2020 Virtual Truck Show Planning - Input, Please!

[Gary Lewis]

I am in favor of general categories. I also like the idea of allowing a truck to win only one category. However, does this apply to the vehicle or the member? For instance, could a member with two trucks still win two trophies? Also, if a truck were to sweep the most votes in two categories, how would you decide which trophy to award and which category would default to the runner up? Perhaps number the categories and award in order or something else? This is all mechanical details but should be thought through. One possible spin or addition to the longest owned category might be best back-story truck adventure story etc., to evoke more participation than just a purchase date? Not that a truck tale is any more verifiable than years owned... but it would add interest and give folks something to vote on.

Ron - I am hoping to stay as close as possible to the categories we usually use. And those categories are generic, meaning not by bed style, cab length, F100 vs F350, etc. But some of the categories we've used, like Farthest Distance Driven, are obviously not going to work and we'll have to make a few changes.

Jonathan - You have good questions. But let me see if I can answer them:

• Owner Vs Truck: I think we are judging the truck and not the owner, so that would mean that someone with multiple trucks entered could "take home" multiple trophies. Does that make sense?

• Which Category: If a truck has the most votes in two or more categories I suggest that it wins the one in which it has the most votes. And if it has the same number of votes in two categories then it will win the one that is first in the list of categories.

  Let me explain. Assume the categories are: Best Engine; Best Upgrades; People's Favorite; Closest To Stock; Ugliest Truck; & Best Story - in that order. If truck "A" gets 439 votes for People's Favorite and 439 votes for Ugliest Truck then it will win People's Favorite since that is first in the list.

• Best Story: I like what I think you suggested as a category. And in it could be lots of facts, including longest time owned, best adventure the truck has been on, who used to own it, etc. I'm not worried about verifying them, but this would give a way for people to get creative.

What do y'all think about those answers?

Also, I have another question: I'm thinking of sending an email to everyone that's registered on the forum to tell them about the show and let them know they can not only vote but enter their truck. Thoughts?

[reamer]

Ron - I am hoping to stay as close as possible to the categories we usually use. And those categories are generic, meaning not by bed style, cab length, F100 vs F350, etc. But some of the categories we've used, like Farthest Distance Driven, are obviously not going to work and we'll have to make a few changes.

Jonathan - You have good questions. But let me see if I can answer them:

• Owner Vs Truck: I think we are judging the truck and not the owner, so that would mean that someone with multiple trucks entered could "take home" multiple trophies. Does that make sense?

• Which Category: If a truck has the most votes in two or more categories I suggest that it wins the one in which it has the most votes. And if it has the same number of votes in two categories then it will win the one that is first in the list of categories.

  Let me explain. Assume the categories are: Best Engine; Best Upgrades; People's Favorite; Closest To Stock; Ugliest Truck; & Best Story - in that order. If truck "A" gets 439 votes for People's Favorite and 439 votes for Ugliest Truck then it will win People's Favorite since that is first in the list.

• Best Story: I like what I think you suggested as a category. And in it could be lots of facts, including longest time owned, best adventure the truck has been on, who used to own it, etc. I'm not worried about verifying them, but this would give a way for people to get creative.

What do y'all think about those answers?

Also, I have another question: I'm thinking of sending an email to everyone that's registered on the forum to tell them about the show and let them know they can not only vote but enter their truck. Thoughts?

Also, I have another question: I'm thinking of sending an email to everyone that's registered on the forum to tell them about the show and let them know they can not only vote but enter their truck. Thoughts?

I like it...

[Gary Lewis]

Also, I have another question: I'm thinking of sending an email to everyone that's registered on the forum to tell them about the show and let them know they can not only vote but enter their truck. Thoughts?

I like it...

Thanks, Ron.

Anyone else have thoughts about the email? I don't want to have people mark us as spam, but so many people are signed up and don't get on so won't know.

Here's an idea. Do a mass mailing soon to announce it and tell them how to submit entries. Then do a mass mailing to remind them that polling is open. And then do one to tell them of the results.

Thoughts?

[Ford F834]

Ron - I am hoping to stay as close as possible to the categories we usually use. And those categories are generic, meaning not by bed style, cab length, F100 vs F350, etc. But some of the categories we've used, like Farthest Distance Driven, are obviously not going to work and we'll have to make a few changes.

Jonathan - You have good questions. But let me see if I can answer them:

• Owner Vs Truck: I think we are judging the truck and not the owner, so that would mean that someone with multiple trucks entered could "take home" multiple trophies. Does that make sense?

• Which Category: If a truck has the most votes in two or more categories I suggest that it wins the one in which it has the most votes. And if it has the same number of votes in two categories then it will win the one that is first in the list of categories.

  Let me explain. Assume the categories are: Best Engine; Best Upgrades; People's Favorite; Closest To Stock; Ugliest Truck; & Best Story - in that order. If truck "A" gets 439 votes for People's Favorite and 439 votes for Ugliest Truck then it will win People's Favorite since that is first in the list.

• Best Story: I like what I think you suggested as a category. And in it could be lots of facts, including longest time owned, best adventure the truck has been on, who used to own it, etc. I'm not worried about verifying them, but this would give a way for people to get creative.

What do y'all think about those answers?

Also, I have another question: I'm thinking of sending an email to everyone that's registered on the forum to tell them about the show and let them know they can not only vote but enter their truck. Thoughts?

Good explanation Gary. It sounds straightforward. I share your concern about fact checking the ‘best story’ category, that is pretty much on the honor system of the person writing it. Old photos, or photos of an adventure would help, but not everyone will have them and they won’t verify a whole story. I still think it may be fun and help as an incentive to improve the write-ups.

Edit: I think the email approach you suggested is excused!

[Gary Lewis]

Good explanation Gary. It sounds straightforward. I share your concern about fact checking the ‘best story’ category, that is pretty much on the honor system of the person writing it. Old photos, or photos of an adventure would help, but not everyone will have them and they won’t verify a whole story. I still think it may be fun and help as an incentive to improve the write-ups.

Edit: I think the email approach you suggested is excused!

Ok, let's assume that the categories are now: Best Engine; Best Upgrades; People's Favorite; Closest To Stock; Ugliest Truck; & Best Story. We can tweak that list if we need to do so, but I think it is pretty good.

So now let's turn our focus to the "how". In other words, where to put everything, and what is "everything". Here's my thinking....

We have a section of the forum called Ford Truck Show (Bullnose Forum/Ford Truck Show in the menu), and while that is a logical place to put it, that would be a pain for me. The issue is that each picture on the forum has to be added individually, and if we have a lot of entries and each has a lot of pics or vids then there will be a lot of work for me. Plus, the forum page doesn't lend itself to lots of entries.

So I just created a new section called Truck Shows. You can see it has been added to the top menu at present along with Bullnose Forum, Documentation, and About. (I can tuck it into Documentation later if we decide.) And under that menu item I have the 2020 Truck Show page, and under that page there will be a new page for each entry. The beauty there is that it can be as many pages as we want, and uploading pics can be done by creating a "gallery", which means that if there are 100 pics for an entry I just click the first and then the last and Weebly will upload them all in one go. And I can more easily copy/paste text that is sent as well.

Right now there are two pages in there, called Entry 1 and Entry 2. But it would be easy to put up a page called something like Swap Meet and put pics of things people are wanting to sell along with how to contact them via the forum's email system. (We don't want to give out people's email addresses.) Or we could put up other pages as well with other info. And, when the polling is done the winners can be announced on a page.

In fact, as the dust settles on this I can move the 2018 and 2019 show pics over to this so they will all be in one place.

Do y'all agree with this approach? Hope so 'cause I'm going to start populating the 2020 Truck Show page itself with the classes, how to enter, rules, etc.

 

[old55pete]

Ok, let's assume that the categories are now: Best Engine; Best Upgrades; People's Favorite; Closest To Stock; Ugliest Truck; & Best Story. We can tweak that list if we need to do so, but I think it is pretty good.

So now let's turn our focus to the "how". In other words, where to put everything, and what is "everything". Here's my thinking....

We have a section of the forum called Ford Truck Show (Bullnose Forum/Ford Truck Show in the menu), and while that is a logical place to put it, that would be a pain for me. The issue is that each picture on the forum has to be added individually, and if we have a lot of entries and each has a lot of pics or vids then there will be a lot of work for me. Plus, the forum page doesn't lend itself to lots of entries.

So I just created a new section called Truck Shows. You can see it has been added to the top menu at present along with Bullnose Forum, Documentation, and About. (I can tuck it into Documentation later if we decide.) And under that menu item I have the 2020 Truck Show page, and under that page there will be a new page for each entry. The beauty there is that it can be as many pages as we want, and uploading pics can be done by creating a "gallery", which means that if there are 100 pics for an entry I just click the first and then the last and Weebly will upload them all in one go. And I can more easily copy/paste text that is sent as well.

Right now there are two pages in there, called Entry 1 and Entry 2. But it would be easy to put up a page called something like Swap Meet and put pics of things people are wanting to sell along with how to contact them via the forum's email system. (We don't want to give out people's email addresses.) Or we could put up other pages as well with other info. And, when the polling is done the winners can be announced on a page.

In fact, as the dust settles on this I can move the 2018 and 2019 show pics over to this so they will all be in one place.

Do y'all agree with this approach? Hope so 'cause I'm going to start populating the 2020 Truck Show page itself with the classes, how to enter, rules, etc.

Holy cow! sounds like you have it down to a T. One thing is a fact you are a thinker.

[Gary Lewis]

Holy cow! sounds like you have it down to a T. One thing is a fact you are a thinker.

Steve - If that's a compliment then I thank you. (One of my father's many sayings, and usually said when it was obvious it wasn't a compliment.)

Ok, been doing some more thinking, as Steve said, and have done the following:

• Gifts: I've contacted both Rock Auto and LMC at this point, with more to follow. And RA has agreed to send me six gift certificates that will go, with the trophies, to the winners of the six classes.

• Show Page: Filled out the page at Truck Shows/2020 Truck Show to have a tab for an Overview, one for Entrants where I hope to keep the list up to date, and Polling, which has links to the poll threads - see below

• Entries: Populated the two pages I'd added for Entrant #1 & Entrant #2 to be Dad's Truck and Big Blue, respectively. And, I used them as kind of a template to see what I thought should be said and shown.

  However, I'd like y'all to look at see what I forgot. I'm sure I did. And I already know I don't have a pic with me beside either truck, which has been requested.

• Poll Threads: Added a folder in Events called "2020 Virtual Truck Show" - which is locked so only admins can add threads. And, I added a thread for each of the polls so I have a place to put the polls when the time comes. However, all of them are locked save for Best Engine poll as I don't want any comments in there that I'd have to delete when polling opens at midnight CDT on Sept 16th. And the Best Engine poll is only a test to see that I can create as many entries as we may need. But it let me create 101 entries, so hopefully it'll let me create however many we need when the time comes. After all, we have 770 members at present, and some of us have several trucks.

Given that, we are now OPEN FOR BUSINESS. All entries must come to me via email and I'll do my best to get your entry up on its own page ASAP. And if you then want me to tweak something or add new pics you can do that - especially as we get the format nailed down.

So please look things over closely and let me know what needs to change.

[old55pete]

Steve - If that's a compliment then I thank you. (One of my father's many sayings, and usually said when it was obvious it wasn't a compliment.)

Ok, been doing some more thinking, as Steve said, and have done the following:

• Gifts: I've contacted both Rock Auto and LMC at this point, with more to follow. And RA has agreed to send me six gift certificates that will go, with the trophies, to the winners of the six classes.

• Show Page: Filled out the page at Truck Shows/2020 Truck Show to have a tab for an Overview, one for Entrants where I hope to keep the list up to date, and Polling, which has links to the poll threads - see below

• Entries: Populated the two pages I'd added for Entrant #1 & Entrant #2 to be Dad's Truck and Big Blue, respectively. And, I used them as kind of a template to see what I thought should be said and shown.

  However, I'd like y'all to look at see what I forgot. I'm sure I did. And I already know I don't have a pic with me beside either truck, which has been requested.

• Poll Threads: Added a folder in Events called "2020 Virtual Truck Show" - which is locked so only admins can add threads. And, I added a thread for each of the polls so I have a place to put the polls when the time comes. However, all of them are locked save for Best Engine poll as I don't want any comments in there that I'd have to delete when polling opens at midnight CDT on Sept 16th. And the Best Engine poll is only a test to see that I can create as many entries as we may need. But it let me create 101 entries, so hopefully it'll let me create however many we need when the time comes. After all, we have 770 members at present, and some of us have several trucks.

Given that, we are now OPEN FOR BUSINESS. All entries must come to me via email and I'll do my best to get your entry up on its own page ASAP. And if you then want me to tweak something or add new pics you can do that - especially as we get the format nailed down.

So please look things over closely and let me know what needs to change.

It was a complement. A non complement would have been something more like my dad would say, like, think with your brain on and your mouth shut.

Personally I think it all looks good.

[Ford F834]

Steve - If that's a compliment then I thank you. (One of my father's many sayings, and usually said when it was obvious it wasn't a compliment.)

Ok, been doing some more thinking, as Steve said, and have done the following:

• Gifts: I've contacted both Rock Auto and LMC at this point, with more to follow. And RA has agreed to send me six gift certificates that will go, with the trophies, to the winners of the six classes.

• Show Page: Filled out the page at Truck Shows/2020 Truck Show to have a tab for an Overview, one for Entrants where I hope to keep the list up to date, and Polling, which has links to the poll threads - see below

• Entries: Populated the two pages I'd added for Entrant #1 & Entrant #2 to be Dad's Truck and Big Blue, respectively. And, I used them as kind of a template to see what I thought should be said and shown.

  However, I'd like y'all to look at see what I forgot. I'm sure I did. And I already know I don't have a pic with me beside either truck, which has been requested.

• Poll Threads: Added a folder in Events called "2020 Virtual Truck Show" - which is locked so only admins can add threads. And, I added a thread for each of the polls so I have a place to put the polls when the time comes. However, all of them are locked save for Best Engine poll as I don't want any comments in there that I'd have to delete when polling opens at midnight CDT on Sept 16th. And the Best Engine poll is only a test to see that I can create as many entries as we may need. But it let me create 101 entries, so hopefully it'll let me create however many we need when the time comes. After all, we have 770 members at present, and some of us have several trucks.

Given that, we are now OPEN FOR BUSINESS. All entries must come to me via email and I'll do my best to get your entry up on its own page ASAP. And if you then want me to tweak something or add new pics you can do that - especially as we get the format nailed down.

So please look things over closely and let me know what needs to change.

The pages for Big Blue and Dad’s look great Gary! On the video, is it best for us to provide a YouTube link? What is the best format for submissions? Word document? Or just typed text in an e-mail body? The only thing I see with this presentation is that it will take quite a bit of your time to format and enter it all. Anything we members can do to streamline this process we should be doing!

I also just want to throw this out there... having attended the 2017 truck show... that Gary puts a tremendous amount of effort into these events down to the last detail. And is continuing to do so this year via virtual means. I really want to encourage the members here to put in the effort to enter their trucks and take the time to share photos and write ups. The more we put into this the better the whole will be 🙂

 

[Gary Lewis]

The pages for Big Blue and Dad’s look great Gary! On the video, is it best for us to provide a YouTube link? What is the best format for submissions? Word document? Or just typed text in an e-mail body? The only thing I see with this presentation is that it will take quite a bit of your time to format and enter it all. Anything we members can do to streamline this process we should be doing!

I also just want to throw this out there... having attended the 2017 truck show... that Gary puts a tremendous amount of effort into these events down to the last detail. And is continuing to do so this year via virtual means. I really want to encourage the members here to put in the effort to enter their trucks and take the time to share photos and write ups. The more we put into this the better the whole will be 🙂

Steve - Thanks.

Jonathan - The easiest for me would be to send me a Word doc. I'll just embed it on the page and won't have to do much at all. (But, I do have to then create a few links, add it to the poll, etc.)

As for a video, a Youtube link would work fine. I'll just get the embed code and drop it in.

And I do appreciate the plug. I'd really like to have a few hundred entries!