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From: hurwitz@ENUXHA.EAS.ASU.EDU (Roger A. Hurwitz)
Newsgroups: comp.org.acm
Subject: Re: Yet another posting...:)
Message-ID: <9105020134.AA29577@enuxha.eas.asu.edu>
Date: 2 May 91 01:34:38 GMT
References: <91120.075856TAINT021@ysub.ysu.edu>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: hurwitz@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Roger A. Hurwitz)
Organization: Arizona State Univ, Tempe AZ
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In article <91120.075856TAINT021@ysub.ysu.edu> TAINT021@ysub.ysu.edu (David M. Onder) writes:
>I have seen a few questions about High School contests.  I have some of the
>problems that were sent to me when we had a big exchange a few weeks ago.
>I would like to know if there are any other problems floating around?  I
>would gladly send a copy of ours to those that want them.  Just send me mail.
>BTW, our students program in Basic ( yuck! ) and Pascal, although I am trying
>to get C included as well.  I would like to drop basic to send a message
>to the area high schools that basic is not really that important here at
>the university, as far as serious computer science is concerned! :)

At the risk of getting char-broiled, it is my belief that the entire
idea of programming contest that puts a premium on speed rather than
quality sends the wrong message to CS noviates.  The format of the ACM
programming contests here at ASU, is to solve as many software "puzzles"
in the time allotted.   Therefore, one is rewarded for slapping together
a working solution in the shortest possible time.  It is like the AMA
sponsoring a medical school competition where the object is to see which
student can perform the most appendectomies in an hour :-).  The so called
"software crisis" we find ourselves in today has to do with quality.  There
is no problem with quantity.  It may not be as much fun, but why not make
these things software design contests, and judge the contestants on the
quality of their designs?  Or change the format to give contestants more
time and judge the implementations on the famous "ilities".  The current
format, IMHO, is at odds with good programming practices that we should
be encouraging. 

crisi