I think you guys are being far too kind to the site - I sent them a letter this morning via email and will be interested in their response. There should be NO way we use that site for the MB/Staff auction - a chat room doing it on our own would be better.
I didn't say much last night as we were just trying the site for learning and practice, but the inconsistency with which bids are taken is totally unacceptable unless people are just mocking around.
And the problems with the nominating of players is no small matter either.
All in all a waste of over two hours as far as I am concerned.
My online auction league uses Auctioneer and we love it.
I'm befuddled by our inability to nominate timely last night. I had no problems. When I was slow twice, it was because once I was away, and once I was undecided. It didn't help that we had two on AI who failed set AI rankings, radball's difficulties (not his fault and props for his efforts), and one dunderhead making an occasional crazy bid. I've done two other mocks there with regulars. Both were smooth as butter. I was trying to push for my estimate of just over two hours, and maybe I should have slowed things down, but I didn't, (agreeing with those wanted to move it along). For the MB/Staff competition, I would expect everyone to set aside ample time and you guys to have a great time with a 15-20 second clock, instead of the 7-10 I had us on. I read Jeff's parting comments, "Way too fast." If you're determined to use DD to assist in a live auction, you're going to have your hands full. Perhaps, since Staff/MB is online you all should consider a slow auction that develops over a couple weeks. That can be done stress free at Auctioneer or Xperts. Live auctions are chaotic. I tabbed myself Chaos Commish because I wandered this way a couple years ago seeking DD advice on this topic in the Applications Forum.
Also last night was the first of four newbie auctions I've done that didn't include a hilarious chatroom and rave reviews in the post draft chat.