CactiGuide.com

Need a new one - how about
varigates
new spines
fur/wool

I like the new spines idea!

Just wanted to add my two cents. If each contests takes 2 to 3 weeks then there are probably 18 or more contests per year. I know runnning the contests is a lot of work and I appreciate it.

Judging form the numbers in the current contest (22 entrants, 26 votes, and almost 300 views) many more people view the pictures than enter or vote. With this in mind, it may be important to think about what members and visiters want to see in addition to what they want to enter. I suspect that many people, especially those that live where few if any cacti grow wild, would like to see cacti in their native habitat.

I also agree that it is desireable to have categories in which most members could participate if they wanted to. How about a compromise, some "general" contests and some more limited? I don't know what the correct ratio is. Every other one, every third one... you get the idea.

As for general categories: specific widely collected genera, selected colors, specific habits, odd or unusual shapes, etc.

As for a more limited category: pollen from Cylrindropuntia cholla collected on September 18th, 2009 at around 6 pm local time just kidding!

Well, maybe that is my three cents worth. Dale

Dalesmicro wrote: (22 entrants, 26 votes, and almost 300 views) many more people view the pictures than enter or vote.

Dale,
Just one thing to keep in mind. The number of views does not mean unique views by registered members.

Many people look though the forum on a whim as guests and don't sign up and those views are counted.

Also, if someone looks at the thread 10 times, that counts for 10 views even though it was the same person.

Not to detract from your input, just clarifying how those numbers are generated.

Thanks for the clarification on how the numbers are obtained. What you say is important becauses it changes my comment to a question: How much weight should viewer's desires be given? And, if it is considered to be important: How can it be determined?

A new question: would there be an advantage in having at least some of the contest topics available several months, perhaps even a year, in advance? The advantage is that members could have the topics in mind ahead of time, and take pictures as they present themselves rather than what is available at the time.

While this would be more work initially, once it is going it wouldn't be any more work than now, and if it were done as a repeating yearly calendar, perhaps with some "open dates" to provide for variety and new ideas, it would actually be less work.

Just a thought, Dale

I see what you're saying, Dale. However, IMHO, the contests should be random and spur of the moment. It would detract from the fun if you have it all scheduled out months ahead of time.

I agree Darryl.

Of course, there is no reason why a seperate contest is not possible. For an annual contest, I think you would announce the topic and then schedule a 1 or 2 week submission period. Like a best of the year shot. Might be fun to do.

Thanks for the clairfication on why the contests topics aren't planned far in advance. I can understand that side also. Dale

I think best member of Parodia would be a good idea, they are one of my favorite (actually pre-Parodia Notocactus). I've got quite a few I could contribute photos of.

Just a note to say I've added the lastest winner to the winner's gallery.

I find these pages are always fun to look through every so often.

http://www.cactiguide.com/contest2/

Daiv

Well, contest 28 was my first entry and I got disqualified by being alive...

Nevertheless, the contests are great and a few ideas that come to mind:

seedlings
new growth
offsets (pups, offshoots, or whatever they are called)
pests
corking

Thanks for your efforts on the contests,

Shmuel

Terrerium? I havn't read all posts to see if someone had mentioned but I read a few pages in.

Well I don't suppose we'd like that I was thinking of cactus dishes though. Not terrariums.

I think it's great