DU Update: Polls are almost ready for launch -- please help us test

[EarlG]

We are now testing DU3's new poll functionality! Currently only Admins can create polls but once this test is complete we'll open it up to all eligible members.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DU2 POLLS AND DU3 POLLS

• DU3 polls now come with the option to set a time limit (24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month) after which the poll will expire and people will no longer be able to vote. There is also an "Unlimited" option.


• DU2 poll votes were private. DU3 poll votes are public. Logged-in members can click the "Show usernames" link to see who voted for which option.


• DU2 polls would not allow you to change your vote once it had been cast. DU3 polls allow you to undo your vote and make a different choice if you change your mind (or if you accidentally clicked the wrong button).


• While any logged-in member can vote in a DU3 poll, only Star Members can create DU3 polls. This has not changed from DU2 where only donors could create polls.


• Polls in groups: by default polls can be created in all groups. However, if an individual group decides that they do not wish to allow polls, they can petition Admin and we'll consider disabling polls in that group.


• Polls in forums: polls may be posted in General Discussion, Politics 2012, and The Lounge. Polls cannot be created in Latest Breaking News, Video & Multimedia, or Good Reads, since polls would generally contradict the Statements Of Purpose for those forums. In addition polls cannot be created in Help & Meta-discussion, because that forum doesn't need any new tools for creating drama.


• All DU3 polls automatically include an option to "Pass" which allows members to indicate that they don't want to choose any of the available options.

So with that said, please feel free to test our first public DU3 poll by casting your vote below!

What is your favorite presidential quote?

123 votes, 6 passes | Time left: Time expired
	"Yes we can."
	13 (11%)
	"I am not a crook."
	6 (5%)
	"I still believe in a place called Hope."
	5 (4%)
	"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do."
	6 (5%)
	"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
	15 (12%)
	"Read my lips, no new taxes."
	0 (0%)
	"I don't give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell."
	59 (48%)
	"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
	2 (2%)
	"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
	17 (14%)
	6 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[tosh]

1. K & R.

[Skip Intro]

2. WhooHooo!!! nt

[spanone]

3. k&r...

[annabanana]

4. kickers...

[hlthe2b]

5. I'm the only one chosing JFK's famous quote? Updated: good, it's a trend....

Oh and Good on the admins (and especially Elad) for all the hard work/programming on this

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Complaints about how other DUers vote should be posted ...

... in the Help and Meta (aka "Whining&quot forum.



And, +1 on the congrats to admins for the work.

[hlthe2b]

14. Nah, it might escalate...

so surely you'd advise cross posting in the "gungeon"..... The gungeon-- where posts go to die... "Help & Meta" where threads NEVER die (though many of us, after perusing that forum, advocate for mercy killing).

[SunsetDreams]

17. So true...

a mercy killing or a good

[RebelOne]

15. Nope, I did and I am old enough to have voted for him. n/t

[siligut]

6. Love the new look too

Beautiful, classic, easy to read design.

[xchrom]

8. jfk for me! nt

[SunsetDreams]

9. LMAO "In addition polls cannot be created in Help & Meta-discussion..."

because that forum doesn't need any new tools for creating drama."

[RC]

67. That's what I was waiting for. Why?

To settle arguments on who really had a majority say on things. The back and forth, you know - "Don't you dare, that's hurtful". / "Huh? They just used that on Sesame Street a few minutes ago".
Drama! Some people just don't know the meaning of the word.

[TBF]

73. +1 that was hilarious! nt

[gkhouston]

76. Also, Meta doesn't need any new tools. n/t

[pscot]

108. It needs a fainting couch

[tabatha]

10. Can you add the option to not show usernames for specific polls

e.g. the photography polls - possibly those should be not shown. (Maybe that is a flawed thought.)

[bluedigger]

24. I agree.

The photography polls are really just contests with nothing to be gained by showing usernames. Showing them may contribute to hurt feelings with no corresponding benefit.

[Maine-ah]

105. showing names shouldn't be on there at all imho...

I think that there are plenty of polls that have been created on DU on subject matter that a person wouldn't want to be identified. Yeah, they can make the choice not to vote, but I think that wouldn't show a true representation of DU in that poll.

Meh, jmho.

[SidDithers]

11. Awesome...

especially this bit:

In addition polls cannot be created in Help & Meta-discussion, because that forum doesn't need any new tools for creating drama.

Sid

[freshwest]

71. Hehehe

[BlancheSplanchnik]

94. *snort*

[mopinko]

98. +++++++++

[MattBaggins]

12. Is it really the best idea to have show usernames?

Using any online poll as a serious snapshot of public opinion is not in any way a good idea, but if a poll is to have any real meaning anonymity is crucial or people will abstain from voting or go with the popular option.

I understand the desire to have people take ownership of their views but for the purpose of polling it will simply have a silencing effect and start flame wars.

[Skinner]

30. The transparency will cut down on some of the absurd behaviors that we saw on DU2.

The admins could see how people voted on DU2. One of the more interesting phenomena (and not uncommon) was when people would vote for a particular option, and then reply in the thread to express their shock that someone would vote that way.

Yes, this happened regularly.

There would also be those times when someone would put up an offensive poll (with, say, a bigoted option), and people would actually vote for it. Sometimes those votes were cast to protest the offensive option, but you dont really know. Whatever the reason, I was the one who had to deal with it.

Internet polls are BS anyway. There is no compelling need for anonymity.

[Call Me Wesley]

46. If it's BS to begin with,

why implement it? The only polls I really took for serious were the ones from the Photography group anyway.

[Skinner]

51. Because they're fun. (nt)

[Call Me Wesley]

65. Okay. (nt)

[Renew Deal]

96. This is true

[rug]

86. Well, yeah, except for that Canon versus Nikon versus Olympus debacle.

I just wanted it to f'n stop.

[TahitiNut]

102. f-stop?

[Bake]

114. What about the Lounge polls???!??!!??

You mean those weren't serious??

*gasp*

Bake

[gkhouston]

75. But now Robb will know how often I think he's a dingbat!

[SmellyFeet]

106. Skinner is doing his best to weed out anyone that doesn't support Obama 100%.

I think this feature is part of his effort to do that.

[lpbk2713]

13. Other

In order to be an official poll does it not have to have an "Other" ?




Kidding of course.

[CrispyQ]

16. Nice! I like that we can see how other members voted.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I've missed the polls! Glad to have them back.

[dmallind]

18. Seems to work so far

Can only test enter, change and reveal functions but all work just fine as far as I can see. Prefer the new look too.

[one_voice]

19. Voted, kicked, and recc'd

[janx]

20. I should have voted for the Brownie quote. n/t

[SunsetDreams]

22. Great news!!! With DU3,

you too can change your vote.

[ellisonz]

21. Will polls be available in the Host Forum?

Also, looks good!

[Skinner]

31. Don't know.

Probably not. But we can add them later if we want.

[cyberswede]

43. How about in the MIR group?

There was a discussion there about how polls might be useful.

[Skinner]

53. Don't know.

Probably not. But again, we can add them later.

[NNN0LHI]

23. This is why DU is the best. Gets better all the time

Thank you guys very much for all you do. Never done this type of work but I am sure it is some painstaking stuff. I sure appreciate it.

Don

[obxhead]

25. Disclaimer: This is an internet poll

and has about the same accuracy as the polls the M$M reports.



Great to see polls coming back soon. They were always amusing to me.

[SunsetDreams]

27. I know right? I just picked the first option...

after that long introduction I was too exhausted to read all the other options.

[blaze]

82. hahaha... love the disclaimer!! nt

[ohiosmith]

26. Done.

[tk2kewl]

28. sweet

[geardaddy]

29. Done.

This is awesome sauce.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. I will explain choosing Bush 43

It is one of those very revealing quotes that tell you what a party wants to do... in this case it was prophetic.

We should pay as much attention to the negative revealing ones, as we do to the lift your spirits ones.

[Rex]

33. Very nice.

!!!

[MerryBlooms]

34. Beaut!

[Solly Mack]

35. Sweet

[CaliforniaPeggy]

36. Damn clever!

I LIKE it!

[Ruby the Liberal]

37. Definitely nice layout.

[William769]

38. Great news!

[FailureToCommunicate]

39. The sentiment in the Harry Truman (near) quote is so appealing that

I voted for it. Wish more politicians felt that way!

Not to quibble since this is just a "test" run, but the actual quote is usually written as:

"I NEVER GAVE anybody hell. I just told the truth and they think it's hell."

[libodem]

40. Thanks for the heads up

Earl G.

[hootinholler]

41. "Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do."

Raygun - 1981 I had to google it.

[Call Me Wesley]

42. I totally agree with the motion that polls are not allowed in H&M,

but the ability to change the vote? This renders any poll into a joke. Sure, it gives me the ability, after casting my vote, to still vote with the cool guys if I feel outnumbered. It was a nifty tool back on DU2 to track trolls, now they just can opt out saying 'Ooops, I didn't mean hating gay people, I just clicked on the wrong button.' Easy pass.

The pass option is quite redundant, since no one is forced to vote in a poll.

But really, change the vote? I wish I could do this after election time ...

[patricia92243]

44. I voted for the "trees cause polution" because it is so ridiculus that it is funny :(

[hootinholler]

45. How will editing interact with polls?

Will we be able to add or remove options? (if so what happens to the votes) Extend the time? Reopen an expired poll?

I'm Curious. Love the gradients though.

[Renew Deal]

48. And can we get the pretty colors back.

[Renew Deal]

47. Would it be possible to have a privacy option when creating the poll?

I would never create a public poll if I had the choice and I likely won't vote in many controversial pollls since the options are public.

[vaberella]

49. I could even UNDO my vote. Cool...I went for- "Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do."

Bless... what a great quote.

[Bruce Wayne]

50. Wait, no more anonymous voting? How can keep my secret identity now?

I'm a very private person. What the hell ever happened to the Australian ballot? This is outright commiefascism! Someone needs to DU this poll right fucking now!!

(I'm being hysterical enough for GD, right?)

[Fearless]

52. In addition polls cannot be created in Help & Meta-discussion, because...

[harmonicon]

54. I'm so glad that they won't be allowed in Help & Meta

For anyone who spends more than 30 seconds in there, it should be pretty clear why. Good call on that.

[rgbecker]

55. If I wanted to change my vote, How would I do that?

I love the fact user names are shown. The anonymous poll business is not good for anything.

[countryjake]

57. Just hit "Undo" on the vote you've made! n/t.

.

[countryjake]

56. I wanted to choose the most infamous one on there...

Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job, because he even outdid Nixon with that doozy. But I just couldn't bring myself to vote Dubya as my favorite anything, even among dumbasses.

Nice going, getting the Poll function back up and running! It's looking slick as a whistle!

[Kaleva]

58. Voted

[Robb]

59. Kick and vote!

I'm laughing that this announcement isn't in "Announcements," because, well, you clearly want us to read it.

[Skinner]

62. The announcement will happen tomorrow.

And it will be posted in the proper forum.

Today is beta testing.

[Robb]

72. Wait, we really *have* an Announcements forum?

[AllyCat]

60. I was not logged in and still could not vote. How does "the public" vote?

[Skinner]

63. They have to log in.

That's how it worked on DU2, also.

[slackmaster]

61. That looks really sharp!

[Jack Rabbit]

64. K/R

[center][/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Jon Sullivan from public-domain-photos.com (Public Domain)
[/font]

[Dead_Parrot]

66. ...

[RevStPatrick]

68. I probably won't participate in any polls...

...if the user names are shown.
I guess it's just a lifetime of "secret ballots" that I don't want anybody to ever know how I voted for anything ever.

Enjoy!

[malaise]

69. Sweet

Rec

[Lone_Star_Dem]

70. This is a big improvement over DU2.

I like how you carried the transparency over to the polls as well. That'll be one less thing for members to wonder about.

[ellisonz]

74. This is an interesting poll.

People seem to be breaking down by ideological lines

Truman Democrats: 39%
Obama Democrats: 17%
Kennedy Democrats: 14%
Roosevelt Democrats: 14%
Ridiculous Democrats: 14%

Make of it what you will...

[REP]

79. I voted Nixon out of nostalgia - he's tan, ready and undead!!

[DianaForRussFeingold]

83. "Give 'em Hell, Harry!"

[joshcryer]

88. Erm, no, it's a poll about good quotes, not about ideological leanings.

He nuked Japan and signed Taft–Hartley for crying out loud. I'm not a fan.

[ellisonz]

99. I notice you didn't vote.

What's up with that?

[joshcryer]

100. I did vote... buried somewhere in there.

I voted for Truman's quote 'cause I like it the best.

[ellisonz]

101. Commie!

[Autumn]

77. I just realized you can't call that a poll

so your test will be off. It doesn't include Robb is a dingbat

[Rowdyboy]

78. Absolutely love the changes....

Thanksfor all the hard work

[Warren DeMontague]

80. I'm giving Bill Clinton some love.

[Arkansas Granny]

81. I like this. I really like the transparency. Great job!

[Rhiannon12866]

84. K&R!!! Tough choices, but I love to vote, LOL! Thank you! :D

[ornotna]

85. EarlG, you're doing a heck of a job

Very nice, I voted 9 times!

[Yavapai]

87. I had to vote Ronnie Ray-gun's

"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do."

Because that is the most stupid thing ever said in a campaign.

A close friend told me that after he said it, a few days he later gave a speech at his college and students had
put banners in the trees nearby saying "Kill me before I pollute again!"

[Major Hogwash]

89. Can you add to the poll options once created? What about my favorite Presidential quote?

"Nah, I don't need a coat. It's not that cold today." ~ William Henry Harrison

[baldguy]

90. THAT'S COOL!!!

Can't wait for it to be rolled out!

[The Wielding Truth]

91. I missed polls. Thanks, Earl G.

[Ms. Toad]

92. The rules will pose a slight challenge for photography contests

Previously, you could only post in the photography group if you were a star member - but the cost of the star was pretty much up to the donor, and if you were really stuck a buddy could contribute for you. Not so any longer. The the bar is considerably higher to become star members, and (at least as of the last official statement I am aware of) purchase of a star by someone else is not permitted.

Everyone can post in the photography group now (so we don't have to be a paid member to participate in the contest), so even non-star members can participate and win the contest. The contest tradition has been that the winner hosts the next contest - andt the winner may well be someone who is not a star member.

Not an insurmountable challenge, but requiring a star to post a poll does have some different implications for the photography contest than it did on DU2.

[TroglodyteScholar]

93. K&R

Very cool!

[KBlagburn]

95. Good Job Guys!!

[UnrepentantLiberal]

97. Boooo

In addition polls cannot be created in Help & Meta-discussion, because that forum doesn't need any new tools for creating drama.

[lonestarnot]

103. Woohoo! I want one!

[yurbud]

104. thank you! now git 'er done

[Auggie]

107. Love the transparency ...

great design too.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

109. Looking forward to the polls. nt

[Ohio Joe]

110. This poll is bullshit

Any poll without a 'Robb is a dingbat' option is not a real poll

[Bluenorthwest]

111. I like the chosen quotes a lot.

Easily could pick a top three, se si pueda.....

[cascadiance]

112. I'd like to ask for a way to set up an "instant runoff voting" option for DU polls...

If we want to advocate a change to this kind of voting to help us get away from voting for the lesser of two evils in some situations that many of us here have felt the elections have become in many instances, it would nice to have an incubator to show this sort of voting method in action on many issues where it could be appropriate here to help all of us not just talk about it, but live it to see how well it works in day to day assessment of our opinions here.

There are some online examples of instant runoff voting on other sites that one could use as a model to implement voting as well as displaying results.

[hunter]

113. EarlG said we could have a kick-ass polling function...

... Yes we can.

[limpyhobbler]

115. yay polls! nt