Computer Science Canada

ECOO Contest 2008

Author:  McKenzie [ Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:25 pm ]
Post subject:  ECOO Contest 2008

As most of you know ECOO runs a programming competition every year that takes part in three stages; Boardwide, Regional and Provincial. If you want to compete, but are not sure how, look here: http://www.ecoo.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=58
That will tell you if your board has a convener or not. If your board has a convener then ask your teacher if he has the details, if he doesn't then contact the convener by the e-mail on the chart.

If your board is not listed and you want it listed you need to find a convener, try asking your CS teacher, your math teachers, and if that fails talk to administration (VP, principal) then upper administration (they will often have Computer Coordinators who would be happy to convene a contest.)

The boardwide contest can be held anytime in the range March 25-April 6. Although each convener is free to use whatever questions they want and do whatever judging they like there is a standard package that is e-mailed to all conveners. Even if your board holds it's contest on March 25 DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE CONTEST until after April 6th. The flexible dates help ensure that each convener can pick the date that works best for them and their board.

Author:  HeavenAgain [ Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:14 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

So we just contact our board's convener to sign up? Because I can't seem to find a sign up page Embarassed

And this is a team contest right (if so, how many team members)? It's my school's first time, hopefully my teacher will agree to let us join Very Happy

Author:  McKenzie [ Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

There is no sign-up page because each convener handles the sign-up however they like. At my board I contact all of the CS teachers tell them when and where the contest is being held, if they have a team they just e-mail me back and say whom to expect. Your board might be different. If I was you I would talk to my CS teacher first and see what he knows about the contest, but you can always e-mail the convener directly too.

Some basic rules:
1-4 people per team.
any language.
4 questions, points are given for how quickly they are done and number of test cases that work.
allowed 2 submissions per question.
1 book by the software creator.

Author:  Yukie.ai [ Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:44 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

O_o

i thought there was a limit to the # of teams each school could sign-up for

at least, that's what happened last year w/ TDSB.

Author:  HeavenAgain [ Sun Mar 02, 2008 10:40 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

quick question, "points are given for how quickly they are done" the questions will be e-mailed to us(?), and answer I'm assuming we will have to e-mail them back... Is that how the first round work?

Author:  Yukie.ai [ Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:43 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

noo...

last year, it was during saturday

where everyone gathered @ this huge auditorium and did the questions

there are bizillion teachers around w/ usb sticks to collect answers whatnot...

Author:  McKenzie [ Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

Questions are not e-mailed to you, they are e-mailed to the convener. My point was most boards will use a common set of questions.

Rules clarification:
- Each board is only allowed a set number of teams in the regional competition, with at most 2 from any one school. The convener at your board is well within his/her rights to restrict the number of teams per school in the boardwide competition because of space concerns.
- There is a seperate allowance for all-female teams
- During the contest, your team is allowed one computer and one authorized book. The questions are marked on-the-spot by judges (usually teachers.) any typically a scoreboard is maintained so you can see how everyone is doing.

Author:  klopyrev [ Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

Well, the authorized book has to be a language manual. Algorithm books are not allowed.

Author:  HeavenAgain [ Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:31 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

oh another quick question, when is the deadline to sign up?

Author:  technograff [ Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:34 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

2 days ago. My teacher got a call from them today, asking for a team, now or never.

Author:  HeavenAgain [ Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:47 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

uh oh... any "special allowance" on the date for first timers? Smile
my school havn't talk to the convener yet, because my teacher was still deciding... but fellow students and i really want to join... so...
Mr. McKenzie? Razz

Author:  iluvchairs112 [ Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

Oh no! We've had so many snow days, I haven't been in class since a week ago!! So I told my teacher I was interested last Wednesday but I haven't seen him since to confirm or get more info!

Author:  McKenzie [ Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:ECOO Contest 2008

HeavenAgain @ Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:31 pm wrote:
when is the deadline to sign up?

There are two questions here. When is the deadline for a board to sign-up? I haven't set one, but obviously your board needs to sign up before you hold the boardwide competition. When is the deadline for your team to sign up for your boardwide competition? That is up to the convener in your board. In my board we have lots of extra room for teams so I would take a team if they showed up the day of and wanted to write. Your board might have a lot of teams which means a lot of organization. If it is the second question (as it looks like) contact the convener and beg him/her to let you in. I have no control over how they run their boardwide contest, and it's best that way. If it is the first question e-mail me ASAP so I can get the convener on the list so as many teams know who to talk to as possible.

Author:  iluvchairs112 [ Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

One of the boards are holding their contest on Apr 15. Same day as the Euclid.

Author:  McKenzie [ Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

Which board is having the contest outside the contest time (March 25-April 6) and on the day of a math contest?

Author:  iluvchairs112 [ Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:30 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

london district catholic school board

Author:  McKenzie [ Sat Mar 08, 2008 6:53 am ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

I'll look into it.

Author:  iluvchairs112 [ Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:53 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

do you know when the ldcsb contest is scheduled to be? my CS teacher hasn't mentioned a change.

Author:  McKenzie [ Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

You can e-mail Mr. Sentjens directly at: w.sentjens@ldcsb.on.ca

Author:  Nyrd [ Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:00 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

Quick question, if you know more than one language, and there is a chance that you'll prefer using one language over another for certain problems, can you bring more than one language manual?

Author:  McKenzie [ Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:20 am ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

Yes, you are allowed one book per language, from the software creators.

Author:  A.J [ Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

so you can use more than one language?
Nice!

Author:  McKenzie [ Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

I need to extend the gag order until April 16th. London is writing on the 15th.

Author:  Reality Check [ Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

Any suggestions on what reference materials I should bring or what things I should study? My teacher said the hardest thing I need to know is recursion.

Author:  Clayton [ Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:05 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:ECOO Contest 2008

About all I can say is that you should know your basic algorithms and such. All you're allowed to bring with you is one language reference manual from the distributer of your language, so that's not too hard of a decision there.

Author:  Nyrd [ Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ECOO Contest 2008

Quote:

About all I can say is that you should know your basic algorithms and such.


Agreed.
Though you should spend more time on learning how to create your own algorithms than memorize ones out of books and such.
The problem solving part of the contest is definitely harder than the coding part. Good math skills in your group is also a must.


: