DACK is right. Sounds like a cheap scheme to me!

Well I think it is a good idea (not that I will ever win it)

rapidshare accounts are a great prize to those that don't already have one

those who don`t like the idea vote down my thread...and those who like vote +
and I would appreciate if you explain your opinions

and why do you think it`s a shame to give prizes to users?? for some time I sent asta T-Shirts to some members...everyone was satisfied

Surprise gifts is one thing but announcing it as a tradition is a VERY common stuff. When I joined asta I was specially impressed because this forum doesn't force anyone to do anything or to pay money for any PREMIUM value! Those were the reasons that made this forum so attractive & also made it DIFFERENT from others.
Surprising a dedicated member with gifts will surely be delightful . Just imagine if a member got such gift & opened a thread in general discussion forum stating it. It will certainly give extra excitement to all the members. But making it official occasion makes the forum MORE PROFESSIONAL place where everybody comes to win prize rather that contributing & hanging around freely! For me asta is the place to learn, to share & to meet worm-hearted friends! In the last 2 years i made so many precious friends here who are both dedicated, fun & intelligent. If such professional tradition starts no-one will want to spend time meeting & talking but they will concentrate on POSTING & POSTING! I always find a difference between contributing & posting. I am a member of many forums & this forum taught me to contribute!

tsk tsk tsk asta is now looking to buy members and this makes it feel like asta is not doing good

frankly speaking I`m impressed
As you correctly noticed Fire - asta is the most democratic place. free for every one and everyone has the same rights here.
Note - I don`t give vip asta account! I give a present. And I don`t force you to participate there, if you don`t - you loose NOTHING. Why do you say I buy?? I jsut wanna thank members who are active and make forum popular.
And note again - I do not get any $$ from this popularity as 99% of other forums do.
Asta if 200% free resource for 5 years. For 5 years we even didn`t have an idea to make any VIP account and accept donation. I don`t need. Then why do you blame me I buy members??
Exactly - I thank members!
Correct me please....

To be honest I'm not bothered about a comp. I don't think I'll actively take part in it.

I actually like the prizes, it would be nice for those people who have never use such resources before.

I like the idea of suprising somebody with a gift rather than having an all out comp.

I do not see this as a way of buying people.

we loose respect the one N only prize of asta......think about it. I visit a lot forum but nowhere I found family environment like here but we are loosing it. I remember those days "when I proud myself" I'm a Asta member....but we loosing those proudness. Each bricks of the asta wall is falling down. what is goin' on? Asta lover doesn't wanna this. GD I doesn't think this prize scheme is impressive "frankly saying". Never ever asta member ignore ur duty/job(we all know how hardworing ur team, M_X, nossory, GD and all backstage helper). plz consider it....its my asta love....don't take it -ve.

I will consider all opinions, don`t worry
just lead me to the best solution

I'm not sure about this idea, I think it's good to recognize users who give alot to the forum, but I'm not sure this is the way to do it.
My primary reason for this is that alot of users come on here for the discussion and community (even though it is currently suffering a bit) and alot of users make tutorials and do requests, that may only recieve a small rating of 1 or 2 if they doing it for a small audience, but is, in my opinion, a far more commendable effort.
This could also lead to people just posting as many links as possible, without checking if they have already been posted etc. this would be made worse if the prizes had some monetary value, which you mentioned you were planning.
I think it's a good idea to have user of the week/month, but maybe do it on a system of nominees(chosen by mods?) and the users vote for who they think it should be.

as you knw Toby AstaPower grows if user vote for your release.
If you just post release it wont give you any points

i agree with toby121, i think we should have a monthly/weekly vote, a have over 100+ downloads on my uploads since ive been on asta and only got 20 or so thanx. Also probably will increase spam, in hope someone will + it. Also just being active, helpfull dont get you many +s. Some people but a on my face when i login, they should get a prize, not just people how post releases and nothing else

snails said:

... a have over 100+ downloads on my uploads since ive been on asta and only got 20 or so thanx.

It's not only you... the same is with other members... for me it's nothing new...
I have since January posted more than 1000 posts and on my account on MF it said that I have more than 30 000 downloads and I had around 3 000 thanks on the old forum and now more than 250 + in more than 180 releases...


I think it's very good idea to give prizes to members who deserved it... but as snails said some members said thanks in comments and don't give you +...

you can remind users to use + right in your release description
description is usually read until the end by downloader I suppose.

GraveDigger said:

you can remind users to use + right in your release description
description is usually read until the end by downloader I suppose.

people dont use + sign, i see my mediafire account, lot of files have 100+dowloads now but when i see rating for that donwload, i see 2-3 rating not more then that..
do something for it GD

look my status now


something like people must use + or - sign before copy link for download
after watching my mdiafire, i am so disappointed to see users comments and ratings..

I'm getting a little bit off topic now,
but I also see a lot of people just saying "thanks" and not using the +/-

Hmm this to me at least sounds like a good idea but not that great for the forum...
It will put some members above other members because they have been here for longer and have more knowlage and if we here are a true democracy shouldn't everyone be equal?
Its like cops giving you a ticket but letting a senator just a warning for the same exact thing.

to me my prize is that every time i have posted a request for help with a problem or issue, i have gotten a response with amazing speed! and the help continues until it is solved or can't be resolved but that has not happened. i posted my feelings about removing the thanks button, so i wont go there! if there is some sort of contest please remember some of us don't have the skills or capabilities to compete with a large portion of the other members. if there is a contest may i suggest different levels of skill. such as beginner, amature, novice, expert... to try to make it somewhat fare for us still learning to walk !
also GD you did asked for suggestions on the prize,
the 2010 CAMARO sounds pretty good or a hat

thanks, Mastiff

not necessary for individual users... i think it should be for teams as this would encourage more competition btw teams. My thoughts on this....thanks shensta.

@KenTheFurry
totally disagree with you...your prize is not an advantatge on this forum...the prize will not make you higher here...you will not get any specific status here.
Wrong comparison in my opinion.

@GD
But if you give one child a candy and not its brother/sister, how does that make the other one feel?

YEP! But I`m sure we got here children much clever than you described

@Mastiff
to tell the truth...my first idea was to give away new chevy camaro...but unfortunately it was taken off from production as you know

I think everybody from a novice to an expert one posting here is posting for his/her brothers/sisters/mates/friends as astatalk is not a forum it is a family a great community.
Anybody who posts here on astatalk shares experiences, something useful, creative whether it's a software or any thing even a healthy comment. And all that takes time, energy, resources. So if somebody is sacrificing resources, time, energy etc. shouldn't he/she get something in return and we literally get it too-the love and comments and ratings too of other members for whom we have posted. What else should one seek other then a healthy comment, rating etc.
And remember situtions: Like a great number of members press + button for a release of any member for what they liked and a very less or few or no member pressed + for what they needed desperately(in a request or help for a mirror) and situtions like that. How could you differ a best releaser then. You know fulfilling a request and giving mirrors is also as difficult and resource consuming as releasing something.
So I suggest better not start such competition so as to maintain a affection between members(remember knowing there is competition I might not want to press '+' OR rather would like press '-' for a little or no mistakes in release of members who might be my compitition-although I wouldn't do it but you know I am a human so...), and if there must be a competion then it must be like this...
Compition must be for different forums different i.e. every forum must have a
best releaser for that forum.
1. Choose top #(any number suitable) top best releasers( members with most astapower or karma).
2. And then each of them chooses #(any number-one or two)best commentators from their forums for which they are competing as they know who comments most and healthily.
3. Then all those best releasers and commentators will choose best releaser from the releasers chosen in the first step, ofcourse for this asta will need another forum under name like 'competion' with sub sections for each forum's competition and only those will be permitted to comment or vot which are chosen in first and second step but all will be permitted to watch.
I know I got too far but hey that's a suggestion of your novice friend...
And don't forget members fulfilling request or giving mirrors as they cover a less number of members(so get less '+' button's presses) than releasers but they are helpful with same affection and care as releasers...

remember knowing there is competition I might not want to press '+' OR rather would like press '-' for a little or no mistakes in release of members who might be my compitition-although I wouldn't do it but you know I am a human so...

we create and mantain this site for honest and opened people, who dont`t think this way