h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

January - Quiz Night A29779186
February - Dr Who K-9 A30924164

The marching lumberjacks in January and the Woking Martian A31189746 for Feb

B, do you reckon you should give notice of this thread closing at some point? Just a thought

I wasn't intending to. Even if people submit a vote late, they'll still be keen to get their vote in next time.

B

I don't quite follow your logic. Why would anybody be keen to get their vote in (earlier) next time, if they don't even know they were much too late this time?

It's more the case that if we have official 'closing times' then we have less time to publicise EotM.

B

OK, but what if there was a sudden, late rush now, all voting for another entry, getting more votes than the one you thought has won? I know it's hypothetical, but still. I think once you've told the eds which entry has won you should declare voting closed.

Why don't you just say 'your vote will not be counted and you may be charged'.

I think it's a case of addressing it 'if' it happens, rather that 'when' it happens.

B

OK, OK, maybe you're right.

Well, turned out you weren't right, and you now have your hypothetical case come true.

What now, B?

I don't know why people, given two weeks to vote, leave it until Day 13. **bangs head**

Well, the badge has been given, the Post article has been written (I generally fire off the two emails together), so there's not really any going back, is there?

B

Well, it couild prove a bit awkward:

F132065?thread=5418209

Still, I'm sure Icy wouldn't mind, but it would involve quite some changes to be made, so I'm not sure what to do.

I think it's going to have to be left...

B

We are very clear that we have a Post deadline at midnight on the Sunday before publication. While that isn't made crystal clear from the column or this thread, EotM is a Post feature and my view is that readers should bear that in mind when voting. A closing date isn't specified, but I think it should be presumed that there is one. It would be unreasonable to expect a writer or the Team to make last-minute changes to a column because of a last-minute rush in voting.

I do think in future we should be a bit clearer, though, and I'd suggest mentioning a closing date for votes in the column. I'll repeat it when I start the voting thread.

And the winner of EntryOfTheMonth for

January 2008 was A29443223 The Ashtabula Horror

and

February 2008 was A30081700 Winter Birds of the Niagra Gorge