to work on instead of the random shit I come up with for myself. I am so not creative.

We're still waiting for a thought version of the speech balloon

Something like this :makeawish: but without the smiley or cake, and with the words inside the 'thought'.

Also the Inscription hack.

If you're interested, then vm or I can send you the {balloon} php code so you can see how that works - it might be a starting point.

[JoeP]

I sent Steve the code, but joking aside I don't think it'll be much use to her without a working knowledge of vBulletin's backend.

Exactly. No one wants to go making assumptions about backends here.

cep's suggestions are good though. The balloon hack is not too dependent on the whole vbulletin infrastructure.

[Crumb]

Um from what I see going on in the limerick poll, this hack may be breaking normal poll functionality. I lost two voters on that poll somehow. Can an admin look in to that?

[viscousmemories]

Sorry, Crumb. We've disabled the "write-in" add-on until we can sort the bugs.

[ceptimus]

Maybe it's not a bug? Can people use the 'change your vote' feature to simply remove their vote? If so, then the number of voters could indeed go down.

* ceptimus has never tried to change his vote yet, so maybe he's talking rubbish.

[viscousmemories]

No it's definitely buggy. On the first day of this thread I wrote in a vote and voted for a different entry. Two days later there's suddenly no indication that I voted at all (though my write-in is still there).

[JoeP]

Bug or not, the 'change your vote' feature does in fact remove your vote, then allow you to pick another. If you don't pick another, or something prevents you from completing it, your vote is just removed and there's one less voter than before.

[livius drusus]

FIX IT, JOE!!1 :control: