I think not to let the quizes fall asleep, a 48 hours rule might be useful:

After at maximum 48 hours,

* the poser of a question must give a hint if nobody was able to guess the answer,
* the poser of a question must react on a guess and prove it right/wrong,
* the one who knew the answer must pose a new question after having been confirmed.

Otherwise the one who created the last answered question in this thread - or the one with an unanswered guess - are allowed to pose a new question.

To prevent the rules to be broken if someone is away for a few days, maybe the answer to a question // a new question could be confided to a particular, very active user, who might publish it instead of the author.

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If someone tries to remove the speck in your right eye, will you turn to him the other also?

Sounds cool to me. Anyone else want to toss in their two cents on the rules?

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I don't actually agree with the poser of the question having to prove a 'guess' or incorrect answer right or wrong. The answerer should have provided sufficient proof. Yes or no should be a sufficient reaction from the questioner.

Whilst giving such 'proof', the answer to the question will most likely be given away. These quizzes are also about carrying out research which sometimes does not fit neatly into a 48-hour timeframe. Research often involves a little more effort than hitting a keyword into a search engine....

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

DAMN RIGHT!

Sometimes it becomes a matter of persistance to get the right answer. I am right with Martin on the research bit. It is up to the poser's creativity to 'use' the guesses and turn his replies into hints, as much as possible. The fact that some Q's take a while has also to do with the participation level of answerees, of course.

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

(banner by Otto)
www.basher82.nl

stevin, these fine gentleman were sounding like fool-proof lawers until you came in with your "DAMN RIGHT!" comment. I am...ah screw it. Never mind.

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You are about to embark on the great crusade towards which we have striven these many months - Eisenhower

Sorry, I'm guilty of a little inept wording. I did not mean that the poser must deliver definite proof, just that he says yes/no, and if necessary give reasons why the answer is wrong.

For example, when Friedrich H answered my question about the first tank-with-turret constructor with those of the Renault FT-17, I denied, but also gave a reason (there was someone to do it before...).


About the 48 hours: Either you have the books to research a specific question, or you don't. This is an internet forum, and there is no prize for solving a question. Thus I think the afford should be kept moderate. A well-posed question can't be researched by hitting a key-word into a search engine (I think mine are good examples.)

And even though I mostly use the web for research, it *was* quite a job to research your Bastogne questions. It was fun, I found & learned a lot. But if you desire more complicated questions which require to canvass all good libraries, sorry, I'm not able to do so.

[ 26. October 2003, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: KnightMove ]

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If someone tries to remove the speck in your right eye, will you turn to him the other also?

Well, I'm really sorry if the questions I've set have been too hard. I'm just not inclined to be bound by more rules and regulations or to dumb my questions down and make them internet-user-friendly.

But I have no intention of spoiling the forum for others so - the quizzes are all yours, guys !

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

It was exactly those kind of Q's that I really like to get my teeth in. We have a lot of forum-members with different levels of knowledge, so to say, and different resources. So, of course not everybody will be able to answer all Q's and do the same research. PTO and weapons, for example, are not my bag, baby!

I do have some Bastogne books, so I was able to finally answer Martin's Clarke Q. With every wrong answer, Martin gave me a hint and got me further on my way. That is the fun of these Q's.

I feel these quizzes are also to get into researching stuff you have an interest in but haven't researched into length. Don't be afraid to do a little work.

Furthermore, I don't really see how these 'proof-rules' add anything to the quizzes. Most of these propositions are already being done by the posers anyway...

Let's not get to regimented and hung up on 'rules', guys...

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

(banner by Otto)
www.basher82.nl

Martin, Steven:

C'mon guys, please keep cool. We all have the same attitude concerning the quizzes.

Please re-check my postings. Neither I, nor anyone else ever said that.

The problem is just that we face two problems:

1. If the one who solved the last one does NOT post a new question, the quiz thread is dead for the moment (see movies quiz). I just want to ensure that it is kept alive.
2. It might be that a question is simply too difficult, and no user in here will ever solve it. Maybe this was the case for your Bernstein bullet question (we will never know). But if there is a question, not answered for days/weeks, the thread is dead again. I also want to prevent this to happen.

Steven, you described situations when my rules were not necessary and would not have applied. They apply if nobody tries to answer. Or nobody is posing a new question. Or the poser of a question does not react on a guess.

Please think about it again. You deem my suggestion a threat for the quizzes where it plain and simply isn't. It is ONLY to keep the quizzes alive. Ok, let's omit the 48 hours rule for hints.

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If someone tries to remove the speck in your right eye, will you turn to him the other also?

I agree with what you all say. And I agree that having dead threads as interactive as quizzes is not a good idea.

But difficult obsesive questions are fine. I really enjoy those harsh question. Last year I learned a lot of things about Kursk because Martin asked a river and a division doing something during the battle. I couldn't answer it, but it was fun!

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

So, what's basically your conclusion about my suggestions?

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If someone tries to remove the speck in your right eye, will you turn to him the other also?

Easy questions with easy anwsers.

Joke!

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