Gridwide Auction Calendar - Continue or Discontinue?

[Ivy Norsk]

Brunabug, thank you for a great job.
I have checked it only sporadically as I was looking about for auctions that I might attend in time availble, so it isn't something that I refer to as often as, say Saga's charts. I expect that is true for many users. And then, once people find an auction that fits with their schedule they often just stick with it and don't consult the chart again for awhile. What I hear in your post is that it sounds like a ton of work keeping it all updated and I wonder if there is some procedural things that would help streamline that process?

As for auctioneer drama: I think that for people who've been caught up in it, it probably looms very large because there is competition. But from the outside, it's really quite a simple thing to understand that many people have auctions and that auctions for different markets overlap.

[Aubreygrace Starlight]

As I said in yoru other thread about this:
Bruna, I think it's a HUGE help. It's not your fault or concern if times overlap and if they do it's up to the auctioneers to work that out. My auctioneers always refer to the spreadsheet BEFORE creating an auction day and time because it's courtesy to other auctioneers and respectful not to take their time. Not only is t respectufl to auctioneers, it's respect for patrons too. Patrons try to make all the auctions they can if they want to, if too many auctions overlap or at the same time there will be more no shows at one than the otherand that will make the auction community dwindle. I think the spreadsheet is helpful to patrons too, it makes it easy to see what day and times auctions are. Please continue with it!

[Devilness Chant]

I think what you are doing is a wonderful service. I don't go to auctions anymore, but I used to use the calendar when I did go and found it very useful. Thank you.

[Kayleigh McMillan]

(08-23-2015 07:54 PM)fabioazevedo Oh Wrote:  


- The 'Gride Wide Auction Calendar' WERE MADE FOR 'PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY' AND NOT 'FOR THE AUCTIONEERS';
...


- Spread the word to all people (Community): 'This 'Gride Wide Auction Calendar' is for information only', so that people, when they look for 'Gride Wide Auction Calendar', know that it 'Gride Wide Auction Calendar' IS 'INFORMATION', AND NOT 'REGULATORY';
...

Sorry Fabeo I picked out these two sentences because I so agree with them!
If it rains shit we can barely say it smells so nice.
The compittion and auctioneers bashing each other out in the open is smashing the fun out of this, big time!
This used to be different but that is so long ago that I can barely remember the good days.

Also if there is little buying public and panel after panel goes for a no sale I am the lame one to feel like I want to disappear via a hole in the ground and instead start to buy these poor furballs.
I feel so sorry for the breeders too!
Gosh, going to auctions has became really an uptight and no fun feeling!
I like my money too much to risk entering an auction and feeling so sad for others that I start to buy kitties to keep all heads up during such event >.<

[Ivy Norsk]

I know what you mean about feeling sad and having to buy up kitties at an unattended auction; that isn't fun.

As for auctioneer drama, I think it's better if you don't think of it as shit but as popcorn. Rivalries are as old as Cain and Abel, but we don't need to take them to heart. We really don't. Nor are all auctions filled with bashing.

[Icestron Resident]

thank you BreeAnn - this document is always an up to date snapshot of whats going on. Its a living document I applaud the time and effort you've put into providing such a phenomenal resource.

I check it out for upcoming auctions - and I fully appreciate how much dedication goes into the document when you helped me slot in my auction times.
I vote yes - keep it! but agree with Ms Magick - its a tool not a rule. common curtesy should prevail. Which on balance - I feel it does.

Being relatively new to auctioneering I must say that on balance I have had a fair degree of support and guidance from past as well as existing auctioneers. But before I go off on a tangent - the bottom line for me on this post is - its a super valuable document, and more often than not my starting point when thinking about what to do about my kitties.

Thank you

[Devilness Chant]

(08-24-2015 11:20 AM)Ivy Norsk Wrote:  I know what you mean about feeling sad and having to buy up kitties at an unattended auction; that isn't fun.

As for auctioneer drama, I think it's better if you don't think of it as shit but as popcorn. Rivalries are as old as Cain and Abel, but we don't need to take them to heart. We really don't. Nor are all auctions filled with bashing.

I wish it would rain popcorn! I've been sitting here watching the rain and a squirrel eating a nut, thinking about what I wanted to say. lol (I didn't make it up)

I think the analogy of Cain and Abel is most fitting. There are lots of ways to make money in sl, without beating on each other with the jaw of some animal. And not all auctions are filled with the bashings of dead animal bones. But this is off topic. lol

I think that the work Breeann and her friend are doing for the community is wonderful. It's not like they're getting paid for it. But I think the ones that were rude to her should apologize at least in private to her. She is the one doing them and the community a service as a volunteer and she should be respected for it.

Once again I say thank you for what you are doing.

[Ivy Lane]

I personally love and hate the grid wide auction calendar. I love it because as a tool it's a wonderful thing to help the community know what is going on. It is a great tool for auctioneers to attempt to schedule sequentially instead of on top of each other, thus improving the auction experience and service to the community. Competition can be healthy but if you have too many auctioneers and auctions and not enough buyers many will not survive if they are not well attended. Personally I would love to see an Auctioneer's Union and not just for KittyCatS but for all communities that utilize auctioneers. It would be a place that could create a set of rules, regulations, ethics and morals for the Auctioneering community.
But that is not the question Bree has asked. Personally I like the calendar for the most part, it is a great tool for the KittyCatS community. I used to be a mentor in the early days of Second Life and old habits die hard; I keep a folder in my inventory of information cards I have collected including URLs and SLURLs for new comers to learn about breeding and community events. I spent many months lost, wandering, not knowing what was going on until the last minute or too late, and dependent on people who may have had their own agendas. Information promotes personal power and helps the buyers and sellers. So I give out my little folder of information to anyone who says "yes I would love one, ty" . One of my favorite things is teaching, helping and mentoring people so it makes me happy to help in what ever way I can.

I do like the set of rules for the Grid Wide Calendar that Fabao set forth in his logical manner although I strongly believe that times need to be associated with the auctioneer who uses that time slot. I would like to see the calendar continue if it's not too much bother and frustration for you (Bree and your new assistant). Maybe something that promotes knowledge of it's existence so that more can use it would be a good thing as well.

Phil Metalhead suggests trying to use Google Calendar for the Grid Wide Calendar. The reasons he suggest this are
1. The calendar can be made public and easily shared like other Google Docs (the process is a little harder, but once it's set it's done)
2. Overlapping events are natively supported; you can have an auction that runs from noon to 2pm, and an auction that runs from 1:30pm to 3pm, and Google Calendar will neatly layer the events on the calendar
3. Events can have a short title (e.g. auctioneer's name), and then a lengthy description that can contain more information such as location, auction type (patron, etc), and SLURL
4. Events can be color-coded -- this would be most useful to highlight charity events, etc
5. An "All Day" event that repeats forever can be posted that contains instructions and other useful info, and it will appear at the top of each day in the calendar
6. More complex schedules are easier to set up (e.g. an auctioneer alternates each week between normal and patron auctions)

[Brunabug Nightfire]

Thank you Ivy for your suggestion passed on from Phil Meathead. I have thought about the Google Calendar idea but have decided to not use it. In years past when I and my co-worker at Kitty Kottage first started this Calendar there were a few sims who had them up but quickly things got out of control. I noticed that months out auction times were not corrected and still on old time slots because they were not deleted correctly. Most of the auctions that happen are on a weekly basis so they are reoccurring. So for how long would I put in they are reoccurring? forever or for only a month at a time. If they were one time events I can see this being a good fit but with how the auctions are set up they happen the same days and times each week. It is much easier for me to make one change and know 100% it is changed and not worry that I didn't go out far enough to delete all the times. I hope that makes sense.

Again, me and my new assistant have come up with a new layout and will be getting it set up and the link sent out to groups as well as posting it on the forums to help with the transition. If anyone has suggestions on how to get the word out that this calendar is out there for auctioneers and buyers, please leave your comments below. I would love to see if anyone can help me out with advertisement, and getting the word out. I will read through them and if I can implement them I will.

I appreciate you Fabio posting all that you did. I just want you all to remember that this is a project that I have been updating for 2 1/2 years on my own. I finally just feel comfortable to ask a fellow friend to help me out and she has come up with some good ideas. I appreciate your suggestions and helping me try and remind everyone that this was always ONLY A LIST OF AUCTIONS, not a means to manage or control times. I want this list to return to its original purpose. And I am excited about the ability to add the SURLs to the document to help buyers actually find the auction they see listed on the calendar. All the stuff you have said Fabio I have been saying for the past 2 1/2 years to auctioneers who have contacted me upset that other auctioneers were added to their same time slot. What you have typed is nothing new.

Thank you all who have posted comments. Again if you have suggestions on how to get the word out, please leave me a comment. Continue to leave any community feedback. My assistant (Sierra Miggins) or myself will be contacting each auctioneer listed already on the calendar to pass out Notecards with the new regulations to be listed on the calendar.

[doubledareme Resident]

Bree you have always done a great job of this calendar. You have been soooo good about making sure there is something around with the list of most if not every kitty cat Auction and I know its appreciated very much by the community even if we don't always say it.
I want to add that people need to understand...and this is from our conversations before, that no one owns an auction time just because its on your calendar. This is just to help the KittyCats people see when available auctions are taking place and in so doing help with the sales of their kitty cats.

In my opinion no one owns a space. We should all be courteous as much as humanly possible about scheduling ei. not to plan so many auctions that we are leaving no free time left for new auctioneers, not to overlap if we can all help it and if it has to be done to be courteous to each other and realize that it is just something that happens as the kitty cats world gets larger, (I make room for you and you make room for me) and mostly not to expect that things won't grow or change in KittyCats.

I want to say kudos to you and for all you have done a great big thank you from the bottom of my heart...

Love and hugs
Dei