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October 13, 2005
Timing
Its the age old problem of when we should publish the Challenge. This time it is triggered by the remark that one of the Challenges will be published during half term and not everyone has broadband. This shouldn't be a major problem since most people do have access to a local library with internet access. Check it out. Your local librarian will be delighted at the increase in business. All the best,
Posted by Harry at October 13, 2005 02:02 PM
Comments
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I'll close this thread here I think. Thanks for all your thoughts.
Posted by: harry at October 13, 2005 09:56 PM
The rest of the competition gives an advantage to people who can do it at school, or get home from school before 4pm.
So I think it's only fair that atleast one of the challenges is during 1/2 term, when the people who can't do it at school on thursday are on a level footing with everyone else. The worst case is that you don't submit until Monday, when school starts again.
There are plenty of people unhappy with the challenge being released at 4pm and not later, and some that it's not released earlier, but they have to put up with it, so I think everyone should have to put up with one challenge being during 1/2 term.
Posted by: tom at October 13, 2005 09:44 PM
Jon, some of the morse code letters go over the ends of lines, so half the letter is at the end of one line and the other half at the beginning of the next. Hope this helps. (I only discovered this after noticing all the mistakes and being unable to find any pattern to them!)
Posted by: Kirsti at October 13, 2005 08:26 PM
I believe the 1= ordering is decided on time submitted (our username begins p, and we have been submitting very quickly).
Broadband is absolutely not an issue, and I'm surprised it's even been mentioned :P Anyone with internet access can do the challenge, it's neither restricted to a fast connection or a school IT lab.
As for holiday issues, I suppose the only possible way around that is to have a week off over half-term, but I expect that anywhere will probably have internet access, if you really feel the challenge is this important, just send out the programs you need over e-mail and do it wherever.
Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2005 07:45 PM
i am going away on the wednesday of half term and won't get back until the monday afterwards. this will affect my score and there isn't any way i can get it done while i'm away. this isn't a very fair week to be sending one out cos i'm sure other people will be in the same position, at least my sister.
Posted by: chloe at October 13, 2005 05:31 PM
i don't think that broadband is really needed at all... one of my teammates has dialup and we do the whole thing over MSN instead of at school and he does fine.
Posted by: Flib at October 13, 2005 05:30 PM
I think it is based on an alphabetic ordering of your usernames, but I may be wrong.
Posted by: harry at October 13, 2005 05:21 PM
Harry, how IS the order of the equal firsts determined on the honours board? You said you didn't think it was random...
Posted by: Jess at October 13, 2005 05:19 PM
Well, I figure there must be some sort of trick to it, don't you?
Posted by: Harry at October 13, 2005 05:16 PM
Why is broadband necessary for the competition? I made do with a slow modem connection last year and came 15th! And this is strengthened by the fact that you don't actually need to download any web pages, just the ChallengeX.txt file which can easily be located. And if you don't have internet access at all, go somewhere where there is! The local library is a great idea. Or you could go round to a friend's house. Maybe there's a way you could get it on your mobile as well. Anyone know?
Posted by: Jason at October 13, 2005 05:15 PM
Is the newest one supposed to have mistakes all over it, or is there some sort of trick to it?
Posted by: Jon at October 13, 2005 05:00 PM
I like the new leaderboard with the scores
Posted by: Mike at October 13, 2005 04:31 PM
Hmm good point I suppose but what about all of the people that are onholiday over half term??
Posted by: Steven Lamerton at October 13, 2005 04:28 PM
just wondering we know the answers to previous challenges but are you going to publist the exact type of substitions used so we know which types you have used. It would be useful to know formulas or keywords as we normally don't bother with these and just hill climb for the straight monalphabet substition thanks
Posted by: Emma at October 13, 2005 04:28 PM
indeed, good point
Posted by: John Harrison at October 13, 2005 04:04 PM