Winner of our limerick contest - a free ticket to Devoxx UK 2014!

[Jaikiran Pai]

Before I announce the winner of the free Devoxx UK 2014 ticket, from our limerick contest, I would like to say a big thank you to all those who posted in that thread. We really enjoyed reading many of the posts there and it did turn out to be a fun thread. Credits go to our trailboss, Paul Wheaton, for coming up with the idea of having some kind of fun thread in our Meaningless Drivel forum, for giving out the ticket and to our Sheriff Campbell Ritchie who thought of the limerick contest.

We just have 1 ticket to give out to the winner but we have given out cows to some of the members who participated and whose posts we liked in that thread. So congratulations to all of them who got a cow (or more) in that thread!

Now on to the winner. We discussed internally and some of us voted on who the winner was. More than 1 name was suggested but in all of those votes, one name was common and the winner is....

Tim Cooke!

Congratulations Tim!. I'll be sending you a PM with the details on what needs to be done to get the free ticket.

Tim has more than 1 post in that thread and we enjoyed most of those. A couple of us especially liked this one from him:

Tim Cooke wrote:A Java developer from Cowes
Before noon he seldom would rouse
His aversion to morning
Caused many a warning
The 'Job Section' he'd soon need to browse

The other ones that we liked and that deserve a mention here are

Sai Hegde's post:

Sai Hegde wrote:A Java developer from Cowes started to cuss
Because getting to sleep was a fuss
As he lay there in bed
Looping 'round in his head
was: while(!asleep()){sheep++;}

Fred's post:

fred rosenberger wrote:
A java developer from Cowes
thought "I want to code better, but how?"
he read lots on the ranch
then forked a new branch
and his software's the cat's meow

Mark Lewin's post:

Mark Lewin wrote:A Java developer from Cowes
Was writing his limericks for hours
For a chance at Devoxx
He would write lots and lots
Though not as many as Tim Cooke has done now

and one of our newest member Daniel Clinton's post:

Daniel Clinton wrote:A Java devel'per from Cowes
Elected to code in a blouse
His team were offended
And punched him to end it
He output a series of 'OW's

P.S: There are just around 5 days left for the conference which is in London. If for whatever reason, Tim can't use that free ticket, then we will be handing it out to the next winner from that thread. So please keep an eye on this thread for the next few days to know if a new winner gets announced. I'll post an update if Tim accepts the ticket too.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Thanks to everybody who took part, and congratulations on the eternal poetry they wrote

[fred rosenberger]

It was a fun thread. I don't think it will ever get to me, but I would not be able to go to the conference so there's no need to put my name on the list.

[Tim Cooke]

Amazing! What a treat!

I would absolutely love to go to Devoxx. However, I have a couple of practicalities to get in order before I can officially accept the ticket so keep your eyes peeled here on Monday just incase I can't make it and it's offered up to the next worthy winner.

Happy Days!!

[Gian Franco]

There once was a poster called Tim
his rhymes were so good he would win
many lymerics he posted
and on victory he toasted
you wicked smart fox :-)
have fun in Devoxx!

Well done.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Gian Franco wrote:There once was a poster called Tim
. . .

[Tim Cooke]

Unfortunately I have had to decline the ticket. The logistics of the thing have gotten the better of me.

Congratulations in advance to the next winner :-)

[Ashish Ramteke]

Only one of the poems featured in this thread is a 'limerick' as per the given format, I think. Only the first one is a 'limerick' as per the format given for the contest, others are not. Or, if I am wrong, you can tell me how. And, some of those who did not post the poem according to the given format in the Meaningless Drivel forum's thread of this contest, got a cow.

The poems here were liked, but, not all of them are according to the format given.

If a person gets a ticket to Devoxx, who has Not posted the poem according to the given format, wouldn't that be wrong and an injustice to the people like me who correctly posted the limerick according to the given format?

Why don't you select the winner who has correctly posted the poem according to the format given for the contest, at least?

[Campbell Ritchie]

No, all the verse quoted in this thread is a limerick, with the correct number of lines and rhymes.

[Dieter Quickfend]

Congratulations to Tim! A deserved victory, very nice limericks!

[Ashish Ramteke]

Campbell Ritchie wrote:No, all the verse quoted in this thread is a limerick, with the correct number of lines and rhymes.

Hi! Thanks for the reply.

I think only the first one is a limerick as per the format given. The second one is not according to the format (the first line).
In the third, 'Cowes' and 'how' do not rhyme. In the fourth, 'Cowes' and 'hours', and, 'Cowes' ('or, 'hours') and 'now' do not rhyme; 'lots' does not rhyme... In the fifth, 'offended' and '(end) it' do not rhyme.

Am I going wrong...?

(Edit: ) I am assuming that 'Cowes' rhymes with 'Cows.'

[Tim Cooke]

A heavy dose of good fortune has meant that I am now able to accept the ticket. I'm going to Devoxx!!! Hurrah!

Ashish: Poetry is not a science, words don't have to rhyme exactly for the poem to work. For example, I thought the rhyming of 'offended' and 'to end it' was the most genius of all in this thread. Very creative indeed.

[Jaikiran Pai]

Ashish, some of those have to be said out loud to hear the rhyming effect. You shouldn't just compare the end words.

[Jaikiran Pai]

Tim Cooke wrote:A heavy dose of good fortune has meant that I am now able to accept the ticket. I'm going to Devoxx!!! Hurrah!

Congratulations Tim!

We contacted the rest of the winners in that order and although they were willing to attend, the short notice meant that they couldn't practically make it. So the ticket is now yours! I've sent you the details on how to avail it. Have fun at Devoxx

[Campbell Ritchie]

I can't get there until Thursday morning, but look forward to seeing you there.

[Tim Cooke]

Likewise Campbell, I'll be on an early flight over from Belfast first thing Thursday morning. I'll probably miss the very start of the conference but hopefully not too much.

Looking forward to it.