"If you don't have 5 minutes to nominate why should you care what chip wins."

Gene, at face value, I agree with that statement. Sometimes life isn't that simple. When I joined the club the first of this year, I got the magazine with the nominating form in it. I was overwhelmed by the massive amount of new information, didn't see or understand the contest, and certainly didn't think I knew enough about all the chips released in the previous year to pick one out of the blue as the very best. Then I got on the chip board. Everybody's talking about this COTY thing. I screwed up so now I can't play. I see a scan of chips on the club BBS. Sure, I got an opinion on which one I like best. I'm a newbie, I missed part one, and I don't get to play. Kinda disappointing. Hey, I never lost any sleep over it. Now I know what the rules are, you can bet next year I'll nominate something 'cause I like to play.

It's just my personal philosophy that in an organization like this where the whole point is to have fun, share, and enjoy our hobby, it is always better to err on the side of being more inclusionary than exclusionary. I certainly understood Archie's point about an expensive mailing to people with no interest in the contest being a waste of money. It's a very valid justification for the nomination/voting process. Unless there is an equally workable process that lets everyone who wants to nominate, nominate. And everyone who wants to vote, vote. And doesn't require a special mailing. I suggested something I thought might work. If it won't, I wouldn't mind discussing why (in a civil manner, of course). I still won't lose any sleep.