Topic: What about a coding contest? (Read 1680 times)
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« on: May 14, 2007, 03:09:47 PM »
I was thinking about contests of webdigity, and as our last contests were all about web design (logos, graphics, etc) this time we could try a coding contest.
Before I continue I must say that we will definitely host another logo design contest soon as we need a logo to be designed.
Now back to the coding contest idea, I have to say that we haven't done one yet because actually I am not sure how this could work. For instance we could host a contest for posting new tutorials on our tutorial database but I am not sure how we would give the prize.
Can you please help us find a plan on how we could publish a coding contest? Any feedback will be deeply appreciated
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« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2007, 04:41:30 PM »
I think I joined most of the contests before...
most of the time its based on votes, people submit their code and after wards the script with the most votes is getting the price.
The contest at weberdev.com is different: the one with the most submissions gets a price. (they have more than one price, so everyone with at last 2 submissions gets a price)
for both systems is one rule, the script has to useful to the community and must work! just copy / past some example code from the manual is not allowed, Nick it up to you what code is acceptable. Of course the code need to be documented that other people can use the snippet too.
Using a subject for this contest is maybe too much...
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« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2007, 05:32:37 PM »
Then maybe we should follow that "the one with the most submissions gets a price" plan. After all the tutorials section need some content, I guess a contest like that will help anyway.
Then maybe we should follow that "the one with the most submissions gets a price" plan. After all the tutorials section need some content, I guess a contest like that will help anyway.
Anyone else has to comment on this?
don't forget that each submission need to be accepted by the admin
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« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2007, 08:18:48 PM »
Yes, I wonder if it would be hard to prove whether or not the tutorial was original. With PLR articles this may be even more difficult. And some of the better tutorial sites I've been to lately are putting the tutorials up as images to help prevent copying, but that also prevents them from being spidered and protected by Copyscape.
Maybe we could combine the design contest concept with a coding contest? Everyone starts out with the same PSD template and then the person who creates the best code for that template wins? Could be judged on shortest HTML, quickest loading or some other set of criteria. This would also open the contest to more folks. The design should be such that it is complicated enough to be a challenge.
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« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2007, 08:52:15 PM »
hey guys (and girls)
its a code contest, I think we php geeks recognize a example from the manual, and must say that this was not a item before.
if someone (like me) submit 10 tutorials there must be some site, no one will contribute a lot of examples for a smaller price. And don't accept the same number of contribution as in a logo contest.
I'm sure you see directly if some is submitting code from other sites...(like mine )
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« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2007, 09:08:23 PM »
I think the tutorial submitting contest is a great idea but making the person with the most submissions win could cause a lot of very small tutorials to be submitted. Its not really a problem if they are useful so good moderation is needed, and maybe the contest entries should remain invisible until the contest is over.
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« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2007, 12:34:34 AM »
How do they test how well-written the tutorials are?
I think the hardest and best test of any tutorial is to take a true newbie and see if they can actually do what the tutorial is supposed to teach. If a bunch of php gurus are "grading" and "ranking" each other's tutorials - I'm not sure that's a true valuation of the instructiveness (is that even a word?) of the tutorial.
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« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2007, 05:21:46 AM »
Why dont we choose a platform for example for the first contest like COntest 1: Platform: Joomla Contest 2: Platform: Drupal .... etc.... Then have a contest where the first two weeks we accept submissions, then after that three weeks we close the submissions thread and open a poll for votation that would last about a week... The winner is decided by a poll... THe project would be best plugins or modules for the platform presented.... that should get enough buzz... and the best plugin could get popular pretty quick...
How do they test how well-written the tutorials are?
I think the hardest and best test of any tutorial is to take a true newbie and see if they can actually do what the tutorial is supposed to teach. If a bunch of php gurus are "grading" and "ranking" each other's tutorials - I'm not sure that's a true valuation of the instructiveness (is that even a word?) of the tutorial.
he test every script, if its OK it's added to the list and else not. I don't think it becomes to heavy...it must be quality content thats important
Why dont we choose a platform for example for the first contest like COntest 1: Platform: Joomla Contest 2: Platform: Drupal .... etc.... Then have a contest where the first two weeks we accept submissions, then after that three weeks we close the submissions thread and open a poll for votation that would last about a week... The winner is decided by a poll... THe project would be best plugins or modules for the platform presented.... that should get enough buzz... and the best plugin could get popular pretty quick...
this is OK, but don't forget that this will make the (small) group smaller
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« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2007, 02:24:38 PM »
Besides the small group problem, that would be very time consuming for moderators and me. As we will have to validate each and every submission and that requires a lot of work.
Maybe I should think more of this contest idea or wait some time to have more free time (at this point I am very busy and I think I will be that way for at least one month).