Topic awaiting preservation: sig competition - time to add a rule?

sure, the sig competition has been running nicely since march 2001, but i think we need to add one more rule.

here's the way it currently stands:

• last month's winner declares a sig competition topic for this month, and any characteristics, etc he is looking for.
• people enter in the competition for that month
• at the end of the month, the previous month's winner chooses the winner of the current month, who then looks after the next month.

the obvious rule here is that the current 'winner' cannot win twice - you aren't allowed to make yourself the winner!
this often means that they won't enter a sig in their own competition.

looking at docilebob's entry made me think that we should make it compulsory for the 'sigmaster' to enter into their own competition. That way, we can ensure several things:

• people can get a better idea of what the topic is (particularly when it involves bizarre concepts like rube golberg machines! )
• the person who decares the topic can ensure that it is a 'doable' one.
• it will encourage participation
• etc etc...

whaddaya reckon? i think we should make this a rule.

tell me what you think.

*digs up dictionary*

um.... I was looking for the exact meaning of that but this pocket dictionary is of no use....

Hokay, I think it would be fine if the syggage personage did post a sig, but it should not be manditory. If it was, it would slow the process down... for instance, if i won and i had to make a sig, it would probably take me a week to come up with one I liked......

                                     

Hmm... I definitely think it's a good idea, for the reasons you mentioned, but I'm not sure about making it compulsory... It seems to me that that might put undue pressure on the winner. Not only will they have to come up with a subject, but a sig for that subject as well.

On the negative side, I imagine that people might be influenced adversely by the sig--in other words, they may not use as much imagination in interpreting the subject. I don't think this is would be that great of a problem, but it is possible that this could happen. Just trying to look at the other side of the coin.

what if they have to post a sig, but only before the end of the month?
so theirs doesn't have to be the first entry....

alternatively, we could simply 'encourage' the sig mastahs to contribute to their own competition.

..and we can be very encouraging in these parts...