C++ Debugging Contest..!!

[The Brain]

Here is my contest Idea:


This contest is design to test probably the most essential part of programming.. your ability to debug!


I post a program with a few flaws in it. (It may or may not compile.)

(and no, I am not posting my homework so other people can debug it.. in fact, I'm in between semesters right now) I will have my version of the answer prepared ahead of time. I will work backwards from a fully functional program.

First one to debug the program and post their entry weeeeens!



Cast ye' votes now on whether this is a good idea or if it sucks.

[joshdick]

The idea of a debugging contest is not bad, but I think making a C Board contest a run to the finish line is. Half of us are working 9-5 jobs, and the other half are students with varying schedules. Posting a timed contest at any time of day will likely exclude a large portion of the community from involvement.

[The Brain]

good call.. with that in mind.. how about an "optimization contest".. this should take out the "first one done wins" factor.. person with the fastest version of a posted program weeeens!

[Thantos]

Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it. -- Kernighan

Word

[Pete]

My vote of "I'm all in!" is for optimization rather than debuging. You'd have to post some quite complicate algorithm (which works - forget the debuging bit) which takes a tangiable amount of time and see who can get it quickest. Trouble is how would you benchmark it???

Pete

[Dr BoB]

sounds like a good idea

[Quantum1024]

I vote for optimizing.
It could be benchmarked by being run a few thousand times on test data and averaging the time taken. This should be fare for all submisions.