UNSW Programming Competition (1 Viewer)

[McLake]

OK, here's a promo for this years programming comp at UNSW.
If you would like:

- a mentor to come to your school
- a talk about computing at university

Then post the name of your school, and a teacher to contact.

More details at: http://do.cse.unsw.edu.au/progcomp/index.html

 

[tieki]

I think we got an announcement about this in our class...it's the one with three people to a team, right?

Well we (Inaburra) don't really need someone to come and talk to us about it, but if you've got any other information about it, you can email me or PM me to get snailmail address.

 

[McLake]

Yes, up to three to a team.

I'm afraid I don't have any more info at the moment, but I will post it as soon as I do.

 

[Fosweb]

Thinking of entering:

A few questions:

The site shows results from previous years, but what are the results like from the Prelim rounds (like - how much do you have to get done from the 6 problems to actually make the finals?)

What is the standard of entries like from prelim rounds like?

Problems seem to be getting a _bit_ harder each year - is this continuing?

 

[ezzy85]

ive entered the comp. when you say a mentor, does that mean someone will come to our class for the period and explain techniques or something?

 

[McLake]

The site shows results from previous years, but what are the results like from the Prelim rounds (like - how much do you have to get done from the 6 problems to actually make the finals?)
You don't have to finish all 6. It varies from year to year how many you have to complete, and I really don't know how many you ned to do (guesses 4-ish)

What is the standard of entries like from prelim rounds like?
I don't know.

Problems seem to be getting a _bit_ harder each year - is this continuing?
I don't know about this either. I think they are fairly even ...


ive entered the comp. when you say a mentor, does that mean someone will come to our class for the period and explain techniques or something?
You will get a bonafide 1st year UNSW computing student to come to your school (or email you, or for you to come to uni) and help you with a few tricks of the trade.

 

[tieki]

What's the actual website url?

 

[del]

http://do.cse.unsw.edu.au/progcomp/index.html

 

[Garick]

I was oging to enter, but im so flat out with my SDD major that i dont have the extra time in class ot pracitce.

i only use VB, so unless i became godly wit it, i wouldnt be that helpful to the other team members, who both use C and java.

 

[neester]

Yeah me and 2 others from my class are joing up.
We hope to get to the finals and win.

Im currently Topping the subject, and the other 2 are in 2nd and 3rd Place.

So we have a good chance.

I know PERL & Im Tops with VB.
One guy is expert with C++ And Stuff...
The Other is just a geneous, problem solving machine...

I think we have a good chance at winning!

McLake
What help can you offer.
I would love some more insider knowledge!!!


Thanks mate

 

[McLake]

Originally posted by neester
McLake
What help can you offer.
I would love some more insider knowledge!!!


Thanks mate

I'm just offering the chance for a 1st year UNSW computing student to come to your school and:
a) Give a talk about computing at uni
b) Have a "mentor" come and help your team
c) Both

 

[SoFTuaRiaL]

we were sposed to enter the comp last yr, but it ended up being on the day before our phys trials ... so no one went
but from what i know, its ok if ure not familiar with many programming languages. what u need is a sound knowledge of the logic and basics, cos they are open-book comps i believe

 

[Fosweb]

McLake:

:: Rules say ::
Teams may consult reference manuals, textbooks or notes during the competition. (And other not communicate with others stuff)

Will we have network access at the Uni for internet if we make it?
Does stuff found on the internet constitute reference material?

Also: you said a 'mentor' would come and help the team? Is this a 1st year mentor? Can we suggest a 1st year person we know (i'm sure they'd like a trip to the country...)? Is this a disadvantage to other teams that don't have a mentor?

 

[McLake]

Originally posted by Fosweb
McLake:

:: Rules say ::
Teams may consult reference manuals, textbooks or notes during the competition. (And other not communicate with others stuff)

Will we have network access at the Uni for internet if we make it?
Does stuff found on the internet constitute reference material?

Also: you said a 'mentor' would come and help the team? Is this a 1st year mentor? Can we suggest a 1st year person we know (i'm sure they'd like a trip to the country...)? Is this a disadvantage to other teams that don't have a mentor?

I believe that you can google information to your hearts content ...

The mentor is a first year student. You could suggest somone you know, but I don't know if they will wan't to do it (since the volenteers have already decided on doing it, they're just waiting on schools).

Of course they will be at a disadvantage. They won't have the expert knowledge of 1st year uni students! Look, it's not like we know any secrets about the competition (else I would post them here), it's just a chance to have a uni student come and show you some REAL programming, not high school BASIC stuff. (You could even learn some Haskell).

 

[Soliah]

Yup, my school is in this...we have a few teams.

Teacher registered sometime last week i think.

And as for the "REAL" programming, my team shall be using predominately (spelling?) Haskell for this comp, as well as perhaps Perl, and Ruby.

McLake, are you doing Software Engineering @ UNSW? 1711 course?

 

[McLake]

Originally posted by Soliah
McLake, are you doing Software Engineering @ UNSW? 1711 course?

Yes, SENG @ UNSW. And yes, I "was" taking 1711 (Higher Computing 1A) in first semester. (Should now move onto 1712)

 

[Soliah]

Thats good then.

When you look at the problems of the Prog Comp, do you consider it easier when compared to the assignments that you get at uni?

Also, for the Prog Comp, I'm aware that you are allowed to take in libraries and all the documentation that one needs. I haven't been able to clear up if we are allowed to take past question solutions.

Are we allowed to?

 

[McLake]

Originally posted by Soliah
Thats good then.

When you look at the problems of the Prog Comp, do you consider it easier when compared to the assignments that you get at uni?

Also, for the Prog Comp, I'm aware that you are allowed to take in libraries and all the documentation that one needs. I haven't been able to clear up if we are allowed to take past question solutions.

Are we allowed to?

The prog comp is different from uni assignments. For our assignments this session we did (in Haskell):

- Sorting algorithms
- Train Network Simulation

The assignments are quite big, bigger than normal for a first year course, since Haskell syntax is quick to learn. So I can't really compare them to prog comp questions ...

As for solutions to past papers I'm not really sure. I *think* they would be allowed, but that is really a guess. You could also get in touch with the organisers (or wait untill the holidays are over and i can check ...)

 

[Soliah]

Ok. I just wanted your opinion on that, since the lead coder in my team has done some of the assigments in the cs1711 course, including the Train Simulation one.

I'll see if i could contact the organisers; if not then i shall be back here asking for you to check