ECF web site of the year

[John Upham]

I started on a Honeywell based card system so if you can find anyone with more IT experience than me then cool I will show

I feel old

I programmed in Fortran 66 for an IBM System/360 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_360 at The University College London Computer Centre in Gordon Street. The Chemistry Department had six IBM 29 card punch machines
http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhib ... V4002.html which were a joy to use.

My first program simulated physisorption using a Monte Carlo type algorithm.

[Carl Hibbard]

If the URL starts with 'http://' it's a web site. What form it takes is irrelevant. Unless, of course, the award's rules specifically exclude forums, which doesn't appear to be the case.

There may not be much point in arguing, unless it's to clarify what the criteria are for judging the award.

You could also count the grading site which is of course rather popular

[TomChivers]

"Blog" is short for "Web log"; by definition a blog is a website. More here.

It's not the same case with a Forum. For instance, the "Forum for European Philosophy" is "an educational charity which organises and runs a full and varied programme of philosophy and inter disciplinary events in the UK." So it's not a website - although it does happen to have a website, which in turn is not a forum.

However, this Forum clearly is a website, and the one at Atticus Chess Club is a part of their website. So unlike blogs, some Fora are websites, some are not, some are a part of websites.

I will admit that sometimes the wording of the award for ECF website of the year has been a little clumsy. However, I think that overall the award is a very good thing and the ECF should be applauded for it.

[Jwickham]

I have written to John to explain why I expressed the opinion that a forum is not a website for the purposes of the ECF Chess Website of the year award. My latest response which, I hope, clarifies the position was as follows:

"Having thought a bit more about this I feel that I should explain why I
feel that a Forum is not included. When I introduced this award a few years
ago I was aiming to reward the webmasters who run the club, county, league
etc sites. It is those sites that provide information and advice that was
in my mind as applicable. Forums which are basically a discussion site in
my opinion, are not what I envisioned as falling in the category.

Note that we also refer to volunteers running the sites and thus the
commercial chess websites are not included.

We did make the award to what was classed as a blog a couple of years ago
but that site has details of the local leagues and has advice on playing
with links to other sites. The blog is just part of it and it is really a
website as I consider one for the award category. So websites that have a
forum as a part of the site but where the forum is not the principle
feature do qualify (I suppose a good example is Atticus).

Hope this helps clarify my thinking. One thing I have meant to do over the
years it to set down criteria for all the awards the committee have to
consider but I have not found the time to do so.

Finally, on your comment about Gerry, we have a committee of four people
and the decision is based on the majority. Gerry is just one member and
does not have the final say."

Hope that helps. I should comment that this award category is very well contested as we receive a large number of nominations each year.

John Wickham, Chairman of ECF Awards Committee

[Brent Smith]

I'm sure it's a great idea to have a "web site of the year", and it's not surprising that with so many IT people involved in chess, the general quality of sites is very good. However, the award, along with several of the other awards (e.g. magazine, club), seems to be decided in a manner shrouded in secrecy. Nominations are made, a committee meets (somewhere, some time), white smoke appears, and a winner is announced. Usually with these sort of things, there is a brief list of honourable runners-up and a bit of gush about the qualities of the winner.

If you look at the ECF web site, it gives very little commentary on how a decision was arrived at, let alone the qualities of the winner. Last year's web site winner was particularly brief: "This award again attracted considerable interest and the standard of the websites improves each year. This year we chose http://www.chessdevon.co.uk the Chess Devon website. The webmaster is Bill Frost."

Credit where it's due - the description of the Congress of the Year winner was great.

Given its coverage of the CSfS, perhaps someone should nominate the ECF web site. ROFLMHO

[Jwickham]

Brent,
Thanks for your feedback. I will try and explain the committees thinking a bit more when announcing the awards this year.

It is not our intention to shroud things in secrecy. I can tell you that we weigh up all the nominations and judge them fairly.

John

[Matthew Turner]

John (Wickham),
Many thanks for your posting and I hope you will post on other subjects of interest. I actually tend to agree with what you have said. It seems to be that there is a 'de facto' different between a 'website' and a blog. A website is primarily about information, whereas a blog is primarily about opinion. This forum falls somewhere between the two, but it perhaps seems more appropriate that the ECF award goes to an entity more towards the website end of the spectrum.

[Carl Hibbard]

Brent,
Thanks for your feedback. I will try and explain the committees thinking a bit more when announcing the awards this year.

It is not our intention to shroud things in secrecy. I can tell you that we weigh up all the nominations and judge them fairly.

John

John, please "for the record" I do not wish this site to be considered for the nomination - given the history it would not be appropriate

Thank you

[TomChivers]

Given the web allows so much flexibility and creativity, I think it's a mistake to specify criteria as to what is a website, or what type of website is preferred. The book judges don't specify that the 'Book of the Year' must be a book about a tournament or competition, which would probably be the equivalent narrowing that seems to be coming into approval here.

[David Pardoe]

Regarding this website....I`d like to see the `Icon` link to this site restored on the ECF Official website....for some reason it was removed.... I think it might help with the `hits`, and generate yet more useful `hot air`...
I think a `follow-up committee` might be useful, that could actually monitor and follow-up some of the better ideas/threads put forward, so that our chess scene might improve... I do sometimes wonder how much of these just disappear into the mists....
As I write, I note that I am the only one logged on......probably others are at the football, or shopping, etc.... or maybe even playing at a Congress or County match....!!
Talking of County matches, we`re always looking for players, so anyone out there with Manchester connections who`d like to play, please get in touch...!
And speaking also about Congresses, a quick reminder regarding the Manchester Rapidplay next Sunday 1st March, at the City of Manchester Stadium....a feast of good chess is promised....see Manchester chess website to download entry form.....details below...

Regarding nominations for website of the year... I would like to nominate The Manchester Chess website, as a bright, well presented, and informative site, which is well maintained by our current webmaster - Stuart Charlton, [email protected] http://www.manchesterchessfederation.co.uk/10.html

[Carl Hibbard]

Regarding this website....I`d like to see the `Icon` link to this site restored on the ECF Official website....for some reason it was removed.... I think it might help with the `hits`, and generate yet more useful `hot air`...

David, this forum is not "welcomed" by the ECF for the reasons listed elsewhere in these posts

[Jonathan Bryant]

A website is primarily about information, whereas a blog is primarily about opinion.

As a btw, I'd just like to say while this may be true it is far from necessarily the case. Indeed it seems extremely possible - both in theory and practice - to point to examples of either category that are the opposite of what you say they are.

Our blog is a mixture of both.