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Online Programming Competition?


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#1 nitrogenfingers

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 12:33 AM

Hi all, sorry to be flooding the forums lately.

As I mentioned below I'm holding a workshop for beginner programmers. Thus far we've had a lot of applications- so much so I'm considering bringing on a second teacher just to help with the numbers!
Having said that a lot of our applications have been from people who probably, really don't need the workshop- it's all very basic stuff designed for beginners so a lot of it would be boring to more advanced programmers. So the question that then struck me was why are people applying? And I guess the answer is programming especially in a group context is great fun and everyone wants to learn a bit more from someone else, even at the risk of going through a lot of redundancy. I would love for my workshop to be the place to do that but as it's aimed at beginners and they would be receiving the majority of attention, the potential for that is a bit limited.

But I'm suddenly very keen on the idea of getting a lot of programmers from all skill levels together to try to encourage that atmosphere. The best way I can think to do that? A fully online programming competition!

This really is a bit of a spit-ball of an idea, so this post is more to gauge a reaction from the community than anything else.

Anyone from any skill level would be free to participate, and though it could be an individual challenge, putting people into teams would probably be the most fun. I'm imagining either myself or several senior members here on the forums would each devise a single task that needs to be solved programmatically. They would then adjudicate over that challenge as teams race to solve it. We'd do this for a few rounds, and use some sort of scoring system to determine the winners of the day.

But competing isn't really the point- getting a bunch of people from the forums or from anywhere to have a few laughs and make some programs for fun is more the point- and if people work together there's a good chance everyone will learn something, which is an outstanding accomplishment for any event. It's also a really awesome way to show off just what computer craft can do- with some really interesting tasks I'm hoping we can show the mod can be just as useful to senior programmers looking to learn as junior ones- and I don't see why not!

So that's my idea, in a nutshell. Is it a good idea? Post or message! If a good number of people want to take place, I'll see if I can organize it.

Hope to hear from you!

#2 ElvishJerricco

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 12:46 AM

 nitrogenfingers, on 15 August 2012 - 12:33 AM, said:

Hi all, sorry to be flooding the forums lately.

As I mentioned below I'm holding a workshop for beginner programmers. Thus far we've had a lot of applications- so much so I'm considering bringing on a second teacher just to help with the numbers!
Having said that a lot of our applications have been from people who probably, really don't need the workshop- it's all very basic stuff designed for beginners so a lot of it would be boring to more advanced programmers. So the question that then struck me was why are people applying? And I guess the answer is programming especially in a group context is great fun and everyone wants to learn a bit more from someone else, even at the risk of going through a lot of redundancy. I would love for my workshop to be the place to do that but as it's aimed at beginners and they would be receiving the majority of attention, the potential for that is a bit limited.

But I'm suddenly very keen on the idea of getting a lot of programmers from all skill levels together to try to encourage that atmosphere. The best way I can think to do that? A fully online programming competition!

This really is a bit of a spit-ball of an idea, so this post is more to gauge a reaction from the community than anything else.

Anyone from any skill level would be free to participate, and though it could be an individual challenge, putting people into teams would probably be the most fun. I'm imagining either myself or several senior members here on the forums would each devise a single task that needs to be solved programmatically. They would then adjudicate over that challenge as teams race to solve it. We'd do this for a few rounds, and use some sort of scoring system to determine the winners of the day.

But competing isn't really the point- getting a bunch of people from the forums or from anywhere to have a few laughs and make some programs for fun is more the point- and if people work together there's a good chance everyone will learn something, which is an outstanding accomplishment for any event. It's also a really awesome way to show off just what computer craft can do- with some really interesting tasks I'm hoping we can show the mod can be just as useful to senior programmers looking to learn as junior ones- and I don't see why not!

So that's my idea, in a nutshell. Is it a good idea? Post or message! If a good number of people want to take place, I'll see if I can organize it.

Hope to hear from you!

Ok this fills me with inspiration. We could create a tekkit server (so that people could apply their programming in a huge way) and create a few different events.

There could be a beginners challenge where you assign an easy challenge and players try to do it best. And there could be an advanced one that's just more difficult

But what i'd be looking forward to would be a free-for-all event. People just build anything they want. The most impressive one wins.

#3 D3matt

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 12:47 AM

I'm all for anything that has me on skype or teamspeak laughing at people's programming antics, especially if these antics involve turtles and TNT :P/>

#4 nitrogenfingers

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 12:54 AM

And there shall be antics aplenty, D3matt!

#5 Lyqyd

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 12:57 AM

Honestly, I'd prefer if a server for hosting a ComputerCraft coding competition was just using ComputerCraft. That way, as long as the clients connecting have ComputerCraft, they're good to go, instead of needing to also have however many mods are in that modpack.

#6 D3matt

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 02:48 AM

I have to agree with Lyqyd here. Normally I'm a tekkit supporter, but in this case there are distinct advantages to using just CC (Up-to-date version, less server load from fewer mods, etc.) Or maybe just RP and CC for the bundled cables.

Maybe even just set up a time every week or so and just meet on the server to show off your latest creation, etc. like more of a club than a competition. Then do competitions every so often as special events.

#7 Sxw

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Posted 15 August 2012 - 03:32 AM

Yes! I would like to do this too! I think it would hell people like me learn to code something useful!

#8 Moopington

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Posted 19 August 2012 - 04:43 AM

I'm in support of this! :D/>
Also, if you ask immibis for his/her launcher, you won't have people complaining about installing CC.
(Assuming you don't go with tekkit)

#9 Cranium

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Posted 19 August 2012 - 04:59 AM

I would love to do this. I accept any challenge that you give me!!!

#10 Matrixmage

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Posted 19 August 2012 - 06:11 AM

I would love to participate in some kind beginner competition (I'm pretty novice :D/>), but i think some kind of application would be nice (age [if the applicant wanted to of course], previous languages used, approximate coding skill, previously created programs, etc.)

#11 D3matt

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Posted 19 August 2012 - 02:13 PM

 Moopington, on 19 August 2012 - 04:43 AM, said:

I'm in support of this! :D/>
Also, if you ask immibis for his/her launcher, you won't have people complaining about installing CC.
(Assuming you don't go with tekkit)
If you can't install one single mod, this competition is probably not for you.

#12 ETHANATOR360

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Posted 25 August 2012 - 02:02 AM

this is a good idea but it will need a category such as best email program, best house building turtle, best reactor control script, ect.

#13 Orwell

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Posted 25 August 2012 - 02:41 PM

I'm up for a challenge : ) count me in!

#14 cant_delete_account

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Posted 25 August 2012 - 05:36 PM

Looks cool. If this happens, I'll be there.

#15 D3matt

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Posted 25 August 2012 - 11:23 PM

 marumaru, on 25 August 2012 - 05:58 PM, said:

We should revive something like the Weekly Coding Challenge :D/> Have like an every week programming competition with a specific theme/goal to it ^-^ I'm sure I'd compete in something like that.
The point of this, though, is that you have people coding together in real time. You don't get that with something like the weekly coding challenge. I think the idea with this is also that it's fairly accessible to everybody, the Weekly Coding Challenge as I remember was fairly difficult.

#16 matejdro

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Posted 26 August 2012 - 08:18 AM

Sounds good but I don't think it should be an event like workshops, due to time zones. It's impossible to pick a time zone that is suitable for everyone.

Maybe it could be that you post goal of the competition (what competitors have to build) and then every competitor have time to build it and submit it. After 7 days, you pick the winner. There could be even more categories like functionality, fuel conservation, on-screen GUI etc.

#17 D3matt

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Posted 26 August 2012 - 02:36 PM

 matejdro, on 26 August 2012 - 08:18 AM, said:

Sounds good but I don't think it should be an event like workshops, due to time zones. It's impossible to pick a time zone that is suitable for everyone.

Maybe it could be that you post goal of the competition (what competitors have to build) and then every competitor have time to build it and submit it. After 7 days, you pick the winner. There could be even more categories like functionality, fuel conservation, on-screen GUI etc.
Once again, see above post.

#18 matejdro

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Posted 26 August 2012 - 02:38 PM

I see. But I said it would be a big problem due to time zone differences. Maybe cycle time zones, so first event is in USA evening then Europe evening then Australia evening?

#19 Moopington

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Posted 27 August 2012 - 08:40 PM

 D3matt, on 19 August 2012 - 02:13 PM, said:

 Moopington, on 19 August 2012 - 04:43 AM, said:

I'm in support of this! :D/>
Also, if you ask immibis for his/her launcher, you won't have people complaining about installing CC.
(Assuming you don't go with tekkit)
If you can't install one single mod, this competition is probably not for you.


I'm personally fine with installing the mod. I just thought it would be a nice timesaver for anyone that's having issues with it. No need to get so offended. :

#20 Tiin57

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Posted 27 August 2012 - 08:44 PM

D3Matt was not offended; rather, he/she was just saying that this competition would be for advanced CC programmers (which entails knowing how to install the mod).





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