Microstockgroup is on the verge of topping 100,000 posts.  To commemorate this event I thought it would be great to try and give a thanks to everyone for contributing to a great community filled with helpful members and good conversation.

So to celebrate B&H photo has very generously agreed to sponsor a small competition. 

This is how it will work.
Recently on microstock a 'helpful post' icon was installed.  If you feel someone has posted something helpful, or something you enjoyed reading you can click the heart icon beside the quote button.  That action will mark that post as helpful.  On June 15th the user who has the highest amount of helpful posts will be declared the winner of the competition with second and third place also being rewarded. 

How to win?  Make helpful posts and try to answer peoples questions.

Here are some more general rules, mostly in place to stop 'gaming of the system'. 

The competition will be fairly relaxed but certain rules will be enforced to keep things as fair as possible
.         The moderator / owners of the site cannot win (that's me)
.         Users cannot mark their own posts as helpful (automatically enforced)
.         Users may only mark a post as helpful once (automatically enforced)
.         Users must wait 15 minutes between marking posts as helpful (automatically enforced)
.         Users must have 10 posts of their own before they can mark other's posts as helpful (automatically enforced)
.         Users cannot mark the same users posts as helpful before marking 2 other users posts as helpful automatically enforced)
.         The competition will end at midnight on June 15th Norwegian Time (GMT +1)

Hopefully we can keep this 'light' and fun and give thanks to the people who are making this site a better place. May the most helpful member win

oh yes, and the prizes
Gift certificates from B&H Photo
First place $100 gift
Second - $25
Third - $25

So a big thanks to B&H Photo for being supportive of our community


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unfortunately unnecessary additional comments aka. the small writting at the bottom
As with any sort of 'competition' with a prize, people like to try and game the system.  Please don't.  Gameing the system could include telling people to vote for you, telling people to sign up to the forum simply to vote for you, exchanging votes with other members as part of a 'deal'.  Once the competition is over I will look closely at the winners helpful post marks and check if they were all from a small group of individuals, from the same IP, exchanged with other etc. etc. and basically check to see if they were trying to cheat.  If cheating was part of the winning strategy the user will be disqualified and the next in line will be the winner.

Sounds good.  I am looking forward to the surge in useful posts! 

Can I help you in any way?

Just trying to be useful 

Of course my wife would say that's impossible!

How can I help you ?   

Congrats on the milestone Tyler!  This is a great site and a benefit to everyone who participates

Quote from: lisafx on May 21, 2009, 23:19
Congrats on the milestone Tyler!  This is a great site and a benefit to everyone who participates

Ditto.

I'm against the whole popularity vote thingy, but if I have to I'll vote for Tyler (Leaf) 

It's nice to be nice - but now it pays also!
Congrats on the milestone.

100,000 post with an average of 10/mins per post, included reading, that's 1,000,000 minutes or 16,666 hours, 694 days, almost 2 years, or 6 years if you assume a working day of 8 hours. Paid 35,000$ per year that means 210,000$.

Assuming the production of a photo for stock takes 1hr, included planning, taking, postprocessing, uploading and nagging about it when it doesn't sell well, that's a loss of over 16,000 photos for stock.

Adding the indirect effect of unemployed girls with headsets, the lower sales of headsets as props, the CO2 footprint and the energy bill, it's clear who caused the economy crisis. 

While Im reading and see this hart I have hart attack 
I know my posts are puke to iStock and I am on list to ignore but Ignore list is more visible that this hearth sign beside Quote.
Why ignore mark beside guages anyhow???
Blahhhh
dont listen me any more, its real morning and I dont know what I am talking...
Surely not Cmon (moan) iStock lovers clik on my hearh symbol...
kh kh
Tomorow I must buy additional Omega 3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 22 for my hearth, or lenses too....

Quote from: Suljo on May 22, 2009, 04:03
While Im reading and see this hart I have hart attack 
I know my posts are puke to iStock and I am on list to ignore but Ignore list is more visible that this hearth sign beside Quote.
Why ignore mark beside guages anyhow???
Blahhhh
dont listen me any more, its real morning and I dont know what I am talking...
Surely not Cmon (moan) iStock lovers clik on my hearh symbol...
kh kh
Tomorow I must buy additional Omega 3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 22 for my hearth, or lenses too....

What ignore mark?    Try waking up and clear your cache

Congratulations Tyler! How exciting on getting a sponsorship. YEY!!!   

Have we reached 100k already?

we are at 99,288 posts

wah...that's nice

Just thought i would give this a bump for anyone who hasn't seen it already.

There is still two weeks left, so anyone can still win.

And remember to give a blue heart as thanks to those who are posting helpful things.

I have only 9 useful posts.  I feel useless!   

6 days to go on this.  The results are still pretty close so anyone could win... and remember to vote for those who you think are making helpful posts.

Congrats to everyone who took part and especially to the winners who made some great posts.  Nice to see members who have contributed a lot to the site place well, and also great to see a new member steal third place .  The winners are........

1st Place ($100): lisafx          
2nd Place ($25): Whitechild    
3rd Place ($25): Catastrophe    

The winners should be getting an email soon telling you how to claim your prize.

Well done Lisa! Very well deserved too, I also appreciate your input here.

My usefulness is still very low.

I will sue MSG to pay my therapist.   

Quote from: madelaide on June 16, 2009, 11:32
My usefulness is still very low.

I will sue MSG to pay my therapist.   

well the max was only 39 so there wasn't too many people clicking on the blue hearts.  I think you should be happy for every one you got

Quote from: leaf on June 16, 2009, 10:54
Congrats to everyone who took part and especially to the winners who made some great posts.  Nice to see members who have contributed a lot to the site place well, and also great to see a new member steal third place .  The winners are........

1st Place ($100): lisafx          
2nd Place ($25): Whitechild    
3rd Place ($25): Catastrophe    

The winners should be getting an email soon telling you how to claim your prize.

Catastrophe? Are you serious?

Pardon me, but I've been around here for a while and have never heard of that person. Looking at his/her profile shows that (s)he's made only six posts over the course of four days and hasn't been on the forum since May 21. And for that a prize is awarded over others who are regular and long time contributors?
Sorry, leaf, but you gave third place to someone who clearly doesn't deserve it.

Nice to see that Lisa has been recognised for her valuable input  into this site. Well done!

Quote from: sharply_done on June 16, 2009, 15:03
Pardon me, but I've been around here for a while and have never heard of that person.

I had the same thought. The first two were expected, but when I got to the third name, I said "huh? who?"

Congrats, Lisa...well deserved!

Quote from: whatalife on June 16, 2009, 15:50

Quote from: sharply_done on June 16, 2009, 15:03
Pardon me, but I've been around here for a while and have never heard of that person.

I had the same thought. The first two were expected, but when I got to the third name, I said "huh? who?"

Congrats, Lisa...well deserved!

Like they said --- especially about congrats to Lisa.