How long should a poll typically* be left open on topics which require a resolution?
*(Allowing for the fact that some issues may call for rapid response times.)

If there are proposed timscales which do not appear above then please feel free to add them in the thread.

Again I say that this is purely intended to sat­isfy my own curios­ity and is not an attempt to deter­mine pol­icy for the site in any way.

At the risk of sounding repetitive...

Reach­ing con­sen­sus can take time and lengthy discussion…but this is a dis­cus­sion board so I don’t see why on non-​pressing mat­ters con­sen­sus can’t be achieved.

Consensus will NEVER happen, imo. It would be just a mandate for never getting round to implementing anything.

feather wrote:
I'd like to see some things made policy. We seem to discuss the ins and outs of policy without ever finalising anything. Perhaps now would be a good time to finalise some matters with the forum on a 'wane'.

Gilly wrote:
Do you think it is preferable to aim for it though?

And we've got a poll running atm that is in danger of settling nowt.

Gilly wrote: My thoughts exactly Gilly.

I don't mind discussing issues when they come up but I have zero intention of burning my life up chewing over every minor detail in the pursuit of (imo) unattainable perfection.

oioioi wrote:
Isn't the only reason there's a question over it being settled, that we didn't pre-determine these points?

Besides, DG spoke of emailing everyone to canvass opinion, so that everyone had the opportunity of responding, even if not logging on much at the minute.

It's all very well aiming for 100%, but if anyone agrees that's highly unlikely to happen, we need to decide what point counts as the scales being tipped sufficiently one way or the other.

Tiz true that you cant reach consensus if everyone is entrenched but with maturity and compromise i see no reason why things that are acceptable to all cant be striven for.

I'd say a week is fair. It is sometimes argued that this isn't fair for those members who don't sign in regularly and may not be aware of the poll.

However, as a member myself, I'd be happy to know that a decision was made in my absence in this regard, personally. I don't feel the need to be consulted on every last detail, such as what colour pants Feather should wear, for example. Though, I will say, he does look good in blue. Goes with his eyes.

dubmeup wrote:
Why should people need to compromise - surely everyone's entitled to stick to their opinion if nobody raises any points that hadn't been considered prior to them forming that opinion?

100% consensus would be great, but as stated before, it's not realistic. I'm amazed that some members believe otherwise.

I say, we need to agree to a realistic margin with which a poll result can be judged to have been settled, and run with that, otherwise we're never going to get anywhere, and it'll be completely pointless even starting any polls.

I'm just thinking some might believe they can influence others round to their points of view on issues,if a poll's to stay open forever more/till 100% agreement's reached (whichever comes first) by means of repetition, and the friendliest possible insistence & intimidation. Goolies to that!

If it requires fast action... and you even feel the need to create a poll... 1 day.
If it does not require a rapid response... and may require some discussion... 3 days.

In both cases, to make sure all members know it's happening, send an email out.

Gilly wrote:
If we have things decided in a yes or no way, with a majority vote being declared the 'victor', the majority, however slight will be happy and the minority, however big, will be unsatisfied. This is not a good situation, it will inevitably lead to some people feeling that their input is worthless. If you frame things in such a way wherecompromise is accepted by all, then everyone is at least a bit content... This is why i see compromise being a good thing, it involves people considering the whole as opposed to an attitude of yay i got my way or bugger i didnt get my way.
The rral wprld systems give us a great example of what is wrong with competive group decision making

Please excuse the large number of typos i am making at the moment, i'm having tp use my shitty touch screen phone.

How can compromise be accepted by all though? Not being awkward, but can you give me an example. At the end of the day, you will never be able to please everybody. The only acceptable compromise I can see being practicable, is if people agree a % majority, and the compromise then would be that if you've voted for the option that is less popular, you don't get your way.

dubmeup wrote:
Excused.

I've got a sticky keyboard too.

Gilly wrote:
Yep.

And I'd like to point out at this juncture that the facility to do this is already in place folks, it was set up some time ago.

dubmeup wrote: No.
Sort it out ya klutz!

Gilly wrote:
We'd have to compromise to reach agreement on the percentage

oioioi wrote:
Or just look for the majority vote? *Off to check if anybody's bothered their arses to vote.*

*Edit* Only 5 votes!
Well, it's not been up long I s'pose.

Gilly wrote:
I've not voted, the options exclude my preference.

And when you say majority....