Author Topic: Programming Contest from DonationCoder.com and Veign.com - Deadline July 1st (Read 109629 times)

mouser · « **on:** June 05, 2008, 09:56 PM »

DC member Chris Hanscom (who runs veign.com) has a copy of Microsoft Visual Studio Team Suite (with MSDN Premium subscription) to give away, and has decided to let us host a contest to decide who should get it.

This is a prize worth over $10,000 (yes you read that correctly), and so should go to a programmer who is serious about using it.

To choose a winner, we've decided to hold a little programming contest. The winner will be chosen by Chris and myself, and will be influenced by the votes of longtime DC members.

Contest Details:

You must code a new, never-released application, using one of the free versions of Microsoft Visual Studio Express.
Deadline for submitting your finished entry is July 1st, 2008. Winner will be chosen soon after that.
You must provide the source code for your application, but you do not need to release this publicly if you don't want to. The winning program must be freeware or donationware.
The winning program will be featured on the donationcoder and/or veign websites, but all entries (winning and otherwise) remain the property of the authors. We will provide permanent web hosting space for entrants who want it, and we would love to welcome new coders to the DC community.
We encourage authors to make their programs available for others to test and use prior to the end of the contest. You are free to work in a team and/or solicit feedback on the DonationCoder.com forum.
We may give out extra fun special prizes (rare DC Cody mugs, etc.) to participants who don't win the main prize, so you should enter even if you don't think your program will be judged as the best entry.
You may code any kind of program you want, but we strongly discourage any submissions that alter the user's system dramatically and would make testing difficult (please no intrusive system driver replacing tools).

How Do I Enter?

To participate, please post a reply to this thread and email [email protected] stating your intention to enter, well in advance of the deadline (July 1st, 2008). We will then follow up with entrants about the best way to submit entries.

Good Luck -- Chris and I are both looking forward to seeing what you guys and gals come up with! If you know any coders who you think might be interested in participating, please let them know and help us spread the news about the contest.

fine print:

Veign · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2008, 08:43 AM »

I am looking forward to what members can come up with. If you're not a member then this is a great time to become one as this contest is open to anyone willing to enter.

The MSDN subscription is an amazing collection of almost every application from Microsoft and is a great tool to have in your arsenal of development tools.

If anyone has any questions about the prize then please feel free to contact me with your questions.

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2008, 04:23 PM »

Just a note in response to an inquiry I got.

I don't think the use of visual express tools is going to be a really strict thing. If you use another tool for writing code, but are sure you will have use for Visual Studio, just ask us.

We have no arrangement to promote MS products and this is mainly an attempt to help insure that whoever gets this will really use it. And also if someone submits a program that needs the full version to compile and borrowed someone else's copy of visual studio to make it, that would be fine too. Again the point isn't to force people to use the express version, it's just to help us make sure that the person who enters is going to have use for these tools.

wraith808 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2008, 04:57 PM »

Does the program have to be a winforms application or can it be a webforms application?

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2008, 04:58 PM »

doesn't matter, webforms is fine.

Veign · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2008, 05:54 PM »

Just a note in response to an inquiry I got.

I don't think the use of visual express tools is going to be a really strict thing. We have no arrangement to promote MS products and this is mainly an attempt to help insure that whoever gets this will really use it. And also if someone submits a program that needs the full version to compile and borrowed someone else's copy of visual studio to make it, that would be fine too. Again the point isn't to force people to use the express version, it's just to help us make sure that the person who enters is going to have use for these tools.
-mouser (June 06, 2008, 04:23 PM)

Agreed and well put. We only mentioned the free tools as an option for developers to use to enter the contest - a lot of people don't know there are options for developers to develop without spending money on an IDE.

Should also mention that you will not be able to resell the prize. It will be registered in the winners name shortly after announcing the winner.

Veign · « **Reply #6 on:** June 07, 2008, 11:00 AM »

Is anyone thinking of submitting something? Just curious what the turnout will be...

hollowlife1987 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2008, 11:16 AM »

I have talked to mouser and Veign and I'm plan on entering this contest hopefully I'll be able to finish in time.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2008, 06:16 PM »

It should be mentioned that this prize includes a licensed copy of every Operating System made by Microsoft, the full MS Office Suite, normally non-free SDK stuff, etc., and any versions that come out within a year of winning.

Rover · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2008, 08:26 PM »

Mouser and Veign this is a great idea. I hope you get a lot of entries.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2008, 08:29 PM »

Everyone please help us spread the word and let your coder friends and websites know about it.

pip2kk · « **Reply #11 on:** June 13, 2008, 09:37 PM »

I plan on entering, just need to come up with a cool app now

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** June 13, 2008, 09:45 PM »

Great

Phonon · « **Reply #13 on:** June 14, 2008, 10:17 AM »

What will entries be judged on? Roughly, what will be the weight? (e.g. functionality most important? Code clarity? Stability? etc.)

Cheers,
Andrew

Veign · « **Reply #14 on:** June 14, 2008, 10:35 AM »

A little of everything.

tonsofpcs · « **Reply #15 on:** June 14, 2008, 05:59 PM »

I'm possibly interested, but the project I'm planning on working on requires a library that may not work too well with the latest VS... we'll find out, I suppose.

crou · « **Reply #16 on:** June 16, 2008, 08:11 PM »

I'll do my best to have my application ready in 2 weeks. It's pretty short but I'll try hard...

Veign · « **Reply #17 on:** June 16, 2008, 08:21 PM »

I'll do my best to have my application ready in 2 weeks. It's pretty short but I'll try hard...
-crou (June 16, 2008, 08:11 PM)

The prize makes it worth it.

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #18 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:10 PM »

I'm going to throw my hat into this programming contest. I've been playing around with some code and libraries these past few days that have given me a couple of ideas (and a lot of ideas that don't work because the theoretical aspects don't work very well right now). It is a program for something that people have requested on the board and no satisfactory program was found on the web or programs were still be developed without a working release for people to use. I'll e-mail you later mouser. BTW, after I e-mail you, can I start a website on Wikidot for my new project?

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:43 PM »

By all means everyone feel free to talk about your projects and ideas in any form you want, your websites, blogs, etc.

Veign · « **Reply #20 on:** June 17, 2008, 09:34 AM »

Also, the projects remain the property of its author and you retain all rights. The only thing you grant Veign and DC is the ability to distribute or showcase the application. In summary its all yours to do with what you want.

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** June 17, 2008, 09:41 AM »

And by "distribute or showcase" all that's really meant is we want to put up a page about the entires and try to let people know about you and your program. there is no desire on our part to gain any benefit from your program other than to let people know that we played a small role in encouraging its development

Eóin · « **Reply #22 on:** June 17, 2008, 09:49 AM »

I'm in! Will post more details before or at the weekend.

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** June 17, 2008, 09:50 AM »

Glad to hear it Eóin (and everyone else!),

ps. Everyone who enters will get a special custom Cody DC mug. For those of you trying to collect them all, yes this one will be unique to this contest, so entering this contest is the only way to get this mug.

tinjaw · « **Reply #24 on:** June 17, 2008, 10:51 AM »

I wasn't going to participate, since I won a MSDN subscription last year. But if you are having special mugs being made, I might participate. Let me give it some thought as my time is at a premium these days.