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JavaRanch should hold java contests: Please visit this page to support this

 
Ranch Hand
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hi
I have a suggestion. It would be nice for JavaRanch to hold java programming contests for amateur programmers. The topics may vary : say there can applet section, application section. Most of the java contest are for applets and very few for java applications.
Topics can include networking/graphics/database related etc etc.
I don't know if JavaRanch has held contest before.
I would suggest contest should be held every 6 months with attractive awards(probably cash/licensed software).
Members from all over the world should be eligible for the contest, not just from US/Canada.
hope this suggestion is noted. I would request all the members to support this suggestion.
regards
Tanveer
 
tumbleweed
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A good idea. The problem we have though, is that we all are volunteers with limited time and resources. Things tend to be started with a big bang but due to external pressures, ie. family life, work etc. they fade away. So we are forced to prioritize.
We however ares constantly looking for ways to improve this site and the services we offer. One day maybe we might have the luxury to start a Java competition like you suggest.
Thanks for you inpu
 
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How do you decide who is an "amateur" and who is not?
 
mister krabs
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Originally posted by Tanveer Rameez:
I would suggest contest should be held every 6 months with attractive awards(probably cash/licensed software).

Are you volunteering to donate the cash? How about $1 million for the first prize?
 
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Are you volunteering to donate the cash?

Weak response in the light of

A good idea.

Did you get over 3600 posts by making such remarks over side-issues?
[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Erik Dark ]
 
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I was thinking ' ', but I'm going to go with 'Please don't change the subject'.
Nah, bugger it:
Eric, please try to stay civil.
Dave.
 
David O'Meara
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Jumping seemlessly back to the topic, I'll paraphrase Thomas and say
OK, so we're non-profit and run by volunteers. Any prizes would either have to be cash that would come out of Paul's pocket, or we'd have to give up our vendor-neutrality to get a corporate sponsor to give away products
If any indivuduals have a million dollars they feel free to part with, we might accept that
Dave
 
Rob Ross
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Why can't the prize just be the recognition of doing good work and being recognized by your peers as the "winner" for a particular contest? Seems to work pretty well in the open-source community.
And I repeat my original unanswered question, How do you decide who is an "amateur" and who is not?
 
Erik Dark
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Eric, please try to stay civil.

Sorry David but it was my opinion Thomas' remark didn't go with the subject as I think Tanveer's proposal wasn't that bad... Thomas' nitpicking on a side-issue in Tanveer's post annoyed me a bit.
Let's quit about about this. I agree with Tanveer's proposal and think I will be joining such a competition (just for the honour) because of the brain-quest ...
Erik Dark
 
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I have a suggestion. It would be nice for JavaRanch to hold java programming contests for amateur programmers. The topics may vary: say there can applet section, application section. Most of the java contest are for applets and very few for java applications. Topics can include networking/graphics/database related etc.


I think this is a good idea. Since this is a privately owned web-site run with the help of volunteers, who will volunteer to be the judge?

I don't know if JavaRanch has held contest before.

Not this type.

I would suggest contest should be held every 6 months with attractive awards(probably cash/licensed software).

Who will volunteer to supply the prizes?

Members from all over the world should be eligible for the contest, not just from US/Canada.

You mean like we do with the book giveaway (where books are donated by the publisher)?

If we can resolve these issues (and maybe a couple more), I think it would be fun to have such a contest.
 
Thomas Paul
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Originally posted by Erik Dark:
Sorry David but it was my opinion Thomas' remark didn't go with the subject as I think Tanveer's proposal wasn't that bad... Thomas' nitpicking on a side-issue in Tanveer's post annoyed me a bit.

Hmmm... since half of the original post was dedicated to asking for cash prizes and making sure that the author would be eligible to win those prizes, my attitude was perhaps a bit jaded.
Any contest would be very difficult to run and would probably be beyond the capabilities of the volunteer force at JavaRanch. How would we ensure that the work was not stolen? How would we ensure that the author was an "amateur", whatever that means?
Personally I think competitive coding contests are a bad idea. I would rather see people interested in coding join SourceForge or Apache and work on open source projects.
 
David O'Meara
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I agree that programming competitions are a bad idea in general, but I still think it could be something we could achieve... we may be able to create a reduced version.
I propose removing all rewards for an automated ranking system (keep reading). Therefore we don't have to find prizes or cash and people can still get the recognition for a job well done. Competitions could be updated regularly (whatever that means) so that the table of standing is reset, but there could also be a 'best of' table or something.
Here's how the competition works:
The aim of the competition is declared, as well as an interface determining the mechanism used by participants to plug-in to the rules engine.
Participants write their solution and implement the interface, and upload it to JavaRanch. Their code is automatically run and graded and added to the list of standings.
Easier to say than do, Huh?
I'm also a bit concerned about running unprotected code 'next to' the Ranch, but there are solutions to this too.
Have I hijacked, or are we still on track?
 
Tanveer Rameez
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hi all
well, I wrote about the awards as an incentive. yes, I agree the greatest incentive for a programmer is the recognition. We would all love to be the 'JavaRanch applet programmer of the year' or 'JavaRanch application programmer of the year'. -a certificate. Maybe the winner can attach a winner logo to this website.
We often write programs in our spare time which turn out to be a really nice peice of work. Why not put it up for others to judge? That way we feel nice that atleast our works are recognised and distributed all over the world and might be useful to some(ahem, modesty overflowing!!) .
I am not sure how we can decide who is an amatuer and who is not, but programs not commercially sold and written by individuals may be considered.
About volunteering judges, if the people involved in managing the Javaranch are busy, they can surely ask their friends to help them orgainizing a contest. I mean where there is a will there is a way .
Right now we can have a forum where members can give links to applications/applet they have made and describe it(I know uploading will take up lottof space), so that others can view them and give opinions.
regards
Tanveer
 
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