Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!bionet!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu!glenn From: glenn@curie.ces.cwru.edu (Glenn Crocker) Newsgroups: comp.org.acm Subject: Re: Yet another posting...:) Message-ID: Date: 2 May 91 16:45:28 GMT References: <91120.075856TAINT021@ysub.ysu.edu> <9105020134.AA29577@enuxha.eas.asu.edu> Sender: news@usenet.ins.cwru.edu Organization: Case Western Reserve University Lines: 40 In-Reply-To: hurwitz@ENUXHA.EAS.ASU.EDU's message of 2 May 91 01:34:38 GMT Nntp-Posting-Host: curie.ces.cwru.edu hurwitz@ENUXHA.EAS.ASU.EDU (Roger A. Hurwitz) writes: ... There is no problem with quantity. This is arguable, but I'll leave that for another day. I do agree that there are problems with quality. 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". This is an excellent idea. Please put together an objective non-language- specific set of criterion for judging the quality of a program. Hmmmmm. Let's see. Here's a first draft: 1. Number of subprograms. (functions, procedures, whatever) 2. Length of variable names. 3. Comment / Code ratio. 4. ... .... :-) Seriously, how would you have these contests judged? Have the judges each take an enormous amount of time to thoroughly read and understand each team's entries, then have them vote on the winner? The current contests take quite a bit of time to judge, so you'd have to decrease the number of problems. My point is not that you're wrong, just that what you want may not be possible at a contest with 100+ teams.... crisi -- Glenn Crocker | Your milage may vary. glenn@ces.cwru.edu | Light bar not for occupant protection. CWRU, Cleveland, OH | Don't drive on frozen lakes. W (216)368-6133 H (216)754-1314 | Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.