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Post by Rajiv on Dec 15, 2011 23:05:20 GMT 8
.... I'll moved the "New Players" sub-board to the "Player Lists & Updates" board. As the board is about players generally, and not just the player lists, while the "Updates" are specifically the monthly Updates, I'll rename the board "Players & Monthly Updates". Done. As introductions are now a sub-board on the Players & Monthly Updates board, I've dropped the "Introductions" from the Discussion & Introductions board. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jan 6, 2012 16:35:48 GMT 8
.... Foo Cheong's report on Saturday's game ... took him to 200 posts, and a free game. .... To see who are in the reckoning for the last free game, see the top posters list. Rainer has pipped Damian to it. Damian had been comfortably in the top 5 in September 2011, but the far greater use made of the message board by Foo Cheong and Rainer took them ahead of him, to grab the last two free games. The current top 20 (excluding me, as I'm too far ahead  ): S/No | Name | Posts | 1 | Rajseran | 520 | 2 | Poh Keng | 336 | 3 | Azmi | 277 | 4 | Foo Cheong | 257 | 5 | Rainer | 205 | 6 | Damian | 199 | 7 | Justin R | 193 | 8 | Dave H | 191 | 9 | David T | 181 | 10 | Fred | 165 | 11 | Elvin | 164 | 12 | Rai Low | 162 | 13 | Boris | 152 | 14 | Look Liew | 148 | 15 | Ben Y | 144 | 16 | Kelvin Au | 131 | 16 | Arijit | 119 | 18 | Jye | 115 | 18 | Bobby | 114 | 20 | Stan D Man | 113 |
No more free games for the foreseeable future I'm afraid. However, you still get a "free" game for every 5 or 6 first reports.  Please note that your current total appears below your name in each of your posts. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jan 13, 2012 11:06:38 GMT 8
Nick didn't turn up. .... I stepped out after 25 minutes to call him, .... He thought he had withdrawn on the message board. I had seen that he was logged on at about 2 pm. .... He probably typed in his reply, but forgot to post it.  .... Please remember to post! And after you post, check that your post appears in the thread. Especially when you are putting your name down for a game, or withdrawing. If your name doesn't appear on the thread, you're not in for the game. If your withdrawal isn't posted on the thread, you're still in for the game, and if you don't turn up, it's a no show. I didn't impose a penalty this time, but I may not be so kind next time. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jan 20, 2012 15:08:32 GMT 8
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Post by Rajiv on Jan 21, 2012 17:13:29 GMT 8
A few mergers to the threads on the "Discussion" board: .... I have moved all the posts from the "One-sided games and comebacks" thread to this, the "Competitive edge" thread, and renamed the merged thread "Keeping score & the competitive edge". .... I've ... moved all the posts from the following threads to this one [The social aspect thread]: * Comings & goings * 6 degrees of separation * GIFFA on Facebook .... .... I've merged the "Mini-tournament" thread into this thread [the "Different types of men's game" thread], and renamed this thread "Regular & other men's games". I've also moved posts on "Challenge matches" from "The competitive edge & keeping score" thread to this thread. .... .... I've merged the "GIFFA tagline/slogan" thread into this thread [the "People & standards" thread], and renamed this thread "GIFFA values, principles & standards". As GIFFA principles will be dealt with under this thread, I have renamed the "Principles, system & playing rules" thread as "GIFFA system & playing rules". .... .... I have merged the "Popular games" thread into this, the "Filling places & choices" thread. The number of threads on the "Discussion" board used to run into three pages (with 20 on the first two pages and about 10 on the third page). This has now been reduced to less than two pages. This is in keeping with: .... In time, I will merge threads on the "Discussion & Introductions" board which deal with the same subject matter, or overlap to a large degree. .... have been amended accordingly. There has also been a change in name for the following threads, so the links have also been amended accordingly: * Post-game reports & polls* Weeknight games* Weekend games |
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Post by Rajiv on Jan 23, 2012 10:45:00 GMT 8
Again, the links from the Overview board have been adjusted accordingly. |
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Post by Rajiv on Feb 1, 2012 17:40:21 GMT 8
.... .... I only know how to quote and reply in the same thread, don't know how to quote and reply and move it to another thread. To quote from one thread onto another, I copy and paste. Anyone can do that. I can also move posts from one thread to another, but no one else can. |
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Post by Rajiv on Feb 1, 2012 17:44:45 GMT 8
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Post by Rajiv on Feb 5, 2012 7:24:09 GMT 8
I've merged the following threads relating to the message board: * Using the message board * Assessing the message board * Message board layout by moving all the posts into the first one. I've also merged "Milestones" into "Players, records & contact details". I've also renamed the two remaining threads as "The message board & modes of communication * "Players & records" respectively. Discussions about contact details and the monthly e-mail Updates will now be on the former. I've also moved posts relating to message board milestones from the later to the former. .... In time, I will merge threads on the "Discussion & Introductions" board which deal with the same subject matter, or overlap to a large degree. .... .... The number of threads on the "Discussion" board used to run into three pages (with 20 on the first two pages and about 10 on the third page). This has now been reduced to less than two pages. .... I'm trying to streamline the Discussion board. I don't think I can keep at the threads within one page, but I'll try to get as close to that as possible. The links from the Overview board have been amended accordingly. Other mergers I have in mind: * "Rain policy" into "GIFFA system & playing rules". * "Team colours" and "Standardizing equipment" * "Weekend games" and "Weeknight games" That will be the end of the mergers for now. |
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Post by Rajiv on Feb 5, 2012 8:00:55 GMT 8
The report thread for the game on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, at East Coast, reached the highest number of page views for a thread on that board, currently, 793. It started off as a "campaign" to overtake the number of page views for the report thread for game on Saturday, 28 January 2012, at Turf City. The number of page views for the Saturday game probably went up as well in response, currently standing at 511. The next two highest are both for Saturday Turf City games, 391 for 15 October 2011, and 343 for 12 November 2011. The only other game with numbers above 300 is that on 22 August 2011, a Sunday Turf City game. With 317 page views, it held the record for a long time. The threads for Tuesday, 31 January 2012, and Saturday, 28 January 2012, also have the highest number of posts on the reports board, 27 and 24 respectively. The two other report threads with more than 20 posts are both Saturday Turf City games, 15 October 2011 and 10 December 2011, both with 21 posts each. Good to see more people using the message board, both posting and viewing. |
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Post by Rajiv on Mar 14, 2012 23:34:39 GMT 8
Other mergers I had in mind: .... * "Rain policy" into "GIFFA system & playing rules". .... .... .... .... * "Team colours" and "Standardizing equipment" .... .... .... As this, the former "Team colours" thread, had more page views, and I wanted to keep the poll on this thread, I've moved the posts from the "Standardizing equipment" thread to this thread. However, as "Standardizing equipment" is the broader subject, I've renamed this thread as "Standardizing equipment". .... .... .... * "Weekend games" and "Weeknight games" .... .... Done. I've moved the posts from the Weeknight games thread to the Weekend games thread. The poll on the former is therefore lost. I've also renamed the thread "Days, times & locations". .... Also: .... I have merged the "Latecoming" thread with the "Late withdrawals & no shows" thread and renamed the thread "Making time to play & punctuality". .... That's it for now.
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Post by Rajiv on Mar 26, 2012 15:08:40 GMT 8
Apart from allowing players to put names down for our regular games, the message board serves many purposes. The other board that is sometimes well-used is the "Discussion" board. .... I would hope that everyone feels comfortable enough to post their proposals, suggestions, invitations and offers directly on the message board, rather than emailing or SMSing me. After all, what I usually do is just quote the e-mail or SMS on the message board. .... On the other hand: .... For confidential or sensitive matters, you can send me a private message. If it's urgent, SMS or e-mail me, or just call me. ... confidential communications about personal issues or issues with other players are always confidential. .... |
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Post by Rajiv on Apr 27, 2012 21:57:27 GMT 8
The message board is meant to spare me work, not create more work.  |
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Post by Rajiv on Apr 30, 2012 9:10:53 GMT 8
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 20, 2012 9:47:26 GMT 8
On the "Women's & all-comers' games" thread: .... .... As the Women's & All-Comers' Game category is not used by anyone else, I won't maintain it. From now on, all bookings and confirmation of the regular women's game on Sunday will be on this thread. The two boards under this category, Schedule and Post-Game Reports & Comments, have been archived under the OPSAGE category. Therefore, the separate Women's & All-comers' Game category has been deleted. .... We didn't manage an all-comers' game after all. Any future attempt will be under the OPSAGE category. On the "OPSAGE" thread: The "Prediction Poll" sub-board has also been removed: I have, for some time now, stopped adding polls to the threads on the "Discussion" board, as once a poll is added, it cannot be changed or removed. However, to allow stand-alone polls, I have added a "Polls" sub-board to the "Discussion" board. For example, if the regulars at a particular game want to replace white tops with blue tops: .... And it's white until we have a poll. .... .... I have renamed the "New Players" sub-board under the "Players & Monthly Updates" board as "Introductions", as we could have players introducing themselves seeking players for their games, rather than seeking to join our games. I have revised the links from the subject boards under the Overview category to reflect the further mergers and renaming of threads on this, the Discussion board, since February 2012, including the renaming of the "The social aspect & fun" thread as "The social dimension, and fun". As payment information for each game is set out in the schedule thread, I am considering making that board (the "Regular & Extra Games" board") viewable by approved players only, in the same way that the "Payment Information" board is. If I make the "Regular & Extra Games" board only viewable by approved players, I will have to move the "General Information" and "Playing Rules & Principles" threads to the "Overview" board, so that they can continue to be read by guests. Two other consequences: * Approved players will have to log in to check line ups. * Guests will not be able to check line ups for themselves. This could be resolved by having the line ups on a pre-match analysis thread on what is now the "Post-Game Reports & Comments" thread. Also, don't forget that the message board is a resource in its own right, for example: |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 28, 2012 8:56:42 GMT 8
Discussions about the monthly e-mail Updates is now on this thread. Earlier discussion remains on the "Players & records" thread. The monthly e-mail "Update" now supplements this message board. I try to get it out about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through the month, but it is often late, going out at the end of the month instead. The Update for June 2012 has gone out this morning. A copy is attached. I have also uploaded a copy onto the internet. The web address is giffa.totalworlds.com/update.html. The web address is also included in the e-mail. I will continue uploading future Updates to the above web address. The web address will show the latest Update. Each month's Update will be archived under that month's thread on the "Players & Monthly Updates" board.
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Post by Rajiv on Sept 24, 2012 10:55:18 GMT 8
I've finally installed WhatsApp on my phone. I will be using it primarily to broadcast available places for games over the next day or two. I've also installed it on my PC. I sent out a broadcast from my PC yesterday afternoon. As WhatsApp is not available for PCs, and only allows one device per number, I had to do a work around to get it working on my PC, including getting my contacts from my phone to the WhatsApp app on my PC. Took me a couple of days, but it was interesting. There is a Proboards App for both Android phones and the iPhone, but I find it easier to use the internet browser on my phone to access the message board. Try it. It is predicted that mobile phones (smartphones or web-enabled phones) will overtake PCs as the most common web-access devices worldwide by 2013. |
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Post by Rajiv on Oct 23, 2012 10:39:18 GMT 8
I have been using WhatsApp as follows: * If a game is slow to fill up, broadcast to those who might play that game. * When I put up the poll for team selectors, create a group of those down for the game to inform them. I keep the group going until the game. I include a link to the thread using tinyurl.com. * After the poll closes, inform the group who the team selectors are. I may also update the group when the line ups are finalized. If so, I include a link to the post. For those not on WhatsApp, I continue to use SMS. But I now use WhatsApp first. For broadcast and group, I use the number set up on my computer. For more immediate messages, please continue to use my mobile number. Therefore, players confirmed for a game have at least two reminders, the first a day or two before, the other(s), on the day itself. |
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Post by Rajiv on Oct 31, 2012 23:07:25 GMT 8
I've switched from tinyurl.com to bitly.com to shorten URLs in WhatsApp and SMS messages. The latter is shorter, saving me a few characters. Hopefully, including links in WhatsApp and SMS messages will encourage recipients to access this message board through their smartphones or web-enabled phones. And use the internet browser on your phone - no need to download the Proboards App. I have been including lots of links to the message board in the monthly e-mail Update in the hope that recipients follow the links, and keep up to date with developments. However, even if the e-mail doesn't end up in junk mail, not many actually look at the e-mail let alone follow the links. Each month seems to pass faster, and getting the monthly Update out by e-mail has been proving to be more effort than it's worth. .... The monthly e-mail "Update" now supplements this message board. I try to get it out about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through the month, but it is often late, going out at the end of the month instead. .... I'll try a quarterly e-mail Update from this quarter onwards, so no Update for October 2012, just one for the fourth quarter of 2012. I'll try to get it out by the middle of each quarter. It's hard to believe that at one stage, I used to send out 3 e-mails a week! Too many e-mails is counter-productive, especially when you consider that one of the reasons that the predecessor to this message board, the blog, was set up was to avoid clogging e-mail accounts. |
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Post by Rajiv on Nov 26, 2012 20:52:16 GMT 8
On the main page, a figure is provided for "Most users online". .... I take this to mean the most number of users accessing the message board at the same time. .... Currently, it is 57, set on 18 November 2012, at 12.08 am. As at 19 July 2010: On 24 October 2011: .... For a long time, it was 37, achieved at 1.25 am on 10 November 2010. .... Yesterday, almost a year on, at 9.05 pm, that number was exceeded - it hit 39. .... .... On 13 December 2011: .... It hit 48 yesterday at 6.47 pm. .... Earlier this month, I noticed the figure had reached 55 in late October (27 October 2012 if I am not mistaken). I had missed it when it first occurred. Before I got round to recording it on this thread, the figure was surpassed, as set out above. Once it is surpassed, I have no record of the earlier figure, except as recorded in this thread. |
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