tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post114727252200016023..comments2024-01-13T18:57:18.243-05:00Comments on Information Processing: No US topcoders?Steve Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02428333897272913660noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-29125381594137445302008-03-07T06:41:00.000-05:002008-03-07T06:41:00.000-05:00I know there are people from MIT and Stanford who ...I know there are people from MIT and Stanford who are just great at TopCoder. In 2007, MIT team won a gold medal at ACM ICPC world finals. So, i guess this proves something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147724293516860932006-05-15T16:18:00.000-04:002006-05-15T16:18:00.000-04:00Exactly, if you are at MIT or Stanford, you can hi...Exactly, if you are at MIT or Stanford, you can hide behind the mystique of your institution and your connections. Competing in a forum where you have no built in advantage and are likely to be beat by people from less elite institutions, will in turn degrade the value of your pedigree. Their is a rational self-interest factor in people from elite institutions collectively boycotting such Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147400795319175972006-05-11T22:26:00.000-04:002006-05-11T22:26:00.000-04:00you guys are funny :) remind me of NBC commentator...you guys are funny :) remind me of NBC commentators at Olympics -- if there is no US winner, that's insignificant event competition, but if there is a US gold, it's a world pedestal...<BR/><BR/>IMHO this indicates change in psychology and hype -- programming jobs are no more the highway to riches as they used to be in '99Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147376218632863882006-05-11T15:36:00.000-04:002006-05-11T15:36:00.000-04:00It's certainly true that there is an asymmetry in ...It's certainly true that there is an asymmetry in motivation between US students and students from former Soviet bloc countries, or China. Fewer US students are training for this kind of thing (even the ACM competition). They might spend their time more pleasantly on a real research project.<BR/><BR/>Not sure that that explains the whole effect, though.<BR/><BR/>I was just looking at a startup Steve Hsuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02428333897272913660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147309858642794512006-05-10T21:10:00.000-04:002006-05-10T21:10:00.000-04:00I'm a relatively recent Stanford engineering under...I'm a relatively recent Stanford engineering undergrad and know only one person that participated in TopCoder competitions. Maybe I hang with the wrong crowd, but in my opinion it's just one more thing students don't have time to do. What's the point? You don't get much money if you're not the very best. And you don't need the recognition if you're already at Stanford. These are likely powerful Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147291380144721972006-05-10T16:03:00.000-04:002006-05-10T16:03:00.000-04:00I tend to side with the Eastern Europeans here, th...I tend to side with the Eastern Europeans here, that US absence from this competition isn't all that meaningful...<BR/><BR/>After all, don't hotshot programmers looking for fame and fortune have somewhat better options in the USA than entering programming competitions?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147279060768846652006-05-10T12:37:00.000-04:002006-05-10T12:37:00.000-04:00This article was posted on Slashdot. Pretty amusi...This article was posted on Slashdot. Pretty amusing to read the comments. Lot's of Slashdot readers have high regard for their own coding skills, and have to rationalize why they couldn't be bothered to compete in such a silly contest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-1147274540569927712006-05-10T11:22:00.000-04:002006-05-10T11:22:00.000-04:00Last I checked, all most all the top contestants o...Last I checked, all most all the top contestants on The Apprentice were American!<BR/><BR/>USA! USA! USA! USA!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com