Why is that?

[Bill Salot]

There have been 90 visits to my October 7, 2012, announcement stating that Problem Composing Contest #7 was underway. Presumably most of those who read the announcement looked at the problems diagrammed on the Cover page or used the link to see the diagrams and banter on the Contest page.

But only a very small fraction of the 90 visitors took time to click on the solutions and vote for the one they deem best. Why is that?

I suspect most folks need to setup the pieces on the board in order to follow the solutions, and sometimes they may not wish to take the time to do it. If you were one of the non-voters, please let me know if this was the reason. I hope you did not feel a mistaken obligation to solve the problems! That would really be time-consuming.

Would we get more voter participation if we were to automate the trunk lines of the solutions, similar to Jim Loy's game of the week?

I think partial automation might work because our much needed voters would be better able to make an easier judgment without having to set up the positions.

If that would make a difference, I will try to make it happen in future contests. I have no idea how to automate diagrams, so I will need help to get started. I hope Jason will come through again.

In the meantime, let it be known that a couple of our composers are a little discouraged by the descending level of interest at the polls. If any past visitors will return to vote, I can almost guarantee most of them will see practical or entertaining ideas that they have never seen before. A little more support will be much appreciated.

[Chexhero]

Part of what makes that problem there a true beauty is that it has multiple solutions that are very neat. So the automated thing would be good provided it could show multiple solutions. I myself needed to actually do the problems to decide which one I truly thought was best, sometimes it is just not enough to look. So yes, the automated board would be nice and could definitely increase participation, but some people including myself may want to work through the problems first anyway.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I voted but one thing distructed me alot - the system required me to see all solutions

[Bill Salot]

Thank you Joe and Alex for your comments and votes.

I don't think your comments are in conflict.

Joe, you lamented that the PDN Applet did not show "multiple solutions". If you meant "multiple variations", I agree. Leaving out key variations is like hiding facets on a diamond. ("Multiple solutions" implies "dual solutions", which problemists try to avoid like the plague.)

Alex, you were distracted because "the system required me to see all solutions". If you were referring to the PDN Applet, I agree. The solutions should not be shown until you press the "Solution" button, as is the current arrangement on the contest page.

I think the ideal system would be similar to "Kings Row" diagrams in the "Analysis" mode. Then the reader could experiment by moving the checkers on the diagram without setting them up on a board. Or the reader could open up the composers' solutions and play them out electronically, move by move, including all of the variations, without setting them up on a board.

Is this a possibility for the contest page?

[Irma Sierra]

I voted....

[Bill Salot]

Thank you. I believe you picked the winner.