I have a question (if it was answered in the past, then I'm sorry for bringing it back)

Short intro : I for myself prefer to vote in the last day of the contest, so I can browse all works and make a comparison between them.

Now , subject: Let's say I found myself in a hypothetical situation when i get to vote the last minutes of a contest, and there are 2 guys with same number of votes in first and second place. My vote might be decisive. I like both, but i like them different, what can i do now?
Vote for both of them, or vote only the one i consider the best?
Tricky thing because. on one hand, voting for what i consider it best and helping to win is fair, but on the other hand not voting the second one when , maybe i voted others , the third or the fourth or the twentieth, no matter, which were below the quality of the first 2, will be considered a sacrilege as well.


If you have any advice pls tell me, just to know about the unspoken rules here.
I'm a fan of fair-play so I wanna make things right.

Have a nice day,
Bogo

Simple rule: ignore the outcome.
Vote like you would vote as if the contest just started

I agree with grefix. Vote for what you think deserves a vote. I've voted myself to a lower position because of that, and I have voted for mediocre chops because it was a first entry or someone obviously tried hard. Its all relative, but vote for the chops you think have earned it.

Incidentally, I always wait until the last day also so I can see the entries from non-advantage members as well as the pre-posted ones.

Just treat each entry on its own.
If it deserves a vote in your eyes then vote for it, its not like your the only one voting for the entries.

I do the same though, i usually vote on the last day.
And sometimes i have had to vote on an entry and by doing so put it above my own.
Its just one of those things.

I also say vote for any you feel deserve a vote. Remember you may not be the last person to vote in those final moments. Several people re-peruse the entries the last day/moments.

Personally I try to check them each day if I can (which isn't always admittedly).

Think of it like a firing squad. None of the firing squad members (at least in the US past) knew which one had the bullet. This way all could fire without knowing which actually killed the prisoner and could ease their conscience.

Now this sounds very convincing .
Thank you guys for the prompt answer, it was what I assumed, but i needed the confirmation. Now i can sleep


Have a nice day,
Bogo

The best test comes on the days your own entry is in the top three and you can win.... if you did not vote for the others in the top three. Will you then vote or not?

and yes I voted for the others

Or..you could just not click that 'sort by votes' link.

It happens all the time, and yes I vote for the others too, it sucks when they win and don't vote for you though. so expect it.

As for Bogo, vote if they are good.

Some real good past forum threads on voting, good to read if you have a few days to spare. I love the fact that voting will always be a hot topic here and how opinions can and have changes over the last 7 or so years, mine included.

http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=2260&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=88077&highlight=#88077
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=3768&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=96618&highlight=#96618
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=3874&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=100526&highlight=#100526
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=5270&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
I forgot just how many times this comes up huh
So will finish on a good note, well I think it was a positive message...
http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=110495&highlight=#110495

as I said just some interesting back reading but worth a look if you do have the time.(Im sure there are many threads out there that I missed about voting)

Mostly I do also vote during the last hours of a contest, without looking who's entry it is, and how many votes it got before my vote. But there is a certain difference between voting late and voting from the start of a contest on: The possible number of votes for your own entry! So when you want to get as many votes as possible, you better vote from the beginning. There are several members around, who vote like "you vote for me, I vote for you". You will miss their votes when you vote at the end of a contest, I tried this out, and I think it will make out a difference of about 5 votes (talking about a worth-voting-entry) you can get or not. Thats an effect of non-anonymous voting.

It might be considered a test, I agree, but not for me.




It makes perfectly sense what you say, but I'm not here for hunting votes, the voting system represents for me (or at least it is supposed to) a barometer, a measuring tool of my performance, which means that the thing "i vote you cause you vote me, or vice-versa" might confuse me , and ruin a bit the conclusion about my work. All i need is to know where and how i did wrong or what i have do in order to improve a certain picture and make it believable.

Enough blah blah, I'd better go back to adjust fine details Time is precious.


Have a nice day,
Bogo

"when" used in the sense of "IF", sorry, my english. Didnt mean your habits here!