Polling POLLution!!!!

[cdntrains]

Man this is SUCH a polling frenzy now!!

OK, this is getting a bit too much.. (even for a survey/poll supporter like myself)

Now that we have all seemed to try out this polling feature, can we reserve it for more “legitimate” AND constructive topics!?!?

Just for example, this one seems to be applying all the “principles”:

http://www.trainsim.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=3911&forum=DCForumID5&omm=0

(I’m sure there are others like it out there.. just the first one I caught) This one seems pretty legit to me, and a valid (as valid as it’s going to get), constructive poll..

This is mine,

http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/DCForumID1/1558.html (the 2nd poll to be created on here.. a little more legit I think.. but that’s my biased opinion..)

I tried to take into account everyone’s possible opinions on a particular issue, and I was not looking to create an uproar or flames-a-flying..

Polls are ok, IF they can be a little more legitimate and validated as to exactly why they need to be on here.. Sure, I even made the argument at one time that polls/surveys help to get to know each, but can we be truthful about our intentions with them and look to AVOID problems (with topics, wording, etc..) that ARE foreseeable!?!?

Obviously polls CANNOT be called statistically significant, as there is no random sampling, and it is all done by volunteering.. But I still do believe that they can have an important function on here.. They can provide easier ways to find out legitimate/constructive information about things that needs/or would like to be known.. Some polls on here seem to be on here solely to fill in some space/time while seeking to find out replies will come from a controversial issue.. If that’s going to stay like that, we may as well start from the beginning and ask “what’s your favourite colour!?” then!!

Maybe a forum strictly devoted to polls, where people can choose to click on it and “go at your own risk”.. (this restriction would only be on the “polling” function.. typed out surveys/general questions could still be used on the other forums)..

Just my opinions and my 2 cents worth for Jan 28/02..

Take care all,

P.S. This was NOT posted to create controvery or a flame war, just wanted to state my opinion..

[font color=dark red] cdntrains [font color=green]http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c7901308954.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c5f00e6d1a6.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c4700760218.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c2174f7a9ee.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2bc673f94330.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2b8e73421927.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2be4745d6ae1.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c0174b5bdd7.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c0174b5bdd7.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c2174f7a9ee.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c4700760218.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2b8e73421927.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2bc673f94330.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c2174f7a9ee.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c2174f7a9ee.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c4700760218.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2bc673f94330.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c0174b5bdd7.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c0174b5bdd7.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2c4700760218.gif "must be trains in the blood" :)
[font size=1] http://www.frograil.com/gifs/gifs.htm

[Stumbl]

while I tend to agree with most of your opinions I have ONE major problem/disagreement !

it's not Jan 28/02
it's uhhh , June :-)

[century242]

I agree, polls are good for asking questions sometimes, but I do not think they need to be made every other post.


"Keep on Trucking by Train"
"Your freight goes great with Great Northern."
http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1d06084e195e7f.jpg
Erik Pierson
Sacramento, Ca

Bringing steam to the digital world.
www.sacramentolocomotiveworks.com

[TheToolman]

[polls CANNOT be called statistically significant, as there is no random sampling, and it is all done by volunteering]

Heh heh. Who's studied statistics then, eh? ;-) LOL My lecturer would call it "self-selection", but it means the same thing of course. You suggest having a forum just for polls, but surely that would only magnify the problem of self-selection, in that the ONLY people who would even go into the forum would be people actually looking for polls to vote on. At least if polls are in the main forums, you can be reasonably sure that a representative cross-section of the TrainSim community at least SEES the poll, and hopefully would encourage a representative cross-section to vote in them too.

On the other hand, what kind of person would go browsing around a poll forum? Perhaps it would attract those individuals who are prepared to provide meaningful votes (perhaps those who understand the importance of getting meaningful data, eh?), so that might work in the favour of the poll-posters. Interesting...

Sincerely,
The Toolman

[cdntrains]

HAHA!! So it is!! oh man.. where have I been!? :+ I think I wrote it a little too fast..

[font color=dark red] cdntrains [font color=green]http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec217553a3b730.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2191540a8db6.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec214b53569e07.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec20f852193cf6.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec20d65193381e.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec2110527b0ea2.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec206650212031.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec206650212031.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec206650212031.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec20ae50e6774d.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec212e52e624c3.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec212e52e624c3.gif "must be trains in the blood" :)
[font size=1] http://www.frograil.com/gifs/gifs.htm

[cdntrains]

true, true, very true..

hehe.. I'm pretty sure that they're in it for other "reasons" and not looking to publish the results in a scientific journal.. (ok enough stats!)

didn't know ya were so interested in stats, toolman!? I thought grunts and cars were your thing!? ;-)

[font color=dark red] cdntrains [font color=green] http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d08084d2ef222d7.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d0808682f365ff5.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d0808822f6ad486.gif "must be trains in the blood" :)
[font size=1] http://www.frograil.com/gifs/gifs.htm

[Stumbl]

for most of the polls that have been put up , the choices you have negate any true data you may have recieved because
A;the semantics used
B;not enough choices
C;the *(&^%&*( semantics used.

if you can't tell , I've been underwhelmed by the polls........

[pstraten]

"OK, this is getting a bit too much.. (even for a survey/poll supporter like myself)"

Old saying: "Be careful what you ask for. You might just get it."

:-)


PaulS

http://nkprr.railfan.net/gifs/notforgotten.gif

[TheToolman]

LOL You're talking to a man who has a PHD! Okay, so it was honorary,
but even so...

Actually, IRL I do have a BSc (not honorary ;-) ), and stats was one thing I studied for it. I also enjoyed reading a book called "How To Lie With Statistics" by Darrell Huff - excellent book and highly recommended for anyone who's interested. :-)

But this has nothing to do with TrainSim, so I'll stop there. :-p

Sincerely,
Dr. Toolman

[jm1941]

G'day folks,

I, and I would suppose some others here saw the first couple of polls appear, and thought they were really to do with this new forum set-up which I thought was really a bit too soon to judge properly anyway, but I participated. BUT only to find a spat of polls appearing for all sorts of things. I feel I have been HAD. So, now for me, no more clicking on Poll Posts. Yes,,,, too much polling POLLution... Personally, the reason for a poll, needs to be for a very genuine reason.

http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c1cf86d0c649e7c.gif

[DarkestRose]

I think its a case of the new toy syndrome ~chuckle~ it will fade soon... I hope...


[br][br][hr][br][br]"Is All That We See Or Seem But A Dream Within A Dream?"[br][br]--Edgar Allen Poe[br][br]—«–Œ[br][br][br]——The DarkestRose is van de Meester——[br][br]http://www1.netzany.com/sdr/dkrose.jpg[br][br][hr][br][br]

[cdntrains]

These new toys are damn popular.. But could the one's who use them PLEASE read the "implicit" instructions/requests from the other forum users BEFORE playing with these new toys!?!? Do you guys see where we are coming from??

Thanks,

[font color=dark red] cdntrains [font color=green] http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4db50eff55ee.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4ddf0fac55ee.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4d850e3869d7.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec206650212031.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cec206650212031.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4e9b12864061.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4e3d111b738a.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4ec913805f38.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4e7d1228bc46.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4e3d111b738a.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4ec913805f38.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4e9b12864061.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4e6311a1b3b5.gif http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1f4eae13090abc.gif "must be trains in the blood" :)
[font size=1] http://www.frograil.com/gifs/gifs.htm