Auction stopwatch

[jooster]

One problem I have noticed with namepros auctions is that it is sometimes confusing as to when an auction stops.

One reason is the different time zones people are in.
The other is that if an auction finishes 24 hours after 9.32 am and some bids on 9.32am the next day, there bid may or may not be valid depending on the seconds aswell as just the minutes.

I am no programmer, but is it possible to have a feature such as a time clock that can be entered into an acution thread and started at the time a domain is posted for auction.
The clock will then countdown and it will be clear to all exactly how long is left and when the auction has ended.

Something similar to the system that must be in snaps, namepros ect

Any thoughts?

 

[Gene]

1) A timer would be neat, but in my opinion unnecessary. Time zones don't matter -- regardless of what your system time is, 24 hours is 24 hours. Just look at the time the auction was posted.

2) If the auction ends at 9:32am and more than 1 bid is placed at 9:32 am, the last person to post with a 9:32am time stamp is the winner (unless otherwise specified by the auctioneer).

 

[jooster]

2) If the auction ends at 9:32am and more than 1 bid is placed at 9:32 am, the last person to post with a 9:32am time stamp is the winner (unless otherwise specified by the auctioneer).

The only problem with that is the time it shows as being posted isn't the same times as it is for me.


Your reply post shows as being Yesterday, 03:56 PM

But I have no idea what time that is for me. All I know is that it wasn't 3.56 pm.

Only once I sumbit this post will I see the time this post is posted and then be able to work out the difference.

I can give you links to auction where there has been this very confusion.

 

[Keral_Patel]

This has been an issue with me. But then I always depend on the hours and minutes stuff.

But yes if someone is posting like auction will end on this and that date at this and that time. Then you have to count it from someplace.

Because if I say 20th April 2008 at 11:32 A.M. and 52 seconds.........

Then someone will need to count it for his timezone that when will be the 20th April 2008 at 11:32 A.M. and 52 seconds of India if he is sitting in USA.

One simple solution is to code out a page with major timezones clocks and put it on a page on Namepros.

But still everyone doesn't fills in his or her location so counting his or her 20th April 2008 11:32 A.M. and 52 seconds will be a headache.

Another idea that comes to my mind is a javascript clock but then we will need a table in database that stores the end time of each and every auction.... and the javascript can then count it down......

After the auction is done the entry from table can be removed and the server resources can be freed up

 

[jooster]

Thanks for your post Nick, like you say it sholdn't be to server intensive as once the auction has finished it can be deleted.
It should be too hard if its a typical auction program that is used in the same way and sedo/namejet/snaps ect

Maybe the auction section of namepros could be change for something similar to sedo.
Whilst we're at it, maybe we could include the terms and conidtions and to say it is legally binding in the same way as sedo.

A final bonus would be for namepros to act as an escrow and charge a small 2-5% fee, much cheaper than sedo but something I am sure users will be happy for, especially if it means they will no longer get ripped off and loose domains or money.

I think namepros is great, but shouldn't stand still in their success, let's look at ways that it can completely outdo all other domain forums.

 

[RLW]

I live in Australia and always have time difference problems. It is 'almost' easy enough when an auction ends 24 hours after last post or 24 hours after auction start time (example), but I would find it really handy to have the current time (in the users time zone) on every page. Obviously, the namepros server time is different to my clocks by a few minutes or more depending on where I am. It'd be nice to know (without having to post something) what time it is according to the server.

Namepros could also pick a 'standard' time zone to use on all it's auctions. Auctioners specifying an end time/date on their auction could be made to specify the time/date in the 'standard' namepros time zone rather than their own. Every page would display the current namepros 'standard' time/date so there would be no confusion between members trying to work out the difference between their own time zone and the auctioners time zone.

I hope that makes sense, please ask me if it doesn't make sense to you.

 

[jooster]

Makes sense to me, it would help a little if the current time (as in a normal clock) could also be displayed on each page so at least we could see what time the server time is and work out the auction end time without hassles.

This should be ery easy to do.

It wouldn't solve the minutes and seconds problem but maybe a rule could be brought in for that like if an auction is started in X hours, X minutes and X seconds, i.e 11.32am and 24 seconds, then the end time must just be before 11.33.00 even if it is 11.32 and 25 seconds the last bid goes in as long as it is clear in the rules the start time is effectively round up to 59 seconds then this and the clock solution should solve everything.

 

[RLW]

It wouldn't solve the minutes and seconds problem but maybe a rule could be brought in for that like if an auction is started in X hours, X minutes and X seconds, i.e 11.32am and 24 seconds, then the end time must just be before 11.33.00 even if it is 11.32 and 25 seconds the last bid goes in as long as it is clear in the rules the start time is effectively round up to 59 seconds then this and the clock solution should solve everything.

I like that idea. Round up the start time to the nearest minute - nice and easy to determine timing for finish.

So how do we let no management know about the idea? Do they just read it here?

 

[Corey]

good point

 

[jooster]

any comments Nick / Gene?

 

[Gene]

I have no idea what's involved with the programming of any of these ideas... but if it's a simple enough job and -RJ- likes the idea, I'm sure he'll comment here.

 

[RJ]

The stop watch is a clever idea. You could even go a step further and have it automatically post to the thread when the auction ends.

 

[Keral_Patel]

Here is an excellent utility for this purpose.

http://proft.50megs.com/stopwatch.html

Has even the option to save a particular time at which the bid might be made within the given time.

Another simple yet powerful is this http://java-scripts.net/javascripts/Stop-Watch-Script.phtml

We have to save the timestamp though which I think it already saves and then count seconds from there onwards

If we don't want to count seconds then this will do http://statweb.calpoly.edu/stopwatch.html

Thanks.

All it needs for the extra input is the specified end time. From drop down menu. Where it can be selected How many days, How many hours and how many minutes.

One extra table where the auction thread ID is posted. With its start time and its end time.

One query that will clear all the entries that are ended on every new thread that is posted in auction so it will also get cleared up from time to time.

 

[Shane]

Second Version would be able to easily create this. They are very easy to make, but you would want to have it built into the skin so it looks good and have it for every auction. But i like it alot!

 

[jooster]

The stop watch is a clever idea. You could even go a step further and have it automatically post to the thread when the auction ends.

Great!! If RJ likes it then it looks like we have a winner.
I think the memebers that haven't read this post yet will love to see this implemented.

Thanks for all the feedback and ideas guys
Gary

 

[Rob J]

2) If the auction ends at 9:32am and more than 1 bid is placed at 9:32 am, the last person to post with a 9:32am time stamp is the winner (unless otherwise specified by the auctioneer).

The only problem with that is the time it shows as being posted isn't the same times as it is for me.


Your reply post shows as being Yesterday, 03:56 PM

But I have no idea what time that is for me. All I know is that it wasn't 3.56 pm.

Only once I sumbit this post will I see the time this post is posted and then be able to work out the difference.

I can give you links to auction where there has been this very confusion.

Maybe i'm not understanding your problem, but you can go into your user control panel and set your timezone and all post times will be accurate.

 

[Ja$on]

What I would like to see is the rude people who chat and ruin some auctions booted perm from the chat.

 

[jooster]

"Maybe i'm not understanding your problem, but you can go into your user control panel and set your timezone and all post times will be accurate."

To be honest scabies, I didn't know you could do that, I think I a lot of memebers also don't, epsecially newer members (yourself excluded)

It doesn't solve the "seconds" problem though.

I think some of the ideas above are great, it should also add some extra excitment to the auctions.

 

[RLW]

"Maybe i'm not understanding your problem, but you can go into your user control panel and set your timezone and all post times will be accurate."

My biggest problem is when a user in an auction specifies an end time (e.g. 10:00pm GMT) - It always gets confusing trying to work out a time difference. No matter what my settings in my profile are, times in posts aren't updated to my time zone.

 

[Bill]

The stop watch is a clever idea. You could even go a step further and have it automatically post to the thread when the auction ends.

Can this be implemented? :]

:kickass:

-Bill