Summer Project 2009 - Ideas

[camille1585]

I think we need to calm down. The project is supposed to be fun and include as many people as possible, so it's up to the project to accomodate as many as possible without getting impossible to run. Everyone who helps with the projects does it voluntarily, on top of the work in our everyday lives. So we should appreciate their work, and certainly appreciate that Dave wanted to do this for us, now that Sue stepped down.

Let's just remember that this is supposed to be fun, and above all an excuse to get more orchids! I don't think such heated arguments has a place here.

[HereticHammer]

Originally Posted by camille1585

I think we need to calm down. The project is supposed to be fun and include as many people as possible, so it's up to the project to accomodate as many as possible without getting impossible to run. Everyone who helps with the projects does it voluntarily, on top of the work in our everyday lives. So we should appreciate their work, and certainly appreciate that Dave wanted to do this for us, now that Sue stepped down.

Let's just remember that this is supposed to be fun, and above all an excuse to get more orchids! I don't think such heated arguments has a place here.

I assume this was directed at me Camille and I assure you that I have been posting with a smile on my face. We too often think folks are upset when they type something when it just may be there way of speaking.

I do know that I was misunderstood because I was quoted while the post itself was totally in agreement with what I had been saying. I did want to clear that up but, again, it was with a smile. I have not seen any heated argument but I may have missed it. lol

[cb977]

I have to jump in here...

Jonny, I think you are trying to help...BUT...since you have never participated in any OB project before, you should leave the details to the folks who have been through it before...and the person who will be running the project this time around.

After being involved in all (or at least almost all) previous projects, Dave and the others know what it takes to get it accomplished. It is a LOT of work, which is why I am no longer running it...and everybody should just be thankful that Dave took the huge step in volunteering to do this one, knowing how much time and effort it takes. This includes finding enough plants at ONE vendor in the U.S. so that all the plants are starting from the same point. Oak Hill has always done very well by us, both in projects and in our usual personal orders. I'm not saying they should be the lone vendor being thought of (actually, I suggested that we use a different vendor solely because OH got our last project order).

If you want to participate...fine...but honestly, you should take a step back
If the way the project is being structured bothers you...don't sign up

Whatever Dave and whoever else will be assisting him is comfortable doing should be fine and dandy with the rest of us

Thanks Dave

Originally Posted by HereticHammer

Hello Camille,

Well, I have to say if it is going to be done that way then I might skip it but I will wait and see what becomes of this.

As of now, I would like to be in the project.

There really is no need to limit participants and allowing the availability of the chosen orchid to do that is entirely fair. Everyone has the same availability to nurseries all over the internet. Also, simply checking with a couple of nurseries here and there is not a good indicator of how many plants of a certain species their are. Now this is taking into account that we are not going to select something outrageously rare.

[gixrj18]

Originally Posted by flhiker

Let me just say that this is not my first or second project. So you don't need to tell me how things were done. I've spent days looking for plants and only to have them shot down because someone could get them in other countries. I'm NOT interested in doing that this time.
LETS CHOOSE PLANT FROM VENDORS RATHER THEN IOSPE.
When we come right down to it this project is no different then any other projects we've done. The only differents is that the plant will be available before we suggest them.

Getting from 1 vendor (Oak Hill) was only a suggestion

I realize I not going to be able to make everyone happy.

OH! and by the way guy and gals I also have a full time job so doing un-necessary work is something I don't need.

I agree with Dave on this one....So far, every project, we picked a bunch of plants from the IOPSE site, just to find out that they weren't even available ANYWHERE. Thus, putting us back to square one, with a lot of waisted time and research.....I'm sure Sue can attest to that. I think what we are doing here is evolving.....taking what has worked in past projects, and trying to omit the methods that didn't. I know we have picked a lot of plants in the past that we had no chance of getting, and waisted a lot of time on it. I don't think Dave means that we are limited to only one vendor, I think he just wants to make sure at least one vendor carries a good quantity of the plants we're going to choose from, so that we have a good chance of all getting the plant in the same stage of maturity. It makes no sense to do a project with a plant, if we all have them in different stages of maturity.
The suggestion for making it multiple plants was just to help the availability issue. I have personally watched this project grow exponentially in the past couple years, literally from a handful of people to a worldwide project. The higher the participant number gets, the harder it's going to be to get the same plant, at the same maturity, in 12-13 different countries. Also, the more people, the harder it's going to be to please everyone. I think whatever way is easiest on the people who are nice enough to do the research, and set this stuff up, is the way we should be considerate enough to do it. These projects are a lot of work to set up, and we should just appreciate that these people are stepping up in the first place. Dave, you grabbed the reigns....I'm all for however you want to do it. You can't please everyone!

[cb977]

Originally Posted by gixrj18

I agree with Dave on this one....So far, every project, we picked a bunch of plants from the IOPSE site, just to find out that they weren't even available ANYWHERE. Thus, putting us back to square one, with a lot of waisted time and research.....I'm sure Sue can attest to that. I think what we are doing here is evolving.....taking what has worked in past projects, and trying to omit the methods that didn't. I know we have picked a lot of plants in the past that we had no chance of getting, and waisted a lot of time on it. I don't think Dave means that we are limited to only one vendor, I think he just wants to make sure at least one vendor carries a good quantity of the plants we're going to choose from, so that we have a good chance of all getting the plant in the same stage of maturity. It makes no sense to do a project with a plant, if we all have them in different stages of maturity.
The suggestion for making it multiple plants was just to help the availability issue. I have personally watched this project grow exponentially in the past couple years, literally from a handful of people to a worldwide project. The higher the participant number gets, the harder it's going to be to get the same plant, at the same maturity, in 12-13 different countries. Also, the more people, the harder it's going to be to please everyone. I think whatever way is easiest on the people who are nice enough to do the research, and set this stuff up, is the way we should be considerate enough to do it. These projects are a lot of work to set up, and we should just appreciate that these people are stepping up in the first place. Dave, you grabbed the reigns....I'm all for however you want to do it. You can't please everyone!

[HereticHammer]

Originally Posted by cb977

I have to jump in here...

Jonny, I think you are trying to help...BUT...since you have never participated in any OB project before, you should leave the details to the folks who have been through it before...and the person who will be running the project this time around.

After being involved in all (or at least almost all) previous projects, Dave and the others know what it takes to get it accomplished. It is a LOT of work, which is why I am no longer running it...and everybody should just be thankful that Dave took the huge step in volunteering to do this one, knowing how much time and effort it takes. This includes finding enough plants at ONE vendor in the U.S. so that all the plants are starting from the same point. Oak Hill has always done very well by us, both in projects and in our usual personal orders. I'm not saying they should be the lone vendor being thought of (actually, I suggested that we use a different vendor solely because OH got our last project order).

If you want to participate...fine...but honestly, you should take a step back
If the way the project is being structured bothers you...don't sign up

Whatever Dave and whoever else will be assisting him is comfortable doing should be fine and dandy with the rest of us

Thanks Dave

ANNND....my smile is gone now! EXCUSE ME! What a rude little diatribe this was.

And I quote:

Originally Posted by flhiker

I was thinking of getting this project going but since we had a hard time finding available plants for all on the last Spring project that maybe we should have a little twist for this one. I'm looking for Ideas only at this time.

Sorry I did not think they meant "looking for ideas only from those in the click." My apologies for not seeing the fine print.

Just because someone has not been in your click (ohhh do I hate clicks) does not mean they might not have some good insight into planning something. We all do have good working rational minds I would hope.

As far as getting the plants all from one vendor (to hell with international folks I guess in your mind), that does not mean that you will get plants starting from the same point. I have ordered multiples of a species for myself and friends from the same nursery and got very different plants MANY times.

Now as I read it this thread was looking for ideas and suggestions and that is what I came here to participate in. There was no reason to be so rude to me. (telling me to back off, as if!)

I was just bouncing ideas and I have yet to hear any reason that my ideas are somehow not worthy other than you don't seem to like them and you and others have been around longer (that elitist click thing.)

I have done my fair share of organizing events, contests, and even research for local plant clubs and other societies. It is not like just because someone has not run some little online project that they are ignorant of what such a thing entails.

Geesh, I never. Sometimes a person has to wonder why they bothered.

[HereticHammer]

Originally Posted by gixrj18

I agree with Dave on this one....So far, every project, we picked a bunch of plants from the IOPSE site, just to find out that they weren't even available ANYWHERE. Thus, putting us back to square one, with a lot of waisted time and research.....

Oh goodness gracious! I did respond to this.

Dave said he did not have OW. I suggested that he could use IOSPE (among many others on the WWW) as a way to make a quick check on a plant not a way to check availability or any other purpose that would slow things down.

If y'all gave me a list of 200 orchids you were interested in I could get back with you in a couple days as to what fits a certain criteria we would be looking for. It is not THAT hard. Shoot, I often do that much when I am scouting for new orchids for my collection.

Again, the IOSPE (which is not perfect and should not be used as a sole source) suggestions was in reference to Dave stating that he did not have OW not a way to pick orchids or check for availability. Do you all normally check the availability for chosen species through OW. No. Likewise, my suggestion had nothing to do with that.

[cb977]

Jonny, nobody was rude to you

It doesn't matter if...

I have done my fair share of organizing events, contests, and even research for local plant clubs and other societies. It is not like just because someone has not run some little online project that they are ignorant of what such a thing entails.

...

the project here is on a totally different level. The person running it has to try to keep more than 50 people from all over the world, all with different growing environments, all with different space issues, all with different monetary issues, all with different preferences...happy!

It is not an easy task and only somebody who has been involved in one before has any clue what it entails.
It is not a "click" but folks who have no idea what it's taken to get it done in the past should give some credit to the folks who have some experience with this particular subject.

I make a point of being nice...and FAIR...to everybody here so please do not accuse me of being rude.

[gixrj18]

Originally Posted by HereticHammer

ANNND....my smile is gone now! EXCUSE ME! What a rude little diatribe this was.

And I quote:


Sorry I did not think they meant "looking for ideas only from those in the click." My apologies for not seeing the fine print.

Just because someone has not been in your click (ohhh do I hate clicks) does not mean they might not have some good insight into planning something. We all do have good working rational minds I would hope.

As far as getting the plants all from one vendor (to hell with international folks I guess in your mind), that does not mean that you will get plants starting from the same point. I have ordered multiples of a species for myself and friends from the same nursery and got very different plants MANY times.

Now as I read it this thread was looking for ideas and suggestions and that is what I came here to participate in. There was no reason to be so rude to me. (telling me to back off, as if!)

I was just bouncing ideas and I have yet to hear any reason that my ideas are somehow not worthy other than you don't seem to like them and you and others have been around longer (that elitist click thing.)

I have done my fair share of organizing events, contests, and even research for local plant clubs and other societies. It is not like just because someone has not run some little online project that they are ignorant of what such a thing entails.

Geesh, I never. Sometimes a person has to wonder why they bothered.

Okay, I had a smile, now I'm offended. The LAST thing we have here is a "CLICK", what we do have is people who have seen what DOES and DOESN'T work. It wasn't your ideas that were being put down, but the fact that you were putting down the way the organizers want to do it. We're always open for ideas, and we're obviously trying to tell you what hasn't worked in the past. We're not worried just about the folks in the U.S., but it makes no sense for the folks in the U.S. to do the research for the people that aren't, because we don't know what is and isn't good for them. We usually have a representative of each area find a place for those people to order from. The last thing I'm part of is "CLICK" and I don't appreciate the comment.

[HereticHammer]

Originally Posted by cb977

Jonny, nobody was rude to you

It doesn't matter if......

the project here is on a totally different level. The person running it has to try to keep more than 50 people from all over the world, all with different growing environments, all with different space issues, all with different monetary issues, all with different preferences...happy!

It is not an easy task and only somebody who has been involved in one before has any clue what it entails.
It is not a "click" but folks who have no idea what it's taken to get it done in the past should give some credit to the folks who have some experience with this particular subject.

I make a point of being nice...and FAIR...to everybody here so please do not accuse me of being rude.

Sorry Susanne, but if you tell someone to "back off" that is going to come across as rude no matter how you phrase it.

I do understand the work involved. One of my past projects (as in things I did, not this project) was international and worked with those who had internet access and those who did not. So take what you have done here and add working to coordinate some of the members with snail mail.

Anyway, I am very aware and appreciative of hard work and I know that you and others try very hard to make these Projects run smoothly. And I have to assume from all I have read that you have done a very good job. I was simply offering ideas when I was told to "back off."

If Dave sets up a Project that I like, I would be happy to participate but if he sets one up I don't care for then no biggie, I will pass the time and wait for another Project or just do something else. I just saw myself as offering suggestions that he could weigh with any other suggestions he got. Nothing more.