And the 2009 Community Award Winners are....

**Darren884** · Jan 4, 2010 20:39

Congratulations to all the award winners and thank you for drawing me SitePoint! How do I get the certificate though?

**My220x** · Jan 5, 2010 00:35

Well done everyone!

**markbrown4** · Jan 5, 2010 03:07

Congratulations to all the nominees

I don't venture out of the Web design forums too often so I can personally say that Alex, Felgall, cooper.semantics, Ryan and the-greatest-thing-to-ever-happen-to-sitepoint Paul O'B are all very worthy to have their names up in lights. Well done guys,

**Erik J** · Jan 5, 2010 03:44

Congratulations to all nominated and to all you awarded! You definitely deserve the recognition!

And a great thanks to all that joined in the most important part; the voting! Represented by a few prize winners.

Also to Dave and the staff members that did all the work behind the scene!

**akritic** · Jan 5, 2010 04:09

Originally Posted by Darren884

Congratulations to all the award winners and thank you for drawing me SitePoint! How do I get the certificate though?

Darren, I would send a PM to the community manager Raena.

**smftre** · Jan 5, 2010 07:00

Congrats to all that won!

**rageh** · Jan 5, 2010 10:06

Originally Posted by felgall

The size of the contribution made is only one factor in determining who deserves to win. If it were the only factor then it wouldn't have been necessary to collect votes as a program could have been used to determine who made the biggest contribution for each of the awards and they could have been presented without any need for nominations or voting.

How about 5 people with equal contributions? The Program would have miserably failed to pick a winner. So human judgment is needed.

I thought the point of the awards were for the forum members to exercise their judgment. It does not of course mean the person with the biggest contributions should win. Of course not. That would have resulted in a farce. When I said all contributions were not equal, I did not mean quantity. I meant quality contributions.

**raena** · Jan 5, 2010 19:35

Hey voucher winning folk - just working on that now!

Congratulations to all the winners!

You make this place awesome!

**cecille20** · Jan 5, 2010 23:10

Wow congratulations to the winner...

**deepM** · Jan 6, 2010 04:48

Congratulations to all nominated and to all you awarded!

**ashlesha** · Jan 6, 2010 05:50

Thanks for people who put vote and congrats for all winners. You have done one of the great remarkable offering work in internet. This is really happiest moment in our life. Thank you for sharing this useful information with us. Keep it up and continue this work.

**sailojion** · Jan 6, 2010 08:45

Congratulations to all the winners on the list

**ejoe91** · Jan 7, 2010 00:01

congratz for the winners

**guido2004** · Jan 7, 2010 04:54

A bit late (been sick), but still:

Congratulations to all winners!

**garryhopkins** · Jan 8, 2010 01:29

Start preparing for the new year and throughout.

**ackmanbenj** · Jan 8, 2010 02:39

Congratulation to the winners...

**Stomme poes** · Jan 8, 2010 02:49

Originally Posted by rageh

How about 5 people with equal contributions? The Program would have miserably failed to pick a winner. So human judgment is needed.

I thought the point of the awards were for the forum members to exercise their judgment.

It's actually just a popularity contest. As soon as you understand that, you'll be able to relax and let things fall where they do. When I voted, I saw a lot of nice people listed who could have gotten a tag/badge that labeled them as a "guru" in something... when I first came to SitePoint I thought those with "guru" badges were like the most knowledgeable of the forum but later I found how they got them. Sometimes it's true (David Lynn really IS an Apache guru : ) and sometimes it's just someone who's very nice or friendly on the forums, nothing more.

Kinda like presidential elections. People vote for who they feel they can drink a beer with, not who's best suited to the job (depending on the circumstances at the time of voting anyway). And this is okay so long as everyone realises that that's how it works.

I might have missed it, but was there a Most Helpful Member category this year? I forget what RyanReese was nominated for but that's the category I would have expected him to win.
Whatever it was, I voted for you Ryan : )

**rageh** · Jan 8, 2010 10:52

Originally Posted by Stomme poes

It's actually just a popularity contest. As soon as you understand that, you'll be able to relax and let things fall where they do. When I voted, I saw a lot of nice people listed who could have gotten a tag/badge that labeled them as a "guru" in something... when I first came to SitePoint I thought those with "guru" badges were like the most knowledgeable of the forum but later I found how they got them. Sometimes it's true (David Lynn really IS an Apache guru : ) and sometimes it's just someone who's very nice or friendly on the forums, nothing more.

I got you. Good points.

Some members get their wards in the manner you described above. While many expert gurus get awarded for their contributions, others who also truly deserve miss out. So when they say it is just recognition, are we recognising how nice or friendly they were in the course of their contributions? I still salute Sitepoint for having these contests every year. I just wish the nominating process was reformed somewhat.

**RyanReese** · Jan 8, 2010 12:23

Originally Posted by Stomme poes

It's actually just a popularity contest. As soon as you understand that, you'll be able to relax and let things fall where they do. When I voted, I saw a lot of nice people listed who could have gotten a tag/badge that labeled them as a "guru" in something... when I first came to SitePoint I thought those with "guru" badges were like the most knowledgeable of the forum but later I found how they got them. Sometimes it's true (David Lynn really IS an Apache guru : ) and sometimes it's just someone who's very nice or friendly on the forums, nothing more.

Of course. How do you think I won???

. Just kidding lol

I might have missed it, but was there a Most Helpful Member category this year? I forget what RyanReese was nominated for but that's the category I would have expected him to win.
Whatever it was, I voted for you Ryan : )

Nah there wasn't, I was nomintated for the Dan Schulz Web Design Guru of hte Year, and CSS guru of the year (which I won). I put so many hours into sitepoint this last year it's quite ridiculous

**Blake Tallos** · Jan 8, 2010 12:52

Originally Posted by stomme Poes

it's Actually Just A Popularity Contest. As Soon As You Understand That, You'll Be Able To Relax And Let Things Fall Where They Do. When I Voted, I Saw A Lot Of Nice People Listed Who Could Have Gotten A Tag/badge That Labeled Them As A "guru" In Something... When I First Came To Sitepoint I Thought Those With "guru" Badges Were Like The Most Knowledgeable Of The Forum But Later I Found How They Got Them. Sometimes It's True (david Lynn Really Is An Apache Guru : ) And Sometimes It's Just Someone Who's Very Nice Or Friendly On The Forums, Nothing More.

Kinda Like Presidential Elections. People Vote For Who They Feel They Can Drink A Beer With, Not Who's Best Suited To The Job (depending On The Circumstances At The Time Of Voting Anyway). And This Is Okay So Long As Everyone Realises That That's How It Works.

I Might Have Missed It, But Was There A Most Helpful Member Category This Year? I Forget What Ryanreese Was Nominated For But That's The Category I Would Have Expected Him To Win.
Whatever It Was, I Voted For You Ryan : )

Lawlzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! : )

**AlexDawson** · Jan 9, 2010 03:47

rageh, dare we ask whom you voted for (or felt were most deserving) as you seem pretty vocal on the subject?

**xhtmlcoder** · Jan 10, 2010 06:34

He who pursues fame at the risk of losing his self is not a scholar as they say. What is the chance of either; the 'placing order' being published in public (for those that decided to run)? I don't think it is necessary to give vote numbers out but I think it would show more "transparency". Or, alternatively; just vote number for the people who "won" (and not show the 'placing order') if that is less objectionable?

I'd like to see the bigger picture if that isn't too greedy of me.

**Stomme poes** · Jan 10, 2010 14:15

So when they say it is just recognition, are we recognising how nice or friendly they were in the course of their contributions?

That has to be part of it. I'm not sure people would vote as much for someone obviously knowledgeable but also a pig who treats n00bz like garbage. Even if the answer isn't totally correct or the suggested fix doesn't work, people do like that someone reacted to their problem and tried to help them with it, and yeah, that's part of what's attractive of SitePoint.

Now, I can think of some other forums where there are usually a lot of people willing to help and give answers, but the answers are often bunk and, sometimes, illegal : ) As a Perl programmer stated in a talk I went to, sometimes the newbs helping the newbs gets everyone in a mess. Which is why there needs to be at least a few gurus. Still, it's nice to have active, participating people whatever their skill level.