[ProgSoc] Programming Contest

Peter Revelant revelant at progsoc.org
Wed Mar 28 11:30:27 EST 2012


Hi everyone,

As many of you know, I have been pushing for ProgSoc to run its own
programming competition, and I hope to make progress on this front at
the AGM tomorrow. A summary of what I will propose can be read at
http://progsoc.org/~revelant/progcomp/ . Please read it and bring any
comments or ideas you may have to the AGM, or post on the list.

There is quite a bit of work involved, and it will require the full
cooperation of the executive and participation of members to succeed.
Some of the expected tasks are:
1. Contest Administrators (at least two for redundancy and continuity
into the following year): run the PC^2 system, configure it for the
contest, monitor and troubleshoot on the day of the contest.
2a. Problem creators. We could ask for more experienced programmers
amongst us to submit one or more problems each for consideration. This
is also how the ACM-ICPC gets their problems, cf.
http://cm.baylor.edu/ICPCWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Getting+Involved
2b. Problem testers. We need someone to do a trial run on problems
before the contest to make sure that (a) statement of the problem is
clear, (b) the test for submissions is correct, and (c) the various
languages are properly supported on the server and client machines.
This task will likely be shared out among admins, judges and problem
creators.
3. Judges. Often also problem creators, but not necessarily restricted
to problem creators.
4. Master of Ceremonies, who will conduct proceedings, relay
instructions and act as the main point of contact for entrants.
5. Support staff: everything else conducive to the smooth running of a
contest. In particular, monitoring entrants for illegal behaviour, and
answering entrant queries or relaying queries to the relevant people.
Signage.
6. Entrants! (ProgSoc members are encouraged to enter)
7. A committee to oversee it all, which will probably be made up of
ProgSoc Executive members and selected members.
8. WE NEED TO DECIDE A DATE!
9. WE NEED TO BOOK A ROOM! I suggest that one of the first tasks will
be to approach the faculty to see what support they would be willing
to give. Based on my experience as an entrant at another institution,
we would need 1 lab for every 4-6 teams, and temporary logins for
entrants. It would be nice if FEIT or ITD could provide an entrant
machine image based on our specifications, but I expect we will have
to do that ourselves (another task).

There is some urgency, as the most appropriate date to my mind is
during the Vice-Chancellor's Week, April 23-29. In that week, students
don't have lectures or mid-term exams that may clash with the contest.
Some labs are probably free for a whole day (although some will be
used for FEIT short courses). Spring Semester VC week is *after* the
South Pacific competition. My second choice would be the end of July,
as students are more likely to have returned from holidays to start
Spring Semester. I think a weekday would be preferable to most
entrants, but if contest staff are more available on a weekend, it
might be more practical to hold it on a Saturday or Sunday.

While the programming contest committee will make final decisions as
information comes to light, they will be guided by the suggestions and
ideas of the general membership. Tomorrow night I will canvas members
as to their support for this venture, and if enough support is there,
I will move that we hold a contest. I would also like to confirm a
date for planning purposes, as it can be hard to get everyone in the
same place at any time other than the AGM.

For those who will be absent from the AGM and wish to participate,
please email me indicating your general willingness to act as
administrator, problem creator, judge, MC, support staff,   or
entrants (subject to availability, of course). If the motion passes, I
will formally solicit participants once the date is set.

Peter Revelant



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