Language challenge ?

[mrnutty]

So I was thinking, we should have a challenge of the day or week,
for a specific language, that poses a unique problem. This way people can practice, and others can learn maybe something new from someone else's idea. What do you guys think ? For example in our
C++ section, we can have a C++ challenge question. And people can participate in it. I know I would like to know other people solutions
to a problem. That way it will help me think in different ways.

[zortec]

I think this is a great idea especially since I love challenges. It will also encourage people to get more familiar with programming in general. The challenges need to be simple, not too complex so that someone new to the language can jump in.

[Nick Evan]

Don't make it too simple, because it's only fun if we need to bend our brains a bit.
I don't really feel like making the n-gazillion'st palindrome-finder for example.

[Sodabread]

I'd be up for it come the new year. Any chance to make myself a better programmer.

[mrnutty]

Don't make it too simple, because it's only fun if we need to bend our brains a bit.
I don't really feel like making the n-gazillion'st palindrome-finder for example.

Oh, you guys were expecting me to do it? But I want to participate
too...lol.

I guess I could make a thread or two. But eventually we need some
rotation going around. I though maybe some mods, could make
a special thread or something?

[William Hemsworth]

I could swear there was a similar thread about this somewhere, I'm up for idea though (:

[MosaicFuneral]

I could swear there was a similar thread about this somewhere, I'm up for idea though (:

Community Feedback, few/several months ago.

[lllllIllIlllI]

Yeah same, and i think that the problem should be the same throughout all programming languages. That way you can compare how other languages do it.

Also, it would be fun if you could nominate yourself to make the problem of the week, that way we could all get a turn at some point :)

[William Hemsworth]

All well and good, but does anybody actually have any great problem ideas to fit all these criterias? :P

[BestJewSinceJC]

Well. . even among the dedicated members, there is a lot of variation in skill here. Wouldn't it be better to have 3 different levels, similar to Sane's challenge at Daniweb's sister site, PFO?

[mrnutty]

Well. . even among the dedicated members, there is a lot of variation in skill here. Wouldn't it be better to have 3 different levels, similar to Sane's challenge at Daniweb's sister site, PFO?

I was thinking something like :

abstract Problem : general ( what we are trying to solve ).

Inherit from abstract :Beginner version : Easy implementation, just get it to work

Inherit from abstract : Intermediate version : A slight variation
of the problem, to make it harder. Have it neat, clean, error
checking, no fails. And works for all cases

Inherit from abstract : Others : A harder variation,
works flawlessly, and is very fast, with good coding style.

Maybe the first few should be reasonable so people could join and
get the hang of it?

[William Hemsworth]

That sounds really boring to me :icon_neutral:
I thought the problem would be a slightly less specific, such as to create a game of snake or tetris or make a program to achieve something within certain restrictions, where you can apply lots of creativity (obviously that would be Intermediate / Advanced), but that sounds more appealing to me.

[mrnutty]

That sounds really boring to me :icon_neutral:
I thought the problem would be a slightly less specific, such as to create a game of snake or tetris or make a program to achieve something within certain restrictions, where you can apply lots of creativity (obviously that would be Intermediate / Advanced), but that sounds more appealing to me.

Thats sounds good but the problem with that is the time it would
take to asses every program. Making a game would not be a bad idea
but it would be hard to evaluate it. Anyways, my suggestion was just
a suggestion, as is yours. So I don't really know. Anyone else have more ideas?

[cwarn23]

Thats sounds good but the problem with that is the time it would
take to asses every program. Making a game would not be a bad idea
but it would be hard to evaluate it. Anyways, my suggestion was just
a suggestion, as is yours. So I don't really know. Anyone else have more ideas?

Something simple... Maybe building recognision software. I could easily do that in php. Or perhaps a 3d firworks movie program. The c++ irrlicht gaming engine could easily do that. Hope those ideas help.

[mrnutty]

I have finals this week and next, so I can't do anything now, but in a week and a half, I can make problems, or help. Do you guys think we should make a list of problems here and go from that?

[zortec]

Something simple... Maybe building recognision software. I could easily do that in php. Or perhaps a 3d firworks movie program. The c++ irrlicht gaming engine could easily do that. Hope those ideas help.

I like the idea of building recognition software or a flash-based movie... or even programming a game. This might be simple for some, but not so for others. We are not all going to be at the same level and so I suggest that there be problems for three different levels: easy, medium, hard, and those who are very skilled might take on extremely complex problems offered by some of the senior members.

[mrnutty]

I like the idea of building recognition software or a flash-based movie... or even programming a game. This might be simple for some, but not so for others. We are not all going to be at the same level and so I suggest that there be problems for three different levels: easy, medium, hard, and those who are very skilled might take on extremely complex problems offered by some of the senior members.

Sounds good. I am not a senior, nor a junior, just a freshman, so
I am relying on someone else for now.;)

[zortec]

How many posts does it take to be a senior or a junior member? Does it go off post count? I would like to find out more about the rank system, particularly if it has a lot of merit or not.

[lllllIllIlllI]

A senior member is just one who has stayed here a long time.. i have been here for about a year and a half and im only starting to think of myself as a regular. Me a senior member? Not yet :P

ps. or members who are super awesomely good at what they do

[Nick Evan]

A senior member is just one who has stayed here a long time.... or members who are super awesomely good at what they do

Or both, like me :) j/k

[BestJewSinceJC]

It takes a lot of dedication to come up with good problem sets, and you also have to be capable of personally solving the toughest problems. I'm not saying you can't do that, but I would just see if Sane doesn't mind if we use his problems over here and give him credit for them. (I'm assuming a link to PFO in this case is ok since it is a daniweb sister site?) programmingforums.org go check out Sane's problem sets, they are very good. I seriously recommend talking to him and seeing if he is ok with using them over here (I can't imagine he would mind - after all, they are for educational purposes to begin with).

[cwarn23]

How about if there are enough people interested we work together on a team project with the main aim to learn while doing and as for myself, I cover a wide range of languages including html/css/ javascript/java/ php/php-gtk/some c++/gml. So perhaps we could setup several open source projects started by this community. My favourate languages include Java, php and making c++ fps games with the irrilicht engine.
Now that's an idea. Daniweb open source projects...

[mrnutty]

I guess, if no one starts a special thread by this weekend , then I will just
post a start-up question. The question might be like project euler, where
there is a brute force way, and there is a optimal way. For now, I have to study for my finals.

[MosaicFuneral]

hmmm, This seems to be going down the route of every-other challenge thread we've had, nowhere and abandoned.

Time to blindly browse Wikipedia, till I find a challenge to post.

[cwarn23]

I guess, if no one starts a special thread by this weekend , then I will just
post a start-up question.

I started a thread two days ago and no replies. :P
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread245711.html
My suggestion was making an open source php forum with no security holes unlike phpbb and many others. But other suggestions are welcome. :icon_cheesygrin:

[mrnutty]

Ok, I am done with finals! That feels good. Now can we get on with this?

Else I will post a start up question in the C++ forumn. Maybe something
normal at first, something like prime finder from 1 to 10 million. See
which one runs the fastest? That way anyone could participate.

[cwarn23]

What about a c++ pi calculator?

[nezachem]

All right, here goes a challenge. Please forgive me if it is well-known already. Also, it is not really a programming challenge, but rather a brain warmer (still any code is welcome).

Anyway:

A crew of N pirates is going to distribute a bounty of M doublons according to the following rules:

1. A pirate of a highest rank proposes a distribution.
2. The crew votes on a proposal (one pirate - one vote, regardless of the rank).
3.0 If ayes >= nays, the distribution is approved.
3.1 Otherwise, the attempted distributor walks the plank, and the process repeats from step 1.

Notice that:
- a crew is strictly ordered according to rank
- pirates are greedy: each one wants as much as possible, as long as he stays alive
- pirates are smart and reflective.

Question: describe the distribution.

[mrnutty]

Hey guys, Need some back up on the challenge question in C++ forum.
Or is this just going to be another washed up thread?

[cwarn23]

Hey guys, Need some back up on the challenge question in C++ forum.
Or is this just going to be another washed up thread?

I think it's going to be another washed up thread. It's not easy to understand and I couldn't be bothered pming to find out what the question is. For now I will be making a pi calculator lets see who can make the fastest pi calculator using any language. As for me I'm using c++. And this pi calculator would need the ability to calculate up to 1 million digits.