That seems like a good idea, but what about just making the queue random by default? Of course that wouldn't stop the problem with the front-page, but on the other hand it would be simpler.

making the queue random? what do you mean? wouldn't that make it harder to systematically go thru the queue?

If you go to the queue with the randomized option set then all the sifts are in a random order but you can still go through them systematically (i.e: whatever is on page 1 for you will be on page 1 when you return). However, what is on my page 1 may not be the same as what is on your page 1 as each individual sifter has their own random order. I'm not sure if the order ever changes (like after a certain time period) and i'm also not sure if all the above is correct because i'm just guessing .

well i don't use the random option, but anyway the fairest solution i can think of is to put every video on page one of the queue until it has been seen a fixed number of times by registered members.

If 100 registered members see your vid on the first queue page and you only get 2 votes, then fair enough, maybe your vid is not top 15 material. But if it's 5am and only 8 registered members see your vid on the queue page then it's not so fair to discard it. Clearly a lot of good vids are discarded because of this, and it means i can't be spontaneous when posting, i always have to wait till midnight.

My biggest ever video was over 100 votes, posted at peak time, and then luckily made it out of the queue at peak time, and then entered the top 15 during peak time i think. So i guess it could have got 8 votes and been discarded if i had posted it at a different time. That kinda ruins the idea of a "sift" for me. It's like a game of chance rather than a meritocracy.

The random order does change at midnight server time or whenever a new video is queued.

In v3 there are several more queue sort options, so hopefully that will help with queue rot.

what percentage of people actually sift that carefully? surely most skim the first page and that's it. i know i do.

my aim isn't to give individual people better ways of sifting, but to help the best videos escape the queue fairly, through built in design not "offering options" that only the hardcore use.

right now you are saying "the queue is unfair but in v3 there will be an option for a minority of users to make it 5% more fair" ? or do i misunderstand?

any solution which means it's better to post at a certain time is flawed imo.

*quality idea, and especially last comment is also important.

good work mink.

Gold Star member looris has awarded MINK one published post for this quality Sift Talk contribution.

Mink, I have a simple answer to your dilemma: Find the viddies you wish to post, (a pathetic 3, since yer on the dole here with a non-charter membership..*hint hint), save them in yer bookmarks, then set yer frikkin' alarm clock (they have those in Lithuania, right???) to wake you up for the five minutes it will take to post them for the peak hours in the best time zone, in the best country(s) on the planet, CST. Then, like the dog you are, simply fall right the fuck back to sleep, Bob's yer uncle, whining solved!!!!

$quality suggestion for whiners

-Choggie has been awarded one "I wish that guy would stop making perfect sense" Solicited, Smart-Ass Ticket, for his obvious answer to MINK's frustration.

-spend it all on skunkbud-siftbot

ahhh choggie, i believe in designing systems that just work, not telling individuals to make more effort (because only a minority ever make that effort).

i don't want to just know how to game the system for myself, i want it to be fairer for all users.

you knew that.

Without divulging too much, there are some big changes in v3 and one of them will help with queue rot.

As far as sorting goes, I was suggesting that with the plethora of sort methods that will be available, a lot more videos will be very easily accessible in the queue. I think a lot more Sifters spend a bit of time in the queue than you're accounting for.

so then how did they all miss my video the first time round?

of course, there might be unknown V3 changes that make my idea nonsensical. fair enough.

but anyway, the hardcore are obviously a minority, and they are still only online half the time, so i don't see how these new options could destroy the advantage of posting at a certain time, but i hope you're working to that aim and i wish you luck.

We need more europeans on the site to keep the sift busy 24/7

What is the queue that you speak of?

was that a joke?

ahahhaahah rotfl@choggie&karaidl

@Fedquip: well, usa+europe still cover more or less 2/3 or timezones, or we do already have many far east users?

but "daytime" is like 8am to midnight, so there is some overlap. from vilnius to san francisco is 9 hours time difference, almost the other side of the world.

Far east is hard to crack because of the language thing.

Australia normally goes some way to filling in the small gap if you can encourage them.