Community Contests

Hope this is in the right forum... I was going to put it in HangOut, but I thought it addressed the structure of DC, so I put it here.

Ok, so, like.. I'm going to be the weenie here and probably go cross current to what the majority think. What else is new? It's about the 'open comment thing' in Community Contests. . .

I've made a couple of comments (nice ones ) in the current contest and I still still uncomfortable about it.

After trawling the forums during this last week I've started to get an idea why the rules, particularly the 'no comment' rule applies to the other contests. Other than maybe a method of keeping the thread uncluttered, it's all about fairness. How do you critique or praise someones entry/work "during" a contest without expressing bias? The fact that there is a comment at all already sets it up, no matter how well intentioned the comment may be. After a contest, sure. But during a contest??? Still doesn't feel right.

One of the reasons why I wanted to hang here was because I appreciate the ethics expressed by the powers that be. So even though it's a "Community Contest" (which to me is an attitude that outta get clipped), it should be treated with the same professional respect as any of the other contests. "Start as you mean to go.", as they say.

I know, I know... just don't comment. Ya, Ya, Ya... but I still end up reading them, rather than just look at artwork. Yes, I'm just a lowly bottom-feeder like everybody else. Let's get real, we all wanta look, don't we.

So, what to do?? I know my cut on things may not be shared by others, so in keeping with the situation, how about when the contest thread is initiated by the moderator there is a second comment thread started up as well? eg: "Alien Landscape" & "Alien Landscape: Comments". That way there's one for each.

That's my cut on it.

That is a very good idea. Of course, I try not to bias whenever I comment on a person, whether it is graphic designing, or other matters in forums. However, of course, there is always a bit of bias as you said yourself.
In the contest that is currently running, I made a comment before I even thought of joining the contest in the community contests folder of the Windows Linux contest.
That way, my words weren't that biased, because I had no intention at the time of joining the contest.
However, later, I joined. Thus, I am trying to limit my comments, or choose the words carefully. Thus, I haven't actually commented after I submitted my own concepts.

However, the idea of another thread is good. Maybe even another folder called "Comments" folder. This should be available for everybody to see, and the contest judges/voters would know not to look at that folder.

A separate folder. Nice one. even better.