Aachen Summer Open 2012

[Sebastien]

I'm glad to anounce the Aachen Summer Open 2012 for 23rd/24th June.

Here is the website: http://cube.hackvalue.de/ao12/s/en

We hope for many competitors from all over the world!

 

[Geert]

I was looking forward to this competition!

 

[hcfong]

oh blast! it's about the only weekend around that time that I can't make it. Oh well....

 

[Florian]

Why not a month later? Still in AU then.
anyway have fun guys

 

[Erik]

I'm sad to see this 'trend' in the change of the payment system for registration, like German Open I heavily doubt if I will come.

 

[Geert]

I really don't like it either, but I can understand it from an organizer's point of view.

 

[Sebastien]

The reason for having this system (which is already succesfully used in other countries for years) is described on the website. This reason is the only thing about the system, which is sad.

Also events similar to speedcubing competitions (like concerts) have always worked that way.

I see no reason to be against this systme except if you don't like Paypal or for very selfish reasons.

 

[Kirjava]

shame that people who are unsure if they will go will simply now not go

 

[Sebastien]

I'm not sure if you mean that as pro or con.

Anyway: Everyone who is not sure needs to be sure at some time (no matter if prepayment or not). It's no problem to register just then, even if it's a week before the comp.

 

[brunovervoort]

Aaah... the week-end after the exams... couldn't be better for me Of course I will come
What is the maximum number of competitors?

 

[mycube]

I'm sad to see this 'trend' in the change of the payment system for registration, like German Open I heavily doubt if I will come.

Look at the BW Open 2012 or Hessen Open 2012. There are 30 or more deregistrations. I still get some and the competition is THIS weekend. So I don't have the planned entrance fee and there is now no chance for the people on the waiting list to come because it´s just before the weekend.. I really like the 'new' system in Germany!

 

[Sebastien]

What is the maximum number of competitors?

I didn't put one as I expect less competitors (~120) than we can manage (probably ~200)

 

[Geert]

Look at the BW Open 2012 or Hessen Open 2012. There are 30 or more deregistrations. I still get some and the competition is THIS weekend. So I don't have the planned entrance fee and there is now no chance for the people on the waiting list to come because it´s just before the weekend.. I really like the 'new' system in Germany!

This new system is really a great way to tackle the registration frenzy that has been going on with German competitions.
It gives people who really want to go a fair chance to register in time, so I definitely support it.
I just wonder if this system will be too high of a threshold for newcomers and people who are a little tentative if they can come.
Also being able to pay with paypal/creditcard is not a luxury that every person has. (especially the younger competitors who will probably have to ask their parent who may or may not have an account/credicard etc....)

 

[Erik]

I see no reason to be against this systme except if you don't like Paypal or for very selfish reasons.

Ehh? Can you elaborate that? I don't really get what you're trying to say here.

I can see how it's a good thing that this makes organizing easier, I just don't think it's the best way of tackling the issue. I agree with doyle4761 here.

I think it'd be a VERY good idea to maintain a database (I'd be very willing to make it) of competitors who frequently don't come to competitions without un-registering or/and those who cancel on forehand very shortly. This way organizers can estimate the likeliness of some people showing up. In addition the organizer could ask only those that are 'black sheep' to pay on forehand to make sure they have a drive to come.

Also this 'People cancelling until a week before the competition will get back half of the money. Full refund is not possible at all.' means that no matter if you get ill or find out a month before the competition that you are not able to come, you never get back your money. With the speed German competitions reach max. number of competitors, you just have to take a gamble if you're not sure to come. (of course Aachen is an exception here because of the huge capacity)

Just my $0,02, of course any organizer has the right to organize a competition the way he/she thinks is best.

 

[TMOY]

This new system is really a great way to tackle the registration frenzy that has been going on with German competitions.
It gives people who really want to go a fair chance to register in time, so I definitely support it.

I 100% agree. I find it much less annoying to have to pay 10 or 15 euros in advance than to have to decide in a hurry between registering and not being able to come at all.

I just wonder if this system will be too high of a threshold for newcomers and people who are a little tentative if they can come.
Also being able to pay with paypal/creditcard is not a luxury that every person has. (especially the younger competitors who will probably have to ask their parent who may or may not have an account/credicard etc....)

Younger competitors have to ask their parents anyway. And people to whom paying by paypal/creditcard causes trouble may still contact Sébastien to find another way of making the payment.

 

[Geert]

Younger competitors have to ask their parents anyway. And people to whom paying by paypal/creditcard causes trouble may still contact Sébastien to find another way of making the payment.

You are right. But from personal experience, I know that that parents (lets just call them the elderly generation) don't always like the whole "online payment" thing.
If there is a way to not pay online (via paypal or creditcard), even better, I think parents will be more comfortable with that!

 

[Sebastien]

Ehh? Can you elaborate that? I don't really get what you're trying to say here.

Well, I mean kind of this:

Also this 'People cancelling until a week before the competition will get back half of the money. Full refund is not possible at all.' means that no matter if you get ill or find out a month before the competition that you are not able to come, you never get back your money.

Do you think people should get their money back if they cancel? To me this attitude is pure selfishness.
If you register for a competition, than the organiser counts on you to come. If just before the competition ~20 people cancel, than it is obviously better that those people loose the small amount of money that they paid for getting a spot at the competition than that the organiser looses a big amount of money he had counted on.

Giving back half of the money if people cancel soon enough is a very good compromise. Compare this to similar stuff: Concert tickets, flights, holidays, etc. You would never get your money back after you got a spot.

With the speed German competitions reach max. number of competitors, you just have to take a gamble if you're not sure to come. (of course Aachen is an exception here because of the huge capacity)

No, this is the past. The registration of German Open for example was open all the way until the competition. Another benefit of this system.

I think it'd be a VERY good idea to maintain a database (I'd be very willing to make it) of competitors who frequently don't come to competitions without un-registering or/and those who cancel on forehand very shortly. This way organizers can estimate the likeliness of some people showing up. In addition the organizer could ask only those that are 'black sheep' to pay on forehand to make sure they have a drive to come.

Well, to my mind this is a terrible idea, because it splits all competitors into 2 classes without having a real benefit. No benefit because:

- white sheeps are supposed to come any pay anyway, so they can just pay beforehand. The only difference is, when a white sheep doesn't show up (and thus turns into a black sheep, yay...)
- for black sheeps and newcomers there is no difference.

You are right. But from personal experience, I know that that parents (lets just call them the elderly generation) don't always like the whole "online payment" thing.
If there is a way to not pay online (via paypal or creditcard), even better, I think parents will be more comfortable with that!

Yes, this is a very annoying fact. But I see no better payment option than via Paypal. If you have one, please tell me! I'm just not willing to hand out my bank data due to potential abuse.

 

[hcfong]

Yes, this is a very annoying fact. But I see no better payment option than via Paypal. If you have one, please tell me! I'm just not willing to hand out my bank data due to potential abuse.

Do you mean you're not willing to hand out your bank details at all, or you're not willing to put it on the competition website? If it's the latter, then a possibility could be that competitors who cant' pay by Paypal, could contact you privately and get your bank details. If you're not willing to give them at all, then Paypal is probably the easiest way, although there are other ways, but these are more of a hassle and may not be available in Germany. For example, writing a cheque, bankers' draft or Western Union transfer. But these are usually slow and a lot a hassle.

 

[Sebastien]

Do you mean you're not willing to hand out your bank details at all, or you're not willing to put it on the competition website? If it's the latter, then a possibility could be that competitors who cant' pay by Paypal, could contact you privately and get your bank details. If you're not willing to give them at all, then Paypal is probably the easiest way, although there are other ways, but these are more of a hassle and may not be available in Germany. For example, writing a cheque, bankers' draft or Western Union transfer. But these are usually slow and a lot a hassle.

I don't really see the difference between putting it on the website or giving it to various people in private. The possibility that someone uses the date to pay online is still available.

 

[hcfong]

The difference is that if you put in on the website, everybody in the world with an internet connection can see it. If you give it privately, at least you know who you've given it to and if they are competition regulars, chances are that you know them personally as well and they're less likely to mess with you.

Of course, I don't know how easy it is to abuse someone's bank details, but I would think that there are some measures banks have in place to prevent abuse. In The Netherlands, my bank number and name alone are never enough to pay online. I still need my bank card and pincode to complete the transaction online.