posted March 20, 2005 08:03 PM            

You may pick up a ZIP file containing complete rules in rich text format and the required test file at:

http://www.talsystems.com/contest12/contest12.zip

No real need to rush, the deadline for entries is April 20 2005

Just a couple of 'common questions' which are addressed in the document, but which you might like answered before you download a 1.5 Mb ZIP file:

- You may create your entry using PB/CC versions 2.x thru 4.x, or with PowerBASIC for Windows versions 6.x through 8.x.

- No contestant's name or score will be made public without further approval from that contestant EXCEPT... if you win and claim a prize, that constitutes automatic permission to make your name and scores public. No one, even the raw beginner, need avoid entering for fear of embarrassment. If you win a prize, it can't be all bad to have that announced, can it?

- Every contestant will personally get all his/her scores aolong with any comments the judges add.

- Yes, I modified the earlier rules a little.

- Yes, I modified the earlier test file a little.

- No, I did not include the correct answers. (But I'm still thinking about sending them on request, either before or after you enter). (I wanted to get this started).

- Scoring is 50 percent objective, 50 percent subjective; and you can earn up to 20 percent bonus points if you knock one or more judges' socks off. THIS IS NOT A 'MY CODE IS FASTER THAN YOUR CODE' CONTEST. While "acceptable" speed is a scored requirement, design, code style, maintainability and creativity count far more than raw speed.

I note in the document there will likely be questions which arise (i.e., rules I forgot to invent) and there will be updates to the document over the next couple of weeks... watch here, or if you have already entered, you will get an email notification of updates.

Entries, questions, or other communications should be directed to the official contest email address contest12@talsystems.com

Again, thank you to contestants, sponsors and judges alike. I am looking forward to sitting back and enjoying this.

posted March 21, 2005 01:04 AM            

Elias

posted March 21, 2005 09:38 AM            

My bad. You know when I was writing up that document, I thought he had done that.. and I looked and looked but went right past it. I wanted to get the document done last night, but did not want to make a commitment for Don based on my own bad memory and/or inability to read the posts.

Well, that makes for the first update to the document...

posted March 21, 2005 05:49 PM            

Hopefully this one will go over well so that we can have another
one again next year.

posted March 21, 2005 05:59 PM            

Nothing to prevent you from submitting an entry for this one...except you can't win anything.

I could always make up a section to post, "How some more experienced programmers solved the problem" which we post only after the 'regular' contest is over.

Hmm... I kind of like that idea....

Anyone legitimate contestants please let me know if that would be a nice "parting gift" for those who do not win prizes and I'll beat some of the old farts over the head to create an entry. Then YOU can judge THEM!!

posted March 21, 2005 06:06 PM            

Im looking forward to see the results of this contest!!

Elias

posted March 22, 2005 12:33 AM            

quote:

---

6. Test file: information. This is not a carbon copy of the file used for the "other language" version of this contest. ... Contest12.rtf

---

Yes it is.

Unless I downloaded the wrong zip file.

------------------
Regards,
Bob

posted March 22, 2005 12:37 AM            

Michael has fixed that along with removing the extra text. At least
at first glance that is all he has done...who knows what other things
could have been changed...it is a big file. Although on a computer it
seems small. You'd think the entire Bible would be more than that.

posted March 22, 2005 12:48 AM            

Plus, even being half done in Forms I can start from scratch and be done
quicker than I would have in Forms. FF allows better modification after
the design is done...in Forms once you design and start coding and tweaking
things it makes it very difficult to modify the design.

------------------
If you aim at nothing...you will hit it.

posted March 22, 2005 01:01 AM            

hehehe.. well I'm not sure.. Elias..

I think beating the numbers Paul Dixon showed us earlier might be pretty
tough even for an advanced guy!!

posted March 22, 2005 06:25 AM            

Brad,
<<I think beating the numbers Paul Dixon showed us earlier might be pretty tough even for an advanced guy!! >>

I wouldn't expect to win if I entered the competition, although the code is fast and (I think) well designed, it has a negligible user interface, no fancy bits, is not very maintainable, has no error checking etc.. .

A maximum of 13 points out of 120 are available for speed (5 for "speed/resource usage" plus 8 for "technical excellence", which includes speed) so there are plenty points to be picked up elsewhere.

Paul.

posted March 22, 2005 08:50 AM            

quote:

---

According to the new rules, a designer may be used as long as it
doesn't require 3rd Party DLLs to compile/run, etc. So, does this
mean FireFly is allowed, or is it still out?

---

I do not know Firefly.

The idea is the judges (and other programmers who might like to compile and run the winning entries when they are posted at the conclusion of the contest) must be able to compile and run an entry without installing anything other than the "basic" PowerBASIC compiler. What is allowed is icon and bitmaps and other resources required to compile the resource. (Note that at a minimum a version resource is now required).

If Firefly requires a DLL be installed to compile or execute, it's out.

If you can use Firefly to generate code, which can then be compiled by the judges, it's in. Of course, then the generated code is the code which will be judged. (Note that code will be judged for clarity, maintainability, etc).

But I'd suspect the judges won't be awarding a whole lot of bonus points to third-party-products users. (I'll guarantee were I judging - which I am not - you'd lose points, but I am kind of anal about these things).

posted March 22, 2005 09:09 AM            

quote:

---

I think beating the numbers Paul Dixon showed us earlier might be pretty tough even for an advanced guy

---

Please refer to above:

quote:

---

THIS IS NOT A 'MY CODE IS FASTER THAN YOUR CODE' CONTEST

---

Of course, putting together a bunch of XY-chromosome types will nearly always result in some form of "My <whatever> is <faster|bigger|better> than yours."

What would serve you right is for a contestant lacking a Y-chromosome to enter and win - or at least, beat your score. Let's see you live that one down, huh?