been thinking...

simplespud · Post by **simplespud** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:07 pm

Hey all,

Well, i've only been a member for a few weeks, but remember reading something about attracting new members. I think it was Timbo who wrote about emailing new crunchers, but there were problems with his email being recognised as spam.
Ive been thinking about this - I know, i try not to do too much of that...

On another note, Ive noticed on the UBT Stats page there are a lot of team members no longer crunching..each has there own reasons I'm sure - very good ones, but I'll take a guess and say that some, maybe even a lot of those who are still team members but not crunching aren't forum members as well?
From my own experience from crunching for Seti classic, some years ago now, before the change over to boinc. I can understand why people start to crunch but don't stick with it - Sat there at home, crunching on your own - not being a part of something bigger?
Problems occur or boredom sets in..... (which happens from looking at your own little output getting you nowhere up the world rankings). Are the measly number of units your outputting really doing any good?

My two grey cells tell me that keeping existing members crunching is just as important as getting new ones. Feeling that its worthwhile to join the forum, beneficial and more fun to join a team...

Ive got some ideas of how to attract new forum members and team members - will need a lot of discussion on the forum though.

Before I carry on with this....mini rant I suppose, is any of this making sense?

Oh yeah and is this the right place to post this?

Anyway - must be off - pick my daughter up from gymnastics - wish me luck as normally shes so hyper at the end, its as though she's been
drip-fed fizzy coke and eaten enough chocolate to sink a small tanker...

Cheers

Si

Rockinfroggi · Post by **Rockinfroggi** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:19 pm

Oh dear, a team member thinking, I did that once and look what happened to me......

Still, with years of psychotherapy I should get back to normal one day.

UBT - mickyb69 · Post by **UBT - mickyb69** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:21 pm

simplespud · Post by **simplespud** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 5:24 pm

Rockinfroggi wrote:Oh dear, a team member thinking, I did that once and look what happened to me......

Still, with years of psychotherapy I should get back to normal one day.

I know, I wasn't blessed with the power of thought to begin with - so on the rare occasion it happens - its down right scary!!

Anyway for the first idea - getting team members to join the forum.
WCG gave me the idea with their project badges.
Through the team, we all take part in project competitions, like the WCG Christmas one running now.
Is it possible to organise internal forum members competitions - one week in every month - Timby picks a project and the forum members crunch as much as they want on that project.

Ultimately its a competition - but for obvious reasons, it can't go off total credit scored for that week, or even RAC. I thought it may be possible to recognise winners through their increased amount of credit on a given project.
So I crunch for 4 projects, if one of those happens to be the chosen project for that month - I can sign up for the comp, through the forum.
I probably won't come 1st, 2nd or 3rd - but other badges can be given for things like contribution to the competition project - amount of time dedicated to crunching etc.
The badges can be tagged on to the sigs - Im a designer, sure I can come up with something for how the badges look.

Their not given out willy nilly either, but enough to keep people interested, see that it is possible to win one and feel that their competing. It also gets people signing up for the forum and getting involved - which is the ultimate purpose...the more involved people are, the longer they are liable to crunch.

It could be promoted on the UBT Stats front page for instance - which I'm sure most team members visit.
To make existing team members aware, who have never joined the forum and are no longer crunching - we would need to email them - this is the tricky bit re spam - but I don't mind emailing individual team members - just need to see what everyone feels would be the best wording, subject heading etc - so they don't delete without at least first reading.

It will probably involve quite a bit or work - to begin with especially, and forum members will need to weigh in and help - yes I am volunteering to help, and yes that was another idea - gotta stop this thinking lark!

Anyway, this may have been tried before and not worked, but what do you think?

Post by **UBT - Mikee** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:59 pm

Don't worry about Gary - though he's one of the more saner among us!

Hi Gary!

As for your idea, half has been done before in the team crunches (and Sneaky Club missions). However, the rest is not an idea we've thought about - i.e. winning UBT badges. I think it's quite a good one actually!
An easy way would be to put a credit under your name instead of 'Elite' ratings. Not sure how easy it would be to have an actual picture there though - anyone know?

I'm sure Timbo will have something to say about a mass email, we haven't had one for several months, certainly not this year. Speaking of whom.... anyone heard from him lately?

simplespud · Post by **simplespud** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:42 am

Did I get a little carried away yesterday - most probably!

I like the idea of internal comps though - get more people involved or hope to...
and it doesn't matter whether its badges or credit under the name - cheers for that Mikee, but a competition every member has a chance of winning, whether you have a single machine or a whole grid of them...would help to promote the team and forum and keep people crunching.
- im getting carried away again....

Anyway, now now ive got that off my chest im gonna stop thinking now, its beginning to hurt...where are those nurofen... :bom:

UBT - mickyb69 · Post by **UBT - mickyb69** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 1:14 pm

Keep ranting .....Might get another charity based Cheese Comp :lol:

Joshrandom · Post by **Joshrandom** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 1:50 pm

UBT - mickyb69 wrote: Keep ranting .....Might get another charity based Cheese Comp :lol:

Yay! :lol:

hgblade · Post by **hgblade** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:32 pm

No guarantees here .... but might just be able to arrange for a little 'product placement' (say UBT logo and/or web address) on 'live' Sky Sports next weekend - subject, in the first instance, to our worthy founder's approval - followed by a decent slice of luck. :)

Rockinfroggi · Post by **Rockinfroggi** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:06 pm

UBT - Mikee wrote:Don't worry about Gary - though he's one of the more saner among us! Hi Gary!

Hi Mikee........Ga ga goo goo :laughing3:

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:37 pm

Sounds good, just the implementing that is the tricky bit. I guess we better start handing out the hobnobs again :lol: Ahh bribery :P

Post by **UBT - Mikee** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:11 pm

Rockinfroggi wrote:
UBT - Mikee wrote:Don't worry about Gary - though he's one of the more saner among us! Hi Gary!

Hi Mikee........Ga ga goo goo :laughing3:

Hmmm.... Maybe not! :laughing3:

Sounds an interesting idea! You're not gonna get an advert on the football side hoardings are you? That would be cool! (and expensive!)

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:31 pm

Rockinfroggi wrote:
UBT - Mikee wrote:Don't worry about Gary - though he's one of the more saner among us! Hi Gary!

Hi Mikee........Ga ga goo goo :laughing3:

An A4 peice of paper with the UKBT logo stuck on the local pub tv? :lol: (Why didn't i think of that!?)

And before bob, melter, or NA get here. Yes i know... I can't have anything more then a shandy!

Mmmm bubbles

hgblade · Post by **hgblade** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:47 pm

UBT - Mikee wrote:

Sounds an interesting idea! You're not gonna get an advert on the football side hoardings are you? That would be cool! (and expensive!)

Similar principle! I've had an involvement with the Blades, beyond being just a supporter, for more years than I care to remember. For the last 18 years or so I've looked after their electronic scoreboards - from the mundane mono, almost-static, sort to the current video-enabled full-colour system. I have plenty of freedom to develop adverts etc etc - and, of course, these 'ads-in-development (with or without graphics)' need to be tested!

Now ... it seems to me to be an ideal opportunity to just see what a UBT ad might look like on the board! :) And ... as it so happens ... not only are we on TV on Saturday evening, but I just happen to have a TV in my little room that means that I have the chance to see if & when the scoreboard is on show - the press of 1 pre-programmed hot-key is all that would then be needed! :lol:

And even if we miss TV exposure I can still catch the home crowd of around 20,000.

Just a thought!

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:53 pm

I'm on nights Saturday, I'll miss the match on Sky!

By the way, keep coming up with the ideas, Mr Spud! Very interesting!

simplespud · Post by **simplespud** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:49 pm

Sat Evening?
Will have to wrestle the remote off my daughter at that time!
I'll probably loose.... but good luck with it - great idea.

Not too sure about more ideas Melter - that means thinking!
mind you, did someone mention cheese earlier???

:tongue8: