Poll

Should SpaceX issues be limited to no more than 12 polls a year?

Limit the number of SpaceX polls to 12/year
13 (11%)
Put another limit on the number of SpaceX polls
8 (6.8%)
No limit on SpaceX polls
97 (82.2%)

Total Members Voted: 118

Voting closed: 01/15/2018 10:13 am


Author Topic: Should SpaceX issues be limited to no more than 12 polls a year?  (Read 7452 times)

Offline Phillip Clark

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This might not be a popular view, but I believe that SpaceX-related polls have taken over this section and they should be limited.
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane - WJ.

Offline darkenfast

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This forum operates as well as it does because of member's interest in particular subjects related to space and rocketry.  There is no requirement to read all the threads, polls or articles.  If threads start duplicating each other, then the Moderators step in and fix it.  There are a lot of SpaceX polls right now because SpaceX is doing things right now that interest a lot of members.  Look at the numbers of people participating in some of the polls.  If SLS and Orion ever flies, I'm sure there will be a lot of polls around that.

I would hate to see this sight (which I joined just a few months after it opened), start distorting the coverage by this kind of censorship.  It takes very little time to skip over sections and threads that you are not interested in.
« Last Edit: 12/31/2017 11:00 am by darkenfast »
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Online Johnnyhinbos

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I get what you’re saying - seems like you can’t fire a Draco[1,2] around this forum without hitting a SpaceX poll.

But on the flip side, it’s because SpaceX is _currently_ the company doing the most, and the most exciting, things. Here’s a challenge (and I’m sure it can be done) - create a compelling ULA poll that hasn’t already been done. [3]

1 - See what I did there!
2 - No, I wasn’t referring to the short barreled AK-47 Draco
3 - Footnotes in homage to Lar
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline su27k

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Seems to me there should be a 4th option: Open a SpaceX only poll section under SpaceX section, then leave this section to non-SpaceX polls.

Offline Lar

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Seems to me there should be a 4th option: Open a SpaceX only poll section under SpaceX section, then leave this section to non-SpaceX polls.

That would be kind of embarrassing for this section, as it would be mostly crickets[1].

I will go on record as saying that although polls make a lot of work for mods (especially when created by folks without first talking to a mod to get some idea of standard practices[1]) I will fight tooth and nail against this idea regardless of poll results.

1 - kidding[2] ... but maybe I should write something.
2 - Sort of....[3]
3-  Also a hat tip to Johnny. Your apple polishing is noted and will pay off later, trust me[1]...
« Last Edit: 12/31/2017 12:18 pm by Lar »
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline haywoodfloyd

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I don't see a problem here.
If you don't want to participate in the poll, don't read it.
Polls are usually very informative and I enjoy reading them, if not always joining in.

Online Comga

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Just the title of this thread/poll made me laugh.
That's an understandable sentiment, but I agree with others that NSF shouldn't throttle discussion.
My approach is to ignore the polls that don't interest me. It's not that hard to do.
YMMV, but thanks for the chuckle, Phillip Clark.

edit:  May have missed the possibility that this poll IS a joke. 
Need more coffee....
« Last Edit: 12/31/2017 02:08 pm by Comga »
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline the_other_Doug

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There is a tendency for this forum (not the news site, but the forum) to be straining at its heavy retraining ropes to rename itself SpaceX Spaceflight Dot Com.

I am sorry, guys.  I do NOT want to see polls as to whether Elon Musk empties his bowels before he brushes his teeth in the morning.  And at times, some of these polls come across to me as just that ridiculous.

And, not to put too fine a point on it, polls are of extremely limited usefulness when dealing with technical issues, especially when those being polled are not, by and large, gifted with a technical education.

It's almost as if, if you came up with what you think it a perfect plan of attack for SpaceX based on your latest KSP construct (or Tinkertoy construct, to give our favorite plastic construction bricks a metaphorical rest), that if you get a majority of people who mostly have the same lack of engineering education as you do to agree with you, then this somehow gives you the right to walk into Musk's office and tell him *we* have decided that *this* is what he must do going forward.

We had a couple of people, here, for example, who had felt they had designed and developed the perfect payload for the FH Demo mission, and got really bent out of shape when SpaceX decided not to do what they wanted.  Had one or two of these people been armed with a poll result from our site "supporting" them, I could just have seen them trying to use this as... um... leverage... to try and force Elon to do what they wanted SpaceX to do, just based on a poll result from NSF!  :D  :D  :D

Polls are amusing -- but, to everyone who votes in them, let me tell you, a lot of them are mostly amusing to those with enough education to know what's what, so they can laugh at y'all's lack of understanding of the issues.  (And please keep in mind, I am not one of those with enough education to laugh at polls that show a very poor understanding of How Rockets Work -- but even so, I can see how idiotic some peoples' concepts are, and laugh just as heartily as the PhD's we have here. At you, not with you.  Just sayin'...)

So, by all means, present amusing polls.  But don't take anything except amusement value out of it.  Polls of NSF members establish nothing as far as the real world is concerned.  Just keep that in mind, and the polls will remain, as they should, amusing and harmless.
-Doug  (With my shield, not yet upon it)

Online gongora

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And, not to put too fine a point on it, polls are of extremely limited usefulness when dealing with technical issues, especially when those being polled are not, by and large, gifted with a technical education.

It sounds like you're the one taking the poll section too seriously, and I really don't recall seeing many polls about technical issues.  Most of them are along the lines of when a milestone will be achieved or what flight rate someone will achieve in a given year.

Online MP99

If you're browsing via Tapatalk you don't even see the poll itself. Nevertheless, these often kick off interesting discussions.

Cheers, Martin

Sent from my GT-N5120 using Tapatalk


Online Johnnyhinbos

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I voted Yes - because I see a direct correlation between poll frequency and life excitement...
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline Poole Amateur

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I voted a big fat no. Space X is reigniting interest in spaceflight.

I am old enough to just about remember the moon landings,  Skylab and Apollo Soyuz.

Space X is the most exciting thing to come along since the launch of Columbia in 1981 for the ignorant commoner like me (don't get me wrong,  I love the ISS as well).

Anything that gets the masses like me interested in spaceflight is surely good news...as that means more political sway and hence $$$$.

NSF is the most wonderful site for peasants like me who have little engineering knowledge yet so enjoys the learning opportunities NSF has to offer. So lets be open to all, have fun with polls and still maintain the highest quality knowledge base there is that is NSF.

I am a slightly pie eyed (it's nearly 2018) L2 subscriber and would like to wish you all, and in particular Jim, a very happy and healthy New Year!


Offline rockets4life97

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My suggestion is that if you want more poll balance, make some non-SpaceX polls! The more polls the better. This is the poll section!

An alternative would be to make a SpaceX poll section and a generic poll section. Seems a bit unnecessary to me, but it might make some folks happy.

Online david1971

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Would this poll count towards the quota?  I think we need a poll to settle this...
I flew on SOFIA four times.

Offline Tass

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Seems to me there should be a 4th option: Open a SpaceX only poll section under SpaceX section, then leave this section to non-SpaceX polls.

That would be kind of embarrassing for this section, as it would be mostly crickets[1].

I will go on record as saying that although polls make a lot of work for mods (especially when created by folks without first talking to a mod to get some idea of standard practices[1]) I will fight tooth and nail against this idea regardless of poll results.

1 - kidding[2] ... but maybe I should write something.
2 - Sort of....[3]
3-  Also a hat tip to Johnny. Your apple polishing is noted and will pay off later, trust me[1]...

Dammit Lar. I got stuck in an infinite loop and had to hard reset.

Offline Barrie

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I trust the mods to throw out frivolous, contentious or off-topic polls. That is the only limit we need. There isn't going to be a poll about which actress EM should settle down with, because that isn't space or SpaceX. 

Happy New Calendar, everybody!

Offline Pete

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Don't limit the SpaceX polls,
Just make a sub-folder for SpaceX.


That way the amazing peoples and haters are both happy, and no-one gets swamped by polls they do not want.

Offline philw1776

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An Ignore Thread feature on NSF would solve this and be much appreciated for lots of reasons.

As to the OP's request, I say not.  Polls & threads driven by subscriber interests.
FULL SEND!!!!

Offline hop

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Voted no. It's easy to skip threads with subjects you aren't interested in.

Now if members could be limited to no more than 12/year "BUT WHAT ABOUT SPACEX! SPACEX CHANGES EVERYTHING!11111111" posts in topics that have nothing to do with SpaceX actual capabilities, I'd be very much in favor.

Offline chalz

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Adapt to the audience: preface any non SpaceX poll with "What do SpaceX fans think of this?!"

Offline missinglink

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Let nature run its course. When - not if - Tesla goes bust and SpaceX faces stiffer competition, Elon Musk's ventures will no longer be so exciting to the public. Ubiquitous SpaceX polls/threads may be an annoyance, but "this too shall pass".

Offline ejb749

Depends.  Does this count as a SpaceX poll?

Offline Hog

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Space X polls or posts?
Paul

Offline oldAtlas_Eguy

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No limit but require them to be relevant and non-trivial.

Offline woods170

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Seems to me there should be a 4th option: Open a SpaceX only poll section under SpaceX section, then leave this section to non-SpaceX polls.

That would be kind of embarrassing for this section, as it would be mostly crickets[1].

I will go on record as saying that although polls make a lot of work for mods (especially when created by folks without first talking to a mod to get some idea of standard practices[1]) I will fight tooth and nail against this idea regardless of poll results.

1 - kidding[2] ... but maybe I should write something.
2 - Sort of....[3]
3-  Also a hat tip to Johnny. Your apple polishing is noted and will pay off later, trust me[1]...


[software test engineer]
I hate infinite loops.
[/software test engineer]
« Last Edit: 01/04/2018 10:14 am by woods170 »

Offline Mader Levap

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No limit. Mods will deal with unnecessary/redundant/frivolous polls.

In fact, if I was mean, I would comment that THIS poll qualifies.
Be successful.  Then tell the haters to (BLEEP) off. - deruch
...and if you have failure, tell it anyway.

Offline Lar

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No limit. Mods will deal with unnecessary/redundant/frivolous polls.

In fact, if I was mean, I would comment that THIS poll qualifies.
As one of the 12? Certainly not.
As a frivolous poll? Yes. And no, we don't need a poll to determine that.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

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