Originally Posted by Joe Chandler
Well, instead of making it public, let senior members nominate people privately. It might be someone they know personally, or someone new they feel has contributed a neat idea, like svnoto or Idaho Mike. That saves the embarassment of someone flat out asking for a freebie, and people can go about their business, instead of hanging around until they get one, because the only notice they'll get is that they won. You don't have to go through a whole bunch of B.S. essays or whatever, and since the winners would be nominated privately, they wouldn't have some ulterior motive to hang around until they won something, never to be seen afterwards, because they wouldn't even know they had been nominated. Sort of a merit-based giveaway, instead of handing out a freebie to every Harry Hardluck and Sally Sobstory who comes along poormouthing, hoping someone will give them something. That way, new people are rewarded for contributing, rather than just for showing up and being lucky that day.
Just my $.02
Joe