automatically enable poll for suggestions?

[hcacree]

How about automagically having a vote (not poll) for each suggestion? Vote (yea/nay) as to whether you want this. Not just votes for, but for and against. Then display suggestions with highest % positive first.

That would sort suggestions in customer preference. I'll vote for this, which will put this at 100% at first, but other will no doubt knock this down to a more reasonable level...

****
Actually option to sort posts by date as now or % positive...

[TonyB]

Maybe I'm not understanding, but an automatic poll? You mean some sort of software processing that figures out if you're making a suggestion that should include a poll?

Sounds like fantasy, so I voted No.

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by TonyB

Maybe I'm not understanding, but an automatic poll? You mean some sort of software processing that figures out if you're making a suggestion that should include a poll?

Sounds like fantasy, so I voted No.

Agreed.

1) It would be a pretty complex mod for Vbulletin
2) Even if it could be done, programatically, it would almost by definition list the older ones before the newer ones
3) Some suggestions--say, purely hypothetically, getting ten bucks every month from HG--might be popular but make no business sense.
4) Even if the other problems were accommodated, it would give a disproportionate weight to "yes"--people who were indifferent would have to open up the topic to vote no.
5) Since HG is not a cooperative, it does not need to recognize a "vote"...it can tell which suggestions customers like by the number of comments, pro and con.

[hcacree]

TonyB VOTED No.

I assume that you VOTED no too, then critized the idea gwyneth!?!

There are now 10 votes, and only two posts to the thread. Is voting easier or posting? It has to be a lot easier for HostGator to count votes than positive vs neagative posts.

Agreed that voting isn't a contract. HostGator can take the information do do whatever they like with it.

Posts could still be sorted by date by default, sort by % positive as an option.

[Sam]

I voted No. Not all suggestions need a poll.

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by hcacree

TonyB VOTED No.

I assume that you VOTED no too, then critized the idea gwyneth!?!

Nope. Didn't vote.

[TonyB]

[humor]

SYSTEM MESSAGE: A new poll has been automatically created:

I assume that you VOTED no too, then critized the idea gwyneth!?!

Vote:_Yes _No

SYSTEM MESSAGE: A new poll has been automatically created:

Is voting easier or posting?

Vote _Yes _No

[/humor]

[gwyneth]

LOL, TonyB--I sense an exposure to civil service humor*.

*That may not sound like a compliment to some people, but only to those who are unaware that good civil service humor is really funny, and the rare pieces of great civil service humor are world class.

[hcacree]

civil service humor == Dilbert ?

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by hcacree

civil service humor == Dilbert ?

No, Dilbert is corporate humor, specifically telephone company tragicomedy. Scott Adams worked for a teleco in Washington State and probably didn't/doesn't have to make up all that much--telephone companies really are that strange.

[hcacree]

I used to work for a large computer company. It IS that strange. That was why it is so funny.

My favorite is that our group exceeded our budget for buying manuals. So no one could buy a manual. We instead were instructed to print the electronic print file (days before PDF files). Printer didn't like to duplex, so we'd print them and them duplex on copier. Then three hole punch and use binder which costs nearly as much as the maunal that I wanted to order in the first place. So the expense was scattered all over. No place on time card to code "Wasting time copying manual," so the 2 hours just diappeared. I was billed to customer at nearly $100 an hour. All in all the $8 manual I couldn't order ended up costs the company over $300 ($100 direct expense + $200 I didn't bill.) Insane, simply insane.

Another - I knew i was in trouble my first day when I realized that the company had a special paper form which you needed to order other forms. - Honest truth.

[hcacree]

This link leads to sort of what I had in mind...

http://www.codeplex.com/ClubStarterK...Item/List.aspx

[TonyB]

Then I was misunderstanding. You mentioned voting, but only after suggesting polling; this is clearly a voting, not polling, system.

Anyway, there are a few hacks for vbulletin that allow this. Here's one that looks like it's a "no-edit" mod:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=150751

I dunno though. The system might work on a news site, but I don't see it working on a support site. I mean, when you have trouble you search for the answer, you ignore popularity completely. Or probably should.

[hcacree]

Sorry about the terminology. I absolutely meant vote - not poll. We have enough things in life nagging us. None of us needs another...

I also thought that % positive would give a more stable number than just raw votes.