Re: Easy/Expert quizzes

Bill Smith wrote:

From: "the hatter" <perl-qotw-NgzDhwZ5nIsuagvECLh61g@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005, Bill Smith wrote:

his group has a shortage of "Easy" quizzes.  Most of the "Expert"
quizzes are difficult because they require expertise in the problem
domain.  If we allowed (even encouraged) early posting of "Spoiler"
design information, far more of us could participate by producing perl
implementations.  Yes, there are a lot of details to work out if there
is interest in this approach.
      

Surely the point of the spoiler time limit is to let people crack on with
their design, so a range of strategies are seen, without being distracted
down a maybe more obvious path ?  There's nothing to stop anyone posting a
solution after the next week's quiz has been posted or after the official
summariser has posted, if they either think their way is
different/better/creative, nor to post it and ask for critique.  In fact,
some people do this already.  I think I prefer the current situation,
though maybe there is a demand for qotw-algorithms-discuss, less code,
more maths, geeking off at a different tangent ?

the hatter

The relatively large number of people responding to "Easy" quizzes suggests
that there is a demand for quizzes that primarily require coding skills.  I
offered my proposal as a way to meet that demand.

Few of these people use the option you suggest because posted code has the
same "spoil" effect on them as posted designs would on designers.

Clearly,rule changes should not be made without full support of the group.
I don't see any.  Lets carry on as always.

I saw the 60hr limit as being a two fold issue.
The obvious one is to allow people time to form independent solutions.
A secondary one is to dissuade any "First Post" nonsense.

I could see a possible compromise to the 60hr limit for the expert problems.
Have a 48hr limit before revealing any spoilers, and then wait an additional 24hr before posting any solutions.

It makes no difference to me. I will only code solutions that I came up with myself. However, there are times when I can offer up a strategy to others, that I have no intention of completing on my own.

-- Rod