Once again, cubing is very unrecognized

[Brian Le]

What is your opinion on the following article?

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/06/17/iowa-teen-wins-text-messaging-championship/

Basically, this 15 year old girl won a texting tourney. And she won 50k. Just for messing up her thumbs for life. Hm...

 

[qqwref]

"Ms. Dynda was in New York for a second straight year to compete for the texting title, which began as a promotional campaign for LG’s cellphones three years ago."

THERE. Texting might seem like a very silly thing to have a competition about, and it definitely is, but the reason they can give out a $50,000 prize is *sponsorship* - by participating in the tournament they are advertising LG's phones. Cubing doesn't really have any. The only company with money that we really represent is Seven Towns, and although they definitely help us out in larger competitions, it's not like we're really advertising their products (considering how few of the top cubers in any main event use Rubik's products). So they don't really have an incentive to let us give out huge prizes like that. In the end the importance of a competition is pretty much about the money involved, and cubing is historically pretty bad at raising large quantities of cash.

 

[MichaelErskine]

I believe that cubing is getting quite popular but there's little money to be made so it doesn't attract profit-hungry hangers-on -- that's a good thing!

 

[Stefan]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

 

[AvGalen]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

I would agree that this was a good article (I didn't like the opening sentence).

Texting is also a lot like cubing, but not as evolved:

Over five rounds, contestants texted phrases on LG-distributed phones — no iPhones or other handsets allowed — while jumping obstacles on a treadmill, enduring heckling and while blindfolded

In 1982 contestants had to use provided cubes. Now we can bring our own even dispite a sponsor.

Blindfolded is something we already do and I think I just found out about one or more of the US Open mystery events

They are also just in the phase where they are considering to have a World Championship.

So basically, all they have done that the WCA hasn't is
* Find a big sponsor
* Get global media coverage
* Have a quarter million people (in the US alone) competing in prequalifications
* Have the media involved in getting participants

All of the above is off course easy to do :rolleyes:

 

[blah]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

 

[Stefan]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

I refuse to text because it's so cumbersome and inefficient. I prefer to call and talk.

 

[nitrocan]

It's funny how she defends texting as being a social person and not an emo.

 

[masterofthebass]

A "local" girl made it to the finals. I don't know how she did. When I saw this, I thought of the same thing, why can't cubing do this. But then it was obvious, cubing isn't something that everyone in the country does, and some people are really good at it. Cubing has too hard of a "learning curve" for it to be common place that everyone is solving it. Texting can be done monkeys if needed, and it allows for a larger mass appeal.

 

[pjk]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

I refuse to text because it's so cumbersome and inefficient. I prefer to call and talk.

I couldn't agree more. I don't use it and doubt I ever will. I have better things to do.

 

[Logan]

We should ask Verdes if they would like to sponsor a competition.

 

[fanwuq]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

I refuse to text because it's so cumbersome and inefficient. I prefer to call and talk.

I couldn't agree more. I don't use it and doubt I ever will. I have better things to do.

Also agreed. I prefer talking in person to talking through a telephone. I don't know why, but the telephone makes feel very awkward. I haven't tried texting and I never will.
I fail too see why this makes cubing "unrecognized." The comparison isn't parallel.

Edit:
The winner wants a flying pony. At least she has something in common with you, Stefan. (Ok, it didn't say flying, but it's not that important.)

 

[AvGalen]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

I refuse to text because it's so cumbersome and inefficient. I prefer to call and talk.

I prefer to call and talk, but texting works better than voicemail when people have their phone turned off.
And for some people/service-plans the financial aspect might play a role. Sometimes texting is free or much cheaper than calling

There is a time and place for texting instead of calling

 

[jacob15728]

I wonder if they texted like omg, u, lyk, 2, wat, or if they had to use correct English. My guess is the former.

 

[JTW2007]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

I refuse to text because it's so cumbersome and inefficient. I prefer to call and talk.

I couldn't agree more. I don't use it and doubt I ever will. I have better things to do.

You guys are cool.

 

[PatrickJameson]

Why do all the texting competitions I see use qwerty? That's not even real texting.

 

[DavidWoner]

Nice (as far as I as a texting refuser can tell).

Why refuse?

I refuse to text because it's so cumbersome and inefficient. I prefer to call and talk.

I couldn't agree more. I don't use it and doubt I ever will. I have better things to do.

Also agreed. I prefer talking in person to talking through a telephone. I don't know why, but the telephone makes feel very awkward. I haven't tried texting and I never will.

You forgot to mention that its expensive unless you get a plan with at least 1000 texts a month.

I do agree that there is a time and place where texting is more convenient than calling, but I've never had to say anything so important that it couldn't wait until I could call.

I wonder if they texted like omg, u, lyk, 2, wat, or if they had to use correct English. My guess is the former.

You should reread the article.

 

[Bryan]

For all of you that complain that cubing doesn't get the exposure that other things do, let me ask you:

What have you done to advance cubing?

 

[Erik]

I complain too, but it is easy to say that people are just stupid to recognize cubing as they 'should'. Maybe WE should present it in a better, more accessible way, where we always put the emphasis on Fun, Easy and Cool. To try to counter the most regular opinion of Lame, nerdy, too difficult and lifeless.
Example: most FAQ's (maybe even including my own), has their questions asked like: is there a downloadable standalone timer for on my computer or macbook? Instead of: what program can I use on my computer to time solves? Makes the question more accessible and less complicatedly asked.
Although cubers like to show off their intelligence in general, instead we should try to show the ease, fun and coolness of it.
For example, I'm active in a chess club for 10 years already. The reason why most little kids start is because they think it is 'cool' and want to do what their friend (who is already at the club) does too. In chess particularly, the fun for the beginner or child is to win pieces, to capture and concur, and of course to win.

Bryans question is very fair, since probably almost none of you try really actively to show the cool/easy/fun side of cubing to others besides maybe your close friends.
Personally I always try to take any possibility that brings cubing in the media although mostly I don't gain anything from that, which is also the reason I have my website and youtube. (well, nowadays I make a little bit money with youtube, but that's not the main reason)

Any thoughts/disagreements/suggestions?

 

[Odin]

I cant belive some one would be proud of such an achievement.