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Anyone, even if they sign up after the drawing is announced?

Someone who is a Member before the drawing is announced?

A Member with X amount of post? (You will have to make a comment on how many X is.)

I have a suggestion that is not listed. (Again, you will have to comment.)

[Trooper]

I like the idea of give-aways/raffle items to be reserved for members with posts.
Doesn't have to be a large amount (let's say 5 or so) but those would have to be for new topics rather than just giving a reply - thumbs up or a +1 on someones topic.

[Kristin Meredith]

as a retired attorney

My first thought at reading this is I bet you were a FIERCE attorney.

LOL -- yes, known as an SBL

[Bobitis]

Members for members sake isn't really helpful to the site.  It is content that drives the site.  All you have to do is look at PH right now -- tons of members, no one posting.  So nothing to read and be educated or amused or saddened by.

When we started this forum, we honestly thought at the end of the first year we would probably have 50 members.  But we thought "Hey, if they are all contributing thoughts, ideas, recipes, etc. it won't matter that it is 50, it will be great content." So to have guests and lurkers might be nice for the guests and lurkers because they have great things to read, product reviews from members who spent some serious time, they see questions answered, photos posted, how to on cooks, etc etc -- but they take only and contribute nothing.  I want to reward the contributors.

And yeah, someone could go in and post a lot of hellos, but they never know when a drawing might be and, as a retired attorney, I can probably write a rule that says your posts will be reviewed and if more than 50% are "welcome" posts, you are disqualified (I have never had a problem being a Blue Meanie and Bent isn't the only decision maker on these issues.)

wow , quotas . please delete my account .

cheers

Really Pete? Life is full of quotas. If ya don't have season tickets to any major sporting event, you'll likely not get it. Entertainment venues only have a limited amount of seating. The local fire dept. dictates how many folks can be in yer establishment at any given time. Two for one offer available for a limited time only and subject to the rules posted. I won't Even drag politics into the conversation. Quotas? They're everywhere!

My feeling echoes some here about numbers and quality of posts. Many members of the other site would post 'welcome' messages and that's about it. Mind you, that's all well and good, but not deserving a bump from a blue star to a gold one. I had a lot of posts on the old site as I was a newbie and not afraid to ask or contribute. I've a fair number here as well. Are they worthy of acceptance? I've no idea, but I try.

Tough choice for the Admins for sure, yet I feel confident that whatever the decision is, it will be fair.

Will miss you Pete.

[WiPelletHead]

I voted some one needs to a member before the giveaway is announced.

Just hate it when people only sign up trying to get a freebie.

Seen that to much on the old site and if they won, guess what?

My 

[Kristin Meredith]

Some people are shy or less experienced cookers and feel like they have nothing to contribute but yet have a desire to learn as part of the community.  Over time, they should be able to get to 25 posts even if it is just asking questions about how to do things.  We all learn when people ask questions.

I understand what you are saying Lew, but this is a very welcoming and accepting group of folks.  There are many avenues to participate.  Asking a question is good.  Posting a photo of your pit or a cook.  Responding to a question on a favorite rub or sauce.  Heck, doing a review of a favorite rub or sauce, there is no right or wrong answer for your tastes and preferences.  I just want folks to realize that forums die without some real participation and input.  All are welcome to read, but I appreciate more those that will even take the time to snap a photo and tell what they are cooking for Super Bowl Sunday.

[Big Bear]

I voted anyone. My caveat would be that they would have to be a member to participate and that guests and lurkers would not even know there was a drawing was going on.

[Bobitis]

I voted anyone. My caveat would be that they would have to be a member to participate and that guests and lurkers would not even know there was a drawing was going on.

That could be doable, but lurkers are members.

[Bentley]

I guess nothing more then to give it away, but yes, I would like to see it go 1. to someone that will use it, 2. to someone who will post about it and 3. to an active member that posts on the site.  Like I said, I am not going to get it, so I was curious what other though was appropriate.

Bentley,

What are you trying to accomplish by giving something away?

If your goal is to increase membership to the site, then being a member should be enough.

If you want to reward long time members, then pick a time window by which they must have subscribed.

If you want to reward active members, then why not use the number of posts as a weighting for the drawing? Someone with 100 posts has 100 more entries than someone with 1 post.

Personally, I'd make it open to anyone who is a member, even if they registered just to enter. Sure some people will register and never come back, others might discover the site because of a giveaway. I'd optimize for growing membership.

[Michael_NW]

Some people are shy or less experienced cookers and feel like they have nothing to contribute but yet have a desire to learn as part of the community.  Over time, they should be able to get to 25 posts even if it is just asking questions about how to do things.  We all learn when people ask questions.

I understand what you are saying Lew, but this is a very welcoming and accepting group of folks.  There are many avenues to participate.  Asking a question is good.  Posting a photo of your pit or a cook.  Responding to a question on a favorite rub or sauce.  Heck, doing a review of a favorite rub or sauce, there is no right or wrong answer for your tastes and preferences.  I just want folks to realize that forums die without some real participation and input.  All are welcome to read, but I appreciate more those that will even take the time to snap a photo and tell what they are cooking for Super Bowl Sunday.

At first I was thinking more along the lines of Bar-B-Lew: I know I'm not the shyest person in the world, but it still takes effort on my part to ignore the hesitation I feel and post. On the old site I was a true lurker, but I decided I wanted to be an active part of this community in spite of my insecurities. So I post, even though I'm still intimidated by the breadth and depth of experience and skill and interests of everyone here.

I think Kristin has a great point that contributing here can be done in all sorts of ways. I may not be up to discussing the finer points of Bentley's sous vide, but I can certainly post pics of my latest smoking disaster and ask questions. Bar-B-Lew is right that we all learn when someone else asks a question. Heck, how many times has that happened to me?

If the purpose is to reward those who produce content then I don't see how you can get away from using # of posts as the rubric. I suggest 25 non-welcome posts. 

[cookingjnj]

I voted it be a person who is a member prior to the announced drawing.  Although it would be great that it goes to someone who participates  constantly with ideas, thoughts, recipes, pictures, that might not always be realistic. Some people don't always participate in that manner.   Not sure how one would determine what the participation amount should be. It would in a sense creating an arbitrary target. That being said, we would not want folks coming just to get a freebie. Therefore my vote they are members before the announcement.  Who knows, the process might bring on more participation from the winner.

[Fire708]

I voted someone who is a member prior to announcing the give away. I do see Kristin point, without people sharing recipes/ stories/ jokes and opinions the site would be boring and lifeless. It’s the quality of people here that kept me searching for you guys when the other site went down.

[yorkdude]

It would be nice for it to be with a minimum of posts, say 50 or maybe even slightly higher.
For many things people are "rewarded" based on contributions etc. by that I mean credit card rewards, cash back, discounts etc.
I still remember in the old days the influx of members once these were announced and then "poof" see ya!
It may not seem fair this way but is it fair the other way?
Everyone here could have had "x" number of friends or relatives sign up for the UUNI for $10.00 and that's what I am afraid of.
You know the saying, it's just my .02 cents.

[hokiepop]

This is an issue that has the potential to be pretty divisive among our members.   I am a member with relatively few posts and I see merits to most of the arguments being made.  The one thing I definitely can agree on is that a person has to be a member prior to the lottery being announced.   As to the number of posts required I believe the higher the required number is the more danger there is in it becoming an exclusive domain of experienced cookers.  It may create a perception of exclusiveness to the detriment of our welcoming goal.

[yorkdude]

This is an issue that has the potential to be pretty divisive among our members.   I am a member with relatively few posts and I see merits to most of the arguments being made.  The one thing I definitely can agree on is that a person has to be a member prior to the lottery being announced.   As to the number of posts required I believe the higher the required number is the more danger there is in it becoming an exclusive domain of experienced cookers.  It may create a perception of exclusiveness to the detriment of our welcoming goal.

I honestly see it differently, it truly could help more folks share/post.
No one should feel embarrassed or otherwise about the skills they have or are interested in acquiring.
I posted about my 1st attempt at dry aging, DONT think I didn't worry about that, I did.
I got expert help and it came out awesome but it could have been a disaster, I was confident that either way it would be received like it was. Had I not done it only I would have lost out.

[Free Mr. Tony]

The posts about the perception of exclusivity are good comments. I hadn't thought of it from that angle, but good points. Something to factor into the thought process.