Poll: Can we stop with the 'pancake' crap?

Burnsy2023 · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:21

Firestar_3x said:
Do you take everything in life so seriously?

I think he's on a man-period.

Lysander · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:21

Tefal said:
ok please explain how people who "don't care about the poll" voting for an option that is meaningless ruin the result?

It gives an inaccurate percentage. It's pretty bloody obvious.

Let's say a poll turned out like this:

Given your current knowledge and political beliefs, would you vote Conservative in the next election?

Yes
No
Pancake

For a question with a black and white answer, putting a stupid 'pancake' option in skews the percentage. You either will vote for them or you won't and the percentage reflects that. But now you can no longer say 78% of the polled forum would vote Conservative because some people voted for a meaningless option and in turn the percentage becomes meaningless.

Tim said:
without the pancake option i think you'd put more thought into the poll options.

This too. It encourage people not to give a crap.

DailyGeek · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:24

You miserable arse Lysander

My preference would probably be for a roflwaffle rather than a pancake actually.

The Dread Pirate · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:26

Lysander said:
It gives an inaccurate percentage. It's pretty bloody obvious.

Let's say a poll turned out like this:

Given your current knowledge and political beliefs, would you vote Conservative in the next election?

Yes
No
Pancake

For what is a black and white question, putting a stupid 'pancake' option in skews the percentage. You either will vote for them or you won't and the percentage reflects that. But now you can no longer say 78% of the polled forum would vote Conservative because some people voted for a meaningless option and in turn the percentage becomes meaningless.

You could always work out the percentage yourself it's really not that hard to add up the relevant results and convert it.

Redz · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:27

Pancake? I don't give a toss.

loltim · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:27

Capn' $qu!ff said:
You could always work out the percentage yourself it's really not that hard to add up the relevant results and convert it.

But surely the point of creating the poll is so it works out percentages for you?

I suppose in the admins defence, you only really see the pancake option added to polls within GD.

sigma · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:28

Redz said:
Pancake?

Did you say pancake? :confused:

Andr3w · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:28

PANCAKES

The Dread Pirate · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:29

Tim said:
But surely the point of creating the poll is so it works out percentages for you?

Not neccesarialy you don't always need a percentage as a result

besides this also give you extra information as to who really doesn't care about the end result!

PhillyDee · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:31

Capn' $qu!ff said:
Not neccesarialy you don't always need a percentage as a result

besides this also give you extra information as to who really doesn't care about the end result!

Akin to a vote of no confidence. Which elections really should have . . . .

uknowist · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:34

I always use pancake option as one of indifferent or dont care, if i prefer another option i will vote for it, yes no or pancake, use the pancake one to show how no ones actually cares about a specific poll?

Firestar_3x · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:35

Burnsy2023 said:
I think he's on a man-period.

Must be, some people need to remove the twig and embrace the sillyness!...

loltim · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:37

uknowist said:
I always use pancake option as one of indifferent or dont care, if i prefer another option i will vote for it, yes no or pancake, use the pancake one to show how no ones actually cares about a specific poll?

People still vote pancake on polls where they do favour one of the other options, just for the lulz.

If the pancake option wasn't there, the user would either ignore the poll or put a little more thought into the other options.

Morba · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:39

Lysander said:
But now you can no longer say 78% of the polled forum would vote Conservative

You cannot say that even without the pancake option.
It would be 78% of the forum that decided to answer, because everyone is not forced to answer.

sigma · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:41

Andr3w said:
PANCAKES

Pancakes?

loltim · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:41

Morba said:
You cannot say that even without the pancake option.
It would be 78% of the forum that decided to answer, because everyone is not forced to answer.

He said polled forum?

Lysander · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:42

Morba said:
You cannot say that even without the pancake option.
It would be 78% of the forum that decided to answer, because everyone is not forced to answer.

As I said in my post, "78% of the polled forum".

EDIT: Thanks, Tim.

K1LLSW1TCH · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:43

View Poll Results: What's better?
Lysander 24 votes

Pancake 190 votes

Don't care he is on my ignore list. 20 votes

Harsh.

_Gizka_ · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:45

Lysander said:
It gives an inaccurate percentage. It's pretty bloody obvious.

Let's say a poll turned out like this:

Given your current knowledge and political beliefs, would you vote Conservative in the next election?

Yes
No
Pancake

For a question with a black and white answer, putting a stupid 'pancake' option in skews the percentage. You either will vote for them or you won't and the percentage reflects that. But now you can no longer say 78% of the polled forum would vote Conservative because some people voted for a meaningless option and in turn the percentage becomes meaningless.

You honestly think if you post this in GD your going to get a serious response regardless of whether pancake is included or not :confused:

I mean the most popular topic for the past few weeks has been about the trial and tribulations of a Romanian cam girl, this isn't really the place for potent political debate :/

Tefal · 5 Apr 2011 at 14:45

Lysander said:
It gives an inaccurate percentage. It's pretty bloody obvious.

Let's say a poll turned out like this:

Given your current knowledge and political beliefs, would you vote Conservative in the next election?

Yes
No
Pancake

For a question with a black and white answer, putting a stupid 'pancake' option in skews the percentage. You either will vote for them or you won't and the percentage reflects that. But now you can no longer say 78% of the polled forum would vote Conservative because some people voted for a meaningless option and in turn the percentage becomes meaningless.

no it means a certain percentage refused to answer.

it happens in most polls it doesn't affect the result at all, however it does make the maths more complicated if you want to miss represent the actuall result to come up with a completely meaningless statistic like

But now you can no longer say 78% of the polled forum

Because that would be a lie even if there were only yes or no options unless the poll was compulsory.

Poll: Can we stop with the 'pancake' crap?

What's better?

Lysander

Pancake

Don't care he is on my ignore list.

Capodecina

Capodecina