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Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:04 pm
by zenmonkey
PeterMollenburg wrote:
SDPhil wrote:
January 10, 2019 - January 10, 2020 :D


End date = Jan 9th ;)

Xenops wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:...


Sorry PM, it looks like my post was missed: I started on the 7th, running until January 7th, 2020. :)


Indeed, I did miss you! Sorry, Xenops. :oops:

Your end date will be Jan 6th, 2020.

I’ll edit the competitors list tomorrow 8-)


please move me too to the 1.10.2020, couldn't start earlier due to travel and illness.

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:56 pm
by Spoonary
Ok, I give up. I missed another day yesterday, because I didn't feel like doing anything productive, and I have some things planned this week that will stop me from being able to do even 30 minutes of worthwhile study, so I'm dropping out of the challenge.

I am, however, going to continue with German and do at least 30 minutes each day that I want to/can dedicate that time to it, so at least this challenge has brought some kind of consistency to my life :lol:

Final score, I dunno. I studied 11 days out of 13, so that gives me -3 right? :roll:

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:20 pm
by Sarafina
For French, my score is still 12. But for the generic category, I've completely failed that. I'm on -56. I don't know if there's any point even continuing for the 'generic' bit. But I'll still try to carry. If I don't skip any more days, then I can still get a decent score of 309.

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:12 am
by PeterMollenburg
Spoonary wrote:Ok, I give up. I missed another day yesterday, because I didn't feel like doing anything productive, and I have some things planned this week that will stop me from being able to do even 30 minutes of worthwhile study, so I'm dropping out of the challenge.

I am, however, going to continue with German and do at least 30 minutes each day that I want to/can dedicate that time to it, so at least this challenge has brought some kind of consistency to my life :lol:

Final score, I dunno. I studied 11 days out of 13, so that gives me -3 right? :roll:


Final score is -3 as you stated. Sorry to see you go, Spoonary, but totally understandable. This does make me think (it's early days yet), that for those who have withdrawn, or simply not chosen to join due to the penalties, that perhaps next year (and this is perhaps, as it may be working fine for the majority to impose penalties) no penalties might work better, or even no penalties but positive reinforcement via 'streak bonuses', and with those who skip days simply have a lower total (and maybe don't obtain bonus points - for streaks). This has been suggested already, granted, but your withdrawal, rdearman's and others not participating due to penalties, as well as some comments left in this thread, just make me reflect on other potential approaches. Still, there's a long way to go and lot of feedback to be gathered down the track. Good luck with your studies Spoonary!

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 2:44 am
by lavengro
PeterMollenburg wrote: .... This does make me think (it's early days yet), that for those who have withdrawn, or simply not chosen to join due to the penalties, that perhaps next year (and this is perhaps, as it may be working fine for the majority to impose penalties) no penalties might work better, or even no penalties but positive reinforcement via 'streak bonuses', and with those who skip days simply have a lower total (and maybe don't obtain bonus points - for streaks). This has been suggested already, granted, but your withdrawal, rdearman's and others not participating due to penalties, as well as some comments left in this thread, just make me reflect on other potential approaches. Still, there's a long way to go and lot of feedback to be gathered down the track. ...


But there is still going to be pizza for the eventual winner me, right?

Thanks again Peter for setting this up, I have already been prodded into productive language study on a couple of days that I would otherwise have just blown off.

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:11 am
by Xenops
ロータス wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:Final score is -3 as you stated. Sorry to see you go, Spoonary, but totally understandable. This does make me think (it's early days yet), that for those who have withdrawn, or simply not chosen to join due to the penalties, that perhaps next year (and this is perhaps, as it may be working fine for the majority to impose penalties) no penalties might work better, or even no penalties but positive reinforcement via 'streak bonuses', and with those who skip days simply have a lower total (and maybe don't obtain bonus points - for streaks). This has been suggested already, granted, but your withdrawal, rdearman's and others not participating due to penalties, as well as some comments left in this thread, just make me reflect on other potential approaches. Still, there's a long way to go and lot of feedback to be gathered down the track. Good luck with your studies Spoonary!


>no penalties might work better

I feel like this will cause more people to drop/quit/give up. This a challenge. I don't understand how seeing people withdrawn is making you think you need to lower or even get rid of the main motivation to keep going in the challenge. This a challenge. Not everyone is going to 'pass'/'win'. This a challenge. Studying everyday for a year is hard. Not everyone is going to be able to do it. That is what makes it a CHALLENGE. None of this 'positive reinforcement'. You miss a day, sucks to lose your progress but now you should be even more motivated for that to not happen again and to try to get the highest 'score' you can. All my opinion; Just can't stand seeing this CHALLENGE getting nerfed because it is a CHALLENGE to complete.

Next year you might as well take the word 'challenge' out of the title and call it '365 Days of Trying' and everyone 'wins' even if you do nothing >_<


I agree: challenges make it more fun, I think...That, and my competitive spirit pushes me to study so I don't get penalized. I want that winner's pizza, too. ;)

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 10:12 am
by PeterMollenburg
ロータス wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:Final score is -3 as you stated. Sorry to see you go, Spoonary, but totally understandable. This does make me think (it's early days yet), that for those who have withdrawn, or simply not chosen to join due to the penalties, that perhaps next year (and this is perhaps, as it may be working fine for the majority to impose penalties) no penalties might work better, or even no penalties but positive reinforcement via 'streak bonuses', and with those who skip days simply have a lower total (and maybe don't obtain bonus points - for streaks). This has been suggested already, granted, but your withdrawal, rdearman's and others not participating due to penalties, as well as some comments left in this thread, just make me reflect on other potential approaches. Still, there's a long way to go and lot of feedback to be gathered down the track. Good luck with your studies Spoonary!


>no penalties might work better

I feel like this will cause more people to drop/quit/give up. This a challenge. I don't understand how seeing people withdrawn is making you think you need to lower or even get rid of the main motivation to keep going in the challenge. This a challenge. Not everyone is going to 'pass'/'win'. This a challenge. Studying everyday for a year is hard. Not everyone is going to be able to do it. That is what makes it a CHALLENGE. None of this 'positive reinforcement'. You miss a day, sucks to lose your progress but now you should be even more motivated for that to not happen again and to try to get the highest 'score' you can. All my opinion; Just can't stand seeing this CHALLENGE getting nerfed because it is a CHALLENGE to complete.

Next year you might as well take the word 'challenge' out of the title and call it '365 Days of Trying' and everyone 'wins' even if you do nothing >_<


It’s just reflection, no-one’s taking the word ‘challenge’ anywhere nor the penalties, so it’s justifiably staying put. Just reflecting, and I may do more of it which you may or may not like. You also have a point (as do others), and I’m also free to reflect on that too. I did say "Still, there's a long way to go and lot of feedback to be gathered down the track".

I have been looking for someone or some others to share the managing of this challenge, particularly as I’m likely to be away from the forum for good stretches of time later this year. Perhaps your enthusiasm for the challenge as stands currently could be a good balance against my aiming to please everyone. Would you be interested, ロータス in joining the ‘management team’? If not no probs.

Edit: Others are welcome to apply!

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 11:01 am
by zenmonkey
PeterMollenburg wrote:... I’m likely to be away from the forum for good stretches of time later this year. ...
You seem to planning to do the scoring manually? Can I say with both admiration and a side-eye ... that's nuts! Good luck!

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 11:06 am
by PeterMollenburg
zenmonkey wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:... I’m likely to be away from the forum for good stretches of time later this year. ...


You seem to planning to do the scoring manually? Can I say with both admiration and a side-eye ... that's nuts! Good luck!


I am not an IT person, I personally have no other options. Willing for others to step in here. I'm really extremely busy most of the time, like most people here, and I keep asking for help, so it's more than welcome. However if no-one steps in, expect it to be a little clunky, old-fashioned, if you will, and potentially completely in limbo for periods of time (I'm not the ideal person for the job, i'm just the one who set up what others also had in mind). Of course zenmonkey, i'm not aiming this response personally at you.

Re: The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 11:15 am
by zenmonkey
PeterMollenburg wrote:
zenmonkey wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:... I’m likely to be away from the forum for good stretches of time later this year. ...


You seem to planning to do the scoring manually? Can I say with both admiration and a side-eye ... that's nuts! Good luck!


I am not an IT person, I personally have no other options. Willing for others to step in here. I'm really extremely busy most of the time, like most people here, and I keep asking for help, so it's more than welcome. However if no-one steps in, expect it to be a little clunky, old-fashioned, if you will, and potentially completely in limbo for periods of time (I'm not the ideal person for the job, i'm just the one who set up what others also had in mind). Of course zenmonkey, i'm not aiming this response personally at you.


I get it. I'd love to help but I'm currently over-stretched and can't reasonably take on tasks. I'll *think* about it. :?
Too many projects... I've promised not to take anything on that isn't covering the bills...

If someone does decide to do it, the code is there for a twitterbot and I can point people in the right direction...