New programming challenge
From the past experience of programming challenge, the competition we're not done the way it should have been done. There were lack of control, preparation, rigor, etc. It has cause many problem and the total failure of the last one.
If we want to have them back we need a little bit more preparation and organisation. What I propose is a a completly new structure for it, that should put the challenge at a better level.
So let's start with what I propose.
Part 1 - Finding the subject of the competetion (What must we code ?)
This is one of the mistake that was done in the past programming challenge. The subject was too vague and unclear.
Good example : You must code a sciencifict caculator.
Bad example : Code something that can be use in everyday life (That was the last programming competition subject)
Part 2 - Finding in which language it should be restricted to.
Why doing that ? Simple, if we can't evaluate and test what some people are submitting, how you deal with that ?
Example : It must be code in any of the following language : VB/VB.net, C/C++/C#, MASM.
Part 3 - On what are we evaluate and how much each part count for
In the past programming challenge, we actaully know on what people were looking at, but we didn't knew if a part count for more or less than an other. Also the code never got noted, so we couldn't really knew what was to ameliorate.
Example :
Code Part : Optimization : 10 pts Indentation ( Is the code clear to read ) : 5 pts Comments : 5 pts Organisation of the code : 10 pts Good use of the language : 5 pts
GUI : Easy to use : 10 pts Originality : 5 pts Apparence : 10pts
Also each script send should have a fiche on which we can see the note it got for what it's evaluated.
Part 4 - The judge
We need to have judge to evaluate the code. They shouldn't necessary be part of staff. All they need is to have a good base in programming (minimum of 3 years of programming) and should know the language there are evaluating a lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot …
Also there must be at least 2 judge. And each judge must evaluate all the code, than an average between the two note to have the final note of each script.
Conclusion
Why have this ? Simple, you've seen what happen with the programming challenge, than you know why. I also post that since I want to take back these competition. For the people who have complete most of the challenge this is the only challenge left.
Any taker ?
That's why I want to take them back personnally since everyone who organisaned them before don't want to take them back for really understandable reason. This time I want to take them back with a very orginanised way so that I don't fail like the last one.
Also I forgot a part 5 ( The deadline ) :
Yes we must decide a deadline were all submission that are send after this deadline will not be consider in the challenge. This is the main reason why it fail last time.
I'll be glad to talk with any admin that have time, so that I can put the new structure in place if it's accepted of course.
yeah… i'm all for it. but if we're going to limit the languages, we should make sure they aren't all C++ and PHP. we should use other ;anguages as well… like i dunno… PYTHON!! lol
it would also be fun to have ones where they must be in BASIC or batch, to see how creative and user friendly people can make a purely procedural language.