[Semper Vaporo]

Hey, Les, you're a 1st class member... you can start a poll, so since it is your question you get to start it.

Although I think you have two separate subjects here... where is your layout and do you scratch build.

Of course, you need to really think out what possible selections you present in the poll...

Like the one for "Where is your layout":


1. Don't have one, don't want one.
2. Don't have one, will build one someday.
3. Had one (or more), but it (they) is (are) now gone, no plans to rebuild.
4. Had one (or more), but it (they) is (are) now gone, plan to rebuild

5. Building one inside now.
6. Building one outside now.
7. Have an outdoor one, building an indoor one now.
8. Have an indoor one, building an outdoor one now.
9. Indoor only.
10. Outdoor only.
11. Both and connected together.
12. Both but not connected together.

That makes 12 possible selections.... uh no, uh...
Hmmm... should you include selections based on elevation?

You'd have to make selections 2 through 10 each to be 3 selections each (i.e.:

2. Don't have one, will build one someday that is elevated.
3. Don't have one, will build one someday that is ground level
4. Don't have one, will build one someday that is both ground level and elevated.

That makes 30 possible selections, but the last 2 (11. & 12) will become:

neither elevated,
outside elevated - inside not,
outside not, inside is,
both are,
outside both elevated and ground level - inside elevated,
outside both elevated and ground level - inside floor level,
outside elevated - inside both elevated and floor level
outside ground - inside both elevated and floor level

So that makes 8 each for them, now there are 46 possible selections...

Oh wait, then there is the possibility of an elevated line being waist level or overhead, both inside and outside... I wonder how many selections a poll can have before the server barfs?

Then, of course, you need answers to keep the wags from complaining...

39. I don't understand this poll.
40. I don't answer polls.
41. I always lie on polls.
42. I don't care.
43. Guess.
44. Mary had a little shoe.
45. None of the above.
46. All of the above.

(Be sure you get the last two in that order just for the conflict it creates!)

 

[Semper Vaporo]

Posted By Les on 03/15/2009 8:48 PM


There are some good suggestions, just too many choices allowed. Remember, the initial questions--as you astutely noted--were dual: 1) do you do G scale, and 2) do you scratch/kit/bash build, or buy RTR?

A logic tree might look like this:

Do you do G scale? "Yes".Then goto 2). "No" Then go away.

2) Do you scratch/kit/bash? "Yes" then goto end. "No," then goto 3).

3) Do you buy RTR? "Yes" then end. "No". Then end.

Simpler, what?

Les




Yeah, that is all well and good to think about, but the poll system does not allow a logic tree like that. You can only set up on list of selections

--------------------------------------
1. Do you do G scale
2. Do you scratch/kit/bash?
3. Do you buy RTR?
--------------------------------------


That looks good if it were a multiple choice setup... but the poll function makes that a single choice... Pick one and one only.

Thus you might have to word it this way, including the line at the bottom with the instruction to not vote if you don't do G-scale.

--------------------------------------
1. I only scratch/kit/bash.
2. I scratch/kit/bash and buy RTR.
3. I only buy RTR.

If you don't do G-scale, please don't answer the poll.
--------------------------------------

Of course, you will get some that will answer the poll before they read the instructions, but you cannot put instructions before the list in the Poll.

Wags will also find some other answer that they would have prefered and won't answer the poll at all, just complain that you didn't think it out far enough to cover their particular bent... Or will question if you mean only rolling stock or include track side structures or maybe want to treat engines as separate from rolling stock.

You will also get those that will question whether you mean to include 1:32, 1:29 and 1:20.3 (and the other random scales that all fit track that is 1.75-inches or 45-mm between the rails) or just the stuff that was originally marketed as "G-Scale". Or do you intend to include those that run "O" or "HO" in the Garden? What about 3.5- or 5.0-inch gauge in their Garden?

How about whether just renumbering an engine is included under "bashing" as opposed to sawing the purchased equipment up into little pieces and glueing it back together in a different configuration.

And then someone will ask what RTR means.

And yet, none of those things will be brought up because people are being mean or trolling for an argument... some people have varied narrow definitions and unless you really explain yourself you will get someone that gets befuddled by the poll and will either not answer or will answer wrong just because the possible answers were ambiguous to them.

This "poll taking" is difficult!