Rep Present UserBob HITs

[UserBob]

The preview box was causing Chrome to crash if the video file was very large. So I removed the preview area and the checkboxes. Instead, now I check the date of the file you have selected. If it is more than two minutes old I display a warning that you might be uploading the wrong file.

 

[clickhappier]

A worker sent me a screen shot of a report that was showing that several of their HITs had not been paid yet. As a requester I can only approve or reject an assignment. Requesters must prepay mturk for the assignments of a HIT when we create them. So I have no idea why a worker wouldn't get paid for a HIT they submitted. My guess is that the report was generated by some script that is not working properly. Can anyone help me understand what might be going on?

Without knowing exactly what was shown in that screenshot, here's a guess:
HIT Database will only be up-to-date if the worker has told it to update its data (and waited for the update to complete) before checking its records, and also only if they've done that at least every 45 days. Otherwise Amazon's display of those HITs' status will 'fall off' the back end of what Amazon bothers to show to us, which is the only thing HitDB can get its data from, leaving HITs appearing to be perpetually stranded in pending status according to HitDB.

 

[clickhappier]

Here's embeds of your videos (this forum will usually auto-embed links like those, but there was a glitch with that for a few days):

I created a video showing one way of doing UserBob's upload screencast of a MOBILE website HIT for people with an Android phone. Please let me know what you think.

Android video:

Here's a video showing a way of doing UserBob's upload screencast of a MOBILE website HIT for people with an iOS device and a Mac computer.

iOS+Mac video:

 

[UserBob]

Another worker shared a Chrome extension that could be helpful for doing UserBob HITs. It allows you to resize your browser window to specific sizes using dimensions that you preset. So if you have some HITs that you regularly do where you like to resize the browser to a particular size, this extension lets you easily do that. It comes with a bunch of defaults, but you can change them however you like.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/window-resizer/kkelicaakdanhinjdeammmilcgefonfh/related

 

[UserBob]

I made a change to how I create the UserBob Training HITs so that once you do the training HIT and get the UserBob "reviewer" qualification you won't be qualified to do it again. So if you watch for new UserBob HITs that you are qualified to do, you shouldn't see these training HITs.

 

[UserBob]

A worker found a way to do a UserBob mobile web HIT from his iPhone even though he is using a Windows computer. He installed the following free app on his phone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pro-recorder-free-record-video/id887153944?mt=8 This version causes an ad to be displayed at the bottom of the screen. But there is a $1.99 version at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/recorder-pro-professional/id573445641?mt=8 that does not have the ad. I'm not sure if either of these would work for testing an iOS app or not. But it should work fine for the mobile web HITs.

 

[UserBob]

I noticed today that there was a UserBob HIT that seemed to be getting accepted and then returned by a lot of workers. The test's instructions for this particular test were fairly long. In my opinion the customer should have given more time or simplified the instructions. I would like to make it clear to the workers that it is not a problem if you stop your recording before finishing all of the site specific instructions. You can just politely say that you were not able to finish the task in the allotted time. Most likely the next time that customer uses the UserBob service, they will pay for a longer test. The UserBob instruction/timer window should play a "ding" sound when you've recorded the requested amount. Anytime after that feel free to end your recording. If you go a minute over the requested length, the instruction/timer window will fade in some music prompting you to wrap it up. (Kind of like when a movie star goes too long giving their acceptance speech at the oscars.)

 

[UserBob]

The following info comes from a worker describing how they record an iOS device from a Windows PC

Userbob asked me to post a how-to on how I did an iOS mobile hit with a windows PC. I usually do android hits but had borrowed an iPhone for this one. It was super tricky but once I had it figured out, not bad at all.

You will need 3 programs.
Mirroring 360 (or an alternative mirroring program, esp if you can find a free one!)
Mirrors Assist App for iPhones
Open BroadcasterSoftware

So first thing. Download a program called Mirroring 360 at http://www.mirroring360.com/#download-section
This program unfortunately costs $14.99 but it has a 7 day trial, which is what I used. If you don't want to spend $14.99 but want to do more than one iOS hit after 7 days, there may be other screen mirroring options. I will be looking.

Second download Open Broad Caster at https://obsproject.com/
This is the program that will actually record your PC screen. The tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-L5zhhVuSc may be helpful.

Third, https://itunes.apple.com/app/mirroring-assist-tutorial/id950117741?ls=1&mt=8 from the app store enabled me to easily turn on screen mirroring on the iPhone.

When you run Mirroring360 on your PC, a QR code will appear. Swipe up on your iPhone as per these instructions http://www.mirroring360.com/how-it-works These instructions will give more info than I am here, and should walk you through it.

You should be able to scan the QR code through the Mirror assist app, and at this point a window should appear on your pc with a mirror of your iphone.

Finally, open up your open Broadcaster program. Follow the instructions in the tutorial. But note-- in the SOurces box, add Window Capture as a source. Then double click on window capture and it will show you a box with a list of sources. Mine shoued "Julies Phone" automatically which was the window with the mirror from my mom's phone! Was simple once I took a deep breath.

Open up the userbob hit on your phone and proceed. If you are meant to review an app, obviously go ahead and download the app and have it ready to open so when you start recording on your screen you can proceed with instructions.

I hope this has made sense. It probably sounds a bit overwhelming, but after I worked out the programs needed, it actually wasn't complicated.

 

[UserBob]

A UserBob customer recently created a UserBob test (which generated a UserBob HIT) that asked you to sign in to their app using your Facebook account or your cell phone number. Since HITs requiring workers to enter personally identifiable information are against mturk policies, I canceled the HIT as soon as I realized this was happening. However, I started thinking that maybe there is a service for "temporary/disposable phone numbers" just like we have mailinator.com for temporary/disposable email addresses. So far I've found http://receivesmsonline.com/. It's a free service that works much like mailinator. You go to their site and they list a bunch of phone numbers that you can use. After you pick one, all the text messages that get sent to that number will appear on the web page.

Has anyone ever used this service before? Or does anyone have suggestions for something similar?

 

[UserBob]

I am contemplating adding a feature to userbob.com that would allow customers to add a "screener question" to their test. So when you go to start a UserBob HIT, you might first get asked a question to see if you qualify for the HIT or not. This would be presented as a multiple choice question at the start of the HIT. If you are not a match, you would be asked to return the HIT but you'd be given a small bonus for taking the time to accept the HIT and answer a question. I'm thinking $0.05.

This change is a feature that customers have asked for so it might help us attract more customers and have more UserBob HITs.

As a worker, would this change your thoughts about UserBob HITs?

 

[kryss]

I am contemplating adding a feature to userbob.com that would allow customers to add a "screener question" to their test. So when you go to start a UserBob HIT, you might first get asked a question to see if you qualify for the HIT or not. This would be presented as a multiple choice question at the start of the HIT. If you are not a match, you would be asked to return the HIT but you'd be given a small bonus for taking the time to accept the HIT and answer a question. I'm thinking $0.05.

This change is a feature that customers have asked for so it might help us attract more customers and have more UserBob HITs.

As a worker, would this change your thoughts about UserBob HITs?

As long as you're paying for the screener question with a bonus, I don't see it being an issue.

 

[UserBob]

I used to give a $0.02 bonus to anyone who accepted a HIT in the first hour that the HIT was out. I changed that to now only give that bonus if you accept the HIT in the first half-hour after the HIT was posted. However, I added another $0.02 bonus to anyone who accepts a HIT that has been out for over four hours.

 

[UserBob]

If you've done the UserBob training HIT and get qualified with a "1" for the "reviewer" qualification then you are only qualified to do the 1-minute UserBob HITs. I will monitor the 1-minute HITs you complete and try to keep giving you feedback on what I am looking for to "promote" you for the longer UserBob HITs. (Usually you get a 1 if your audio quality is poor or you don't talk enough.) I've now changed the "make up training HIT" so that you can also do that HIT if you have the reviewer=1 qual.

 

[UserBob]

A UserBob customer today created 20 one-minute HITs each with assignments for 10 workers all of which are for people under 30. However, each worker is only allowed to do one of these. After you complete one, the demographic qualifications for the other 19 will automatically be revoked. If you have accepted more than one of them you'll be asked to return the others. In general it is best if you only accept one UserBob HIT at a time.

 

[Jerami]

@UserBob Check PM whenever you get a free second.

 

[UserBob]

Here's a video showing how you can do a UserBob mobile HIT by using a second mobile device to do the recording. If you have wanted to do a mobile HIT on an iOS device but you have a Windows computer, then this is one way you can do it without buying any extra software.

https://youtu.be/A6IrNzIWGXE

 

[UserBob]

On TurkOpticon, a worker recently rated the pay for UserBob HITs as a 2 out of 5 and commented:

"pay isn't good, and gets worse as you get 'higher levels' of qualification. Not worth doing any of these longer than a minute, unless it's a very slow day or late at night."

I replied on TurkOpticon that "if I did not feel like I was able to make good paying HITs, I would not have ever started this business." I'd like to know how much of your time is required to do a UserBob HIT. Are you able to start doing other HITs while the video is uploading? In determining how much to pay for a UserBob HIT, I estimated that a worker may spend about two minutes reading the HIT's specific instructions, saving the file, and starting the upload. What's been your experience doing UserBob HITs?

 

[Jerami]

On TurkOpticon, a worker recently rated the pay for UserBob HITs as a 2 out of 5 and commented:

"pay isn't good, and gets worse as you get 'higher levels' of qualification. Not worth doing any of these longer than a minute, unless it's a very slow day or late at night."

I replied on TurkOpticon that "if I did not feel like I was able to make good paying HITs, I would not have ever started this business." I'd like to know how much of your time is required to do a UserBob HIT. Are you able to start doing other HITs while the video is uploading? In determining how much to pay for a UserBob HIT, I estimated that a worker may spend about two minutes reading the HIT's specific instructions, saving the file, and starting the upload. What's been your experience doing UserBob HITs?

My personal experience with your HITs is that the first one may take more time than expected. That's only due to the fact that a lot of people don't have the screen cap. software installed, or haven't used it a lot. I find the pay to be adequate or better. They are not, in my opinion, under paid. They are easy and, I think, they are fun. To be honest, I wouldn't mind doing these "full-time." Sorry you got a bad TO rating but, it happens to everyone. Don't take it to heart. The majority of people think your HITs pay well and we, at MTC, are fans of @UserBob. Keep up the good work and don't worry about the haters.

 

[UserBob]

I realized recently that there was a problem with some of the UserBob HITs. Workers would accept the HIT and then be told that they need to return it. The only time you should get a message like that is if you had just completed a HIT and then you tried to do another UserBob HIT that happened to be for the same customer. (Normally you are only allowed to do one HIT per customer.)

If you get a message like that, please let me know so that I can figure out what the problem is. Thanks.

 

[Jerami]

Quick question. Is it okay to go a bit over, on time? For instance, the last HIT I completed(Mobile Review- UserBob Home Page) asked for about 2 minutes. Mine was between 2 and 3. Should I have rerecorded to try and nail the target time more closely? Thanks.