The Song Fight Bulletin Board

O.K. This is a complaint.

I just got done downloading this week's entries. There were some creative approaches to submitting this week. I thought I would list a few.

1. Three entries did not include the band name in the name of the file. Just something like MrSandwich.mp3. One didn't even include the name of the song. It was called THEBESTSONG.mp3. These are gonna get lost, folks.

2. Four additional entries did not follow proper file name conventions as prescribed in the faq and at http://www.songfight.org/tips.html

3. One entry had the extension .mp3.mp3

4. In one instance, two members of the same band sent in the same entry.

5. Someone sent a .m4a. You know who you are. Or not. You will when your song doesn't get posted.

6. In one case, the band name was not in the email.

7. Finally, one person got all of the naming conventions and email protocols right, but entered a song called Meadows Flowers and Pillows, which was not a song title this week or any week of which I am aware.

And you guys wonder why it sometimes takes a few days. Just thought you might like a glimpse.

SPUD

Spud wrote:Finally, one person got all of the naming conventions and email protocols right, but entered a song called Meadows Flowers and Pillows, which was not a song title this week or any week of which I am aware.

Obviously, this is next week's title and they got it in early to avoid the rush.

Damn. I'm hoping the real screw ups are newbies?

roymond wrote:I'm hoping the real screw ups are newbies?

Not all of them. Interestingly, both Klownhole and WreckdoM insist on mixed case in their file names, and always upcase the acronym for the song. I am starting to think there is more than a casual connection between these two anally-named bands.

hey, one title might make things easier....

/ducks

have you checked the front page?

doh!

[frantically scouring sent messages folder]

[whew]

Thanks for doing all this Spud!

You done good, Ross.

I know this probably isn't the time to suggest something like this ... and it's been suggested before ... but ... an upload form with some basic server side validation could potentially solve some of these issues ... though of course it would of course have its own set of issues (spam, other abuse, etc.).

Just a thought that's all...

Thank you sir. Indeed, that would solve SOME of these problems. However, WreckdoM would probably end up in the fight twice, and we might have an unplayable mp3 that was actually an m4a, depending on how tight the validation was. Still, worth pursuing in the long run, as if we didn't have enough other things in the pipeline.

Yeah, in this case, it can't be totally automated, as a person would have to actually listen to the songs to screen them, for file format issues, copyright stuff, etc. etc.

I think people would get their shit together if you just didn't accept entries that didn't properly follow your conventions, excepting occasional typos and what are apparently confusing situations, 501, for instance.

After you put in all the time writing the song and recording it, how hard is it to spend two or three minutes naming and tagging your file? (I know you don't require tagging, but I would. I've been thinking of implementing a 'no review if you don't tag your file' system, myself.) But if someone's going to clean up after you, why not make a mess? At least that's how many will look at it.

Proposal: Effective next week, improperly formatted submissions will not be posted to the site or eligible for voting.

People will change their ways, or not. It'll be their loss. Freedom to participate here isn't a constitutionally protected right. You make it very easy for someone to enter. Why shouldn't they have to make it easy for you, too?

Spud wrote:

roymond wrote:I'm hoping the real screw ups are newbies?

Interestingly, both Klownhole and WreckdoM ... these two anally-named bands.

Is 'klownhole' a synonym for anus? I didn't know that. I have never called my anus my 'klownhole'. I will try to drop it into future conversations

Yeah, give that a try...next time you're discussing your anus.

Calm down klownhole

Yes, nice work.

Caravan Ray wrote:

Spud wrote:

roymond wrote:I'm hoping the real screw ups are newbies?

Interestingly, both Klownhole and WreckdoM ... these two anally-named bands.

Is 'klownhole' a synonym for anus? I didn't know that. I have never called my anus my 'klownhole'. I will try to drop it into future conversations

Funny... I saw your post in the Daily Roll Call where you put this resolution to action before I saw this post, and I thought, "That was weird, even for Caravan Ray. Hmm." Heh.

Spud, I never realized just how much this affected the efficiency of the site. I will format my entries properly from now on (though I'm pretty sure I wasn't an offender this week, but I know I have been in weeks and years past).

Spud, I am pretty sure these were all attempts to increase the number of reviews next week.

Spud wrote:O.K. This is a complaint.

Here is a suggestion. I fully understand it requires more time and stuff, and if you don't like the suggestion that's fully okay.

Send back a form letter to the emails where badly named files are coming from. It could list the most common mistakes, and highlight the one which the entrant broke. Then you ask the person not to do it again because it is bothersome.

That's all.

Yes, everything you say is true.

Also, I think it might help to have a reminder on the front page such as:

A: They Control the Weather
Due: Saturday, 01/19/08 9:59am pst
mp3 formatted as "your-artist-name_tctw.mp3" sent to fightmaster@songfight.org (please use all lower case letters). Include your band name in the body of the email.

It never hurts to be redundant or put important information where people can see it.

Ken

ken wrote: It never hurts to be redundant or put important information where people can see it.
Ken

You mean you don't have the FAQ memorized? I personally have it installed as my desktop screen so I don't break protocol.

Just joshing you Spud. But ken's absolutely right.

ken wrote:A: They Control the Weather
Due: Saturday, 01/19/08 9:59am pst
mp3 formatted as "your-artist-name_tctw.mp3" sent to fightmaster@songfight.org (please use all lower case letters). Include your band name in the body of the email.

Another suggestion:

A: They Control the Weather
Due: Saturday, 01/19/08 9:59am pst

To enter this week's fight, please send an email to fightmaster@songfight.org with "They Control the Weather" as the subject, the name of your band as the body of the email, and an attached mp3 named "your-artist-name_tctw.mp3" (please use all lower case letters).

PS (I know you didn't ask for suggestions, and that it doesn't scale well for multiple titles)