Re: 0.25k Programming Contest!

[pberry@hmc.edu (Paul Berry)]

sheldon@netcom.com (Sheldon Simms) wrote:
> How are the entries judged?

[ cut ]

>                Each vote will name the voters choice of the top three
>                programs. Each program that receives any vote will
>                be scored. A first place vote for a program is given
>                a score of 1, Second place 2, and Third place 3. The
>                final score of a program will be the average of the
>                scores of all votes it received. The program with the
>                lowest average score would place first, the program
>                with the next lowest average score would place second,
>                and the next lowest after that third.

This vote counting method won't work because it doesn't take into account
how many votes a program receives. For example, If I submit a program that
gets two first place votes and no other votes, and my friend submits a
program that gets 100 first place votes and 100 second place votes, my
friend's program is obviously more popular than mine. But mine will win by
this vote counting method, because its average vote is 1, and my friend's
average vote is 1.5.

Here's my suggestion: Let people vote as Sheldon suggested, for a first,
second, and third place. Then give the programs 5 points for every first
place vote, 3 points for every second place vote, and 1 point for every
third place vote. At the end, the program with the highest number of total
(not average) points is the winner.

By this method my program, with its two first place votes, will get 10
points and my friend's will get 800.

That's my two cents worth. I hope the contest goes well and I wish the best
of luck to all the participants.

        Paul Berry