Competition

[RandomCoder]

Erel,

I didn't know whether this should go in the B4PPC Wishlist or here in the Forum Discussion, but anyway here it is - How do you feel about setting a little competition???

I was thinking along the lines of a small task, maybe with optional extra's for the more experienced amongst us.
A new thread could be started with guidelines to what is required and the time allowed (probably a month).
All those that have attempted the task could post their code in the same Thread for all to see.

There would be no overall winner, if you completed the task successfully then you would be a winner in your own right.
The benefit of this is that it would encourage some healthy competition and we would get to see many ways of completing the same task which can only help improve our coding.

I'm afraid that I'm short of idea's, but hopefully my fellow forumites will assist here. Simple tasks using only one library would probably be best to start off with.

Anyone else up for a bit of fun????

Regards,
RandomCoder

 

[Cableguy]

Count me in......

 

[Erel]

Why don't you throw the idea?
I will join as a competitor

 

[RandomCoder]

I'll put my thinking cap on, just thought it might be a good idea, especially when introducing new libraries etc.

The first one wants to be pretty simple and fun to do, so that as many people as possible can join in.
There's always more than one way of doing things and so I thought it would be interesting to see what other people come up with.
In my book, if it works then its right. But of course some solutions are far more elegant than others.

Regards,
RandomCoder.

 

[Erel]

The winner could be the one with the shortest code (least number of lines).

 

[dzt]

...I will join as a competitor

I fear for undocumented features

 

[bdiscount]

Readable code should also count(comments etc)

 

[RandomCoder]

I wasn't thinking of a winner being nominated, it's just for fun!
Of course I'm sure there will be plenty of praise for the most ingenuous approach and clever code, maybe even some :sign0188:

Like I said before, if the program achieves the required task then your a winner in your own right.

The best idea I've come up with so far is to write a calculator application - no libraries allowed.

I know that there's an example scientific calculator on the B4PPC website (http://www.b4x.com/Downloads.html) and installed with BPPC in the samples folder.
But this is quite a neat little problem with probably many different solutions.

Here's the sort of lines I was thinking along...

1st requirement

- basic mathematics - "+" "-" "*" "/"​

2nd requirement

- Trig functions -"Sin" "Cos" "Tan" (inverse ones too if you want)​

3rd requirement

- Conversions - "Degrees to fahrenheit" "miles to kilometers" (and all the rest )​

4th requirement

......​

Please suggest some more idea's and will opt for the most popular.
What say we leave it till Friday to come up with ideas and choose one then over Saturday/Sunday we can all define the requirements ready to set sail on Monday.

PS. what chance do we stand if Erel also fancies giving it a go :sign0148:

Regards,
RandomCoder.

 

[Erel]

I like your idea and I'm sure that it won't be an easy competition.

 

[RandomCoder]

I'd like to set something that should have levels of difficulty for everyone.
There's quite a few new members joined lately (I myself only joined in May) and I'd like them to feel that they can have a go along with some of the older members.

I also thought that it would be a great idea to promote new libraries.

After this first task and if it proves popular then I thought we might use the HTTP library or whichever library the other members would prefer to use.
There's some real potential to gain experience from other peoples attempts at programming the same task.

I'm glad that there has been some interest already in the idea

Regards,
RandomCoder.

 

[RandomCoder]

I've had another idea for an App...

What about a basic paint type of thing, it would need to include a colour pallet and drawing tools etc.
For the more experienced we could add importing files, and maybe even the possibility of drawing on layers like CAD - although I'm only thinking of actually fore and back layer.

Has anyone else any ideas :sign0163:
The weekend is fast approaching and I'd like us to make a decision by then so as to start on Monday.


I know everyone is busy with their own projects, this is intended to be just a little bit of fun that may even aid you in your own work.
A healthy bit of competition never hurt anyone :sign0151:


PS. Has anyone heard from GeoTrail lately, I thought he might have been up for the challenge?

Regards,
RandomCoder

 

[RandomCoder]

Just a bit of FUN.

Come on people, is there no-one with a better idea for a small App that we can kick start a friendly competition with :sign0085:

Regards,
RandomCoder.

 

[Erel]

What do you say about a desktop / device registry viewer?

 

[RandomCoder]

I'm up for anything but unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a great deal of interest in the competition now.

Maybe it would be better leaving this idea until a new library comes out and then set the challenge to everyone to see who comes up with the best code that utilises the library.

Its only meant to be a bit of fun, I guess people just haven't got the time

Any inclination as to what the next library is likely to be??

Regards,
RandomCoder

 

[Erel]

An Outlook library is soon to come (it will require WM5 or WM6 devices).

 

[ericliang]

An Outlook library is soon to come (it will require WM5 or WM6 devices).

how soon is soon?

 

[Erel]

I hope it will be released in a week or two.

 

[Cableguy]

I liked the calculator idea....simple design bu complex programing....
A paint like app is much much complex in every way and more time consuming....

I would go for the calculator....

 

[dzt]

What about the app of the month? It should be posted under "Share your creations" and everyone could choose to make an application of his interest. Users should vote and the prize could be a promotion under a special page under the main site called "Application of the month", or something other like one year subscription (not for first time buyers), or something else. Source code, compiled app and a setup file should be provided.

What do you think?

 

[RandomCoder]

I like your idea but still think that its better to have a set specification for the App in this competition.
The reason being is that I feel that there's a lot to be learnt from seeing how other people program.

In the Questions and Answers forum I regularly try to assist with a variety of problems, my way will work, but then I see the reply from Erel or Specci48 and think why didn't I think of doing it like that as they often provide a much more compact and simple solution.

Also, programming is as much amount the front end design and user interface as it is the code.
I'd like to see what we can all come up with given the same criteria to work against.

If people feel that one month is not a long enough time period given their present circumstances then there is no reason why we cant make it two months instead.

Shout up people and tell us what you would like.

Regards,
RandomCoder.