New Season 2010/2011 - Recent changes in functionality

[sivakd]

"also members in the Veterans class are displayed sorted by member ID, that is "oldest" members first."

Initially I didn't pay too much attention to this as I wasn't there yet. This week I moved to this class and then I realized what's going on. To me, this is a bit confusing. Why should the order depend on the ID and not the date when someone got into that class? I understand that one of the reasons for not displaying the number of problems solved in this class is to discourage cheating to get there. But sorting based on the date when someone got into this class wouldn't give away any info on the latest problems and so is probably better than sorting by ID. The names in the table remain at fixed position with this rather than randomly changing based on IDs right now.

[hk]

The Veterans class was introduced with the goal to minimise competition based on the sheer number of problems solved.
Had we done what you are suggesting then there would have started a severe competition to be ranked highest in that rank, knowing it would be forever.
So we thought about a neutral ordening.
First we played with the thought of an alphabetical ordening.
However, that would probably have meant that some childish people would create usernames that come alphabetically highest like ___@@lookIamhighest or would have started asking us to change their username into something that comes alphabetically high. (yes, some people seem to be very childish as they even seem not to be interested in solving the problems themselves).
So we have chosen for the one thing members cannot influence: their userID, which reflects their date of registration.

[sivakd]

What about showing the profile pages with problems till the previous season? For example, right now show only up to 299 and next year, show the newer ones. Would that be a good compromise between discouraging cheating and restoring the previous feature to some extent?

[albert]

However, before starting to collect solutions in different languages a overview should be made first, so that the implementations use the same algoritm.
But to be honest: that would not in the least cover the wish of newcomers to publish their own experiences.

The same algorithm? I fiercely oppose that. Part of the learning experience is how well particular algorithms are suited to what languages. So as long as a solver explains his solution well, he is welcome to stun me with the ease his language can solve a particular problem. I particularly would resent a situation where a functional language would be impeded by the requirement to emulate a procedural language.

If you impose that solutions are grouped by algorithm, such that only one explanation per algorithm is needed, that would be fine by me. These overviews could be more restricted, and maybe then it is easier to get someone to write them.

Groetjes Albert

[TripleM]

As an alternative suggestion, perhaps a list containing the number of veterans having solved n problems (300 <= n <= max problem) would be acceptable for you to provide. It's anonymous like the "solved by" numbers in the problem list, while it doesn't leave the veterans floating in a complete vacuum (zero-info) Euler space.
For me, I would appreciate such a list very much.

I did a quick survey:
*snip*

Do you think that rather than doing those updates manually (which is still great, thanks), you could add this to one of the scores pages, updating with the cache? I always quite enjoyed looking at the old scoreboard after getting back to 100% and thinking 'oh cool, I'm the xth person to get 100%' - solely for personal interest.

Those old pages were removed for valid reasons, but if you provide the number of people having solved x problems, then I could take a look at that page just after solving the problem and still get the same information (albeit, up to when the cache clears). Since usernames aren't displayed, this wouldn't really add any encouragement for cheaters.

[hk]

As an alternative suggestion, perhaps a list containing the number of veterans having solved n problems (300 <= n <= max problem) would be acceptable for you to provide. It's anonymous like the "solved by" numbers in the problem list, while it doesn't leave the veterans floating in a complete vacuum (zero-info) Euler space.
For me, I would appreciate such a list very much.

I did a quick survey:
*snip*

Do you think that rather than doing those updates manually (which is still great, thanks), you could add this to one of the scores pages, updating with the cache? I always quite enjoyed looking at the old scoreboard after getting back to 100% and thinking 'oh cool, I'm the xth person to get 100%' - solely for personal interest.

Personally I'm not in the position of changing anything to the workings of the site.
Colin is the person that handles the maintenance of the site.
If the admins think it a good idea I think Colin would be happy to make such a page.
For me personally these regular updates have another function: keeping track how things develop over time.
An active page must be saved somewhere to get such an overview over time.

[GenePeer]

Just out of curiousity, what happens when there are 350+ problems? Will veterans be moved to 350+ and a new level created for 300-349, or will it remain at 300+? I know this will happen around the end of this year, but have you thought about it yet?

[hk]

Not yet.

[sivakd]

Hi, the report in the previous page is not updated after "Update 22 jan 2011". Can we get an update?

[hk]

At your service.

[sivakd]

Thanks HK. A small suggestion when this is being made as an automated report on the website. It would be good to see from 330 down along with counts and cumulative counts. As in

330 5 5
329 3 8
328 9 17

and so on

thanks
Siva

[sivakd]

Should "Update 8 April" have been "Update 7 April"?

[hk]

Worse, 6 April.
I never know the date exactly. I hardly ever need to know what date it is.
(Only in the supermarket, to see if the things I'm buying are fresh enough).

[sivakd]

Based on hk's data for Apr 20

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333  7   7
332  6  13
331  6  19
330  7  26
329  2  28
328  4  32
327  3  35
326  8  43
325  2  45
324 10  55
323  3  58
322  5  63
321  3  66
320  1  67
319  6  73
318  0  73
317  2  75
316  4  79
315  2  81
314  4  85
313  1  86
312  5  91
311  1  92
310  6  98
309  3 101
308  6 107
307  4 111
306  6 117
305  2 119
304  2 121
303  2 123
302  4 127
301  7 134
300  5 139

Based on May 7th data

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336  7   7 ( 5.0)
335  4  11 ( 7.8)
334  1  12 ( 8.5)
333  2  14 ( 9.9)
332 17  31 (22.0)
331  0  31 (22.0)
330  4  35 (24.8)
329  3  38 (27.0)
328  3  41 (29.1)
327  2  43 (30.5)
326  6  49 (34.8)
325  2  51 (36.2)
324  9  60 (42.6)
323  3  63 (44.7)
322  5  68 (48.2)
321  4  72 (51.1)
320  4  76 (53.9)
319  2  78 (55.3)
318  2  80 (56.7)
317  4  84 (59.6)
316  5  89 (63.1)
315  1  90 (63.8)
314  4  94 (66.7)
313  1  95 (67.4)
312  6 101 (71.6)
311  1 102 (72.3)
310  5 107 (75.9)
309  2 109 (77.3)
308  3 112 (79.4)
307  4 116 (82.3)
306  4 120 (85.1)
305  3 123 (87.2)
304  1 124 (87.9)
303  1 125 (88.7)
302  5 130 (92.2)
301  6 136 (96.5)
300  5 141 (100.0)

Based on May 14th data

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337   6   6 (4.2)
336   3   9 (6.3)
335   2  11 (7.7)
334   2  13 (9.2)
333   2  15 (10.6)
332  18  33 (23.2)
331   2  35 (24.6)
330   2  37 (26.1)
329   2  39 (27.5)
328   3  42 (29.6)
327   4  46 (32.4)
326   5  51 (35.9)
325   1  52 (36.6)
324   9  61 (43.0)
323   3  64 (45.1)
322   8  72 (50.7)
321   3  75 (52.8)
320   3  78 (54.9)
319   4  82 (57.7)
318   2  84 (59.2)
317   3  87 (61.3)
316   3  90 (63.4)
315   5  95 (66.9)
314   2  97 (68.3)
313   1  98 (69.0)
312   5 103 (72.5)
311   0 103 (72.5)
310   7 110 (77.5)
310   6 116 (81.7)
309   3 119 (83.8)
308   2 121 (85.2)
307   3 124 (87.3)
306   5 129 (90.8)
305   3 132 (93.0)
304   0 132 (93.0)
303   2 134 (94.4)
302   4 138 (97.2)
300   4 142 (100.0)

Based on May 21st data

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338   4   4 ( 2.84)
337   5   9 ( 6.38)
336   1  10 ( 7.09)
335   2  12 ( 8.51)
334   2  14 ( 9.93)
333   3  17 (12.06)
332  17  34 (24.11)
331   3  37 (26.24)
330   2  39 (27.66)
329   0  39 (27.66)
328   3  42 (29.79)
327   4  46 (32.62)
326   4  50 (35.46)
325   1  51 (36.17)
324  10  61 (43.26)
323   6  67 (47.52)
322   5  72 (51.06)
321   5  77 (54.61)
320   5  82 (58.16)
319   2  84 (59.57)
318   2  86 (60.99)
317   2  88 (62.41)
316   3  91 (64.54)
315   4  95 (67.38)
314   1  96 (68.09)
313   1  97 (68.79)
312   5 102 (72.34)
311   1 103 (73.05)
310   5 108 (76.60)
309   3 111 (78.72)
308   3 114 (80.85)
307   2 116 (82.27)
306   5 121 (85.82)
305   3 124 (87.94)
304   2 126 (89.36)
303   0 126 (89.36)
302   4 130 (92.20)
301   7 137 (97.16)
300   4 141 (100.00)

Based on May 28th data

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339   4   4 ( 2.82)
338   5   9 ( 6.34)
337   2  11 ( 7.75)
336   0  11 ( 7.75)
335   2  13 ( 9.15)
334   3  16 (11.27)
333   4  20 (14.08)
332  16  36 (25.35)
331   3  39 (27.46)
330   1  40 (28.17)
329   0  40 (28.17)
328   5  45 (31.69)
327   4  49 (34.51)
326   2  51 (35.92)
325   1  52 (36.62)
324  11  63 (44.37)
323   6  69 (48.59)
322   5  74 (52.11)
321   5  79 (55.63)
320   3  82 (57.75)
319   2  84 (59.15)
318   3  87 (61.27)
317   2  89 (62.68)
316   4  93 (65.49)
315   3  96 (67.61)
314   1  97 (68.31)
313   2  99 (69.72)
312   6 105 (73.94)
311   0 105 (73.94)
310   4 109 (76.76)
309   4 113 (79.58)
308   3 116 (81.69)
307   3 119 (83.80)
306   3 122 (85.92)
305   3 125 (88.03)
304   2 127 (89.44)
303   0 127 (89.44)
302   4 131 (92.25)
301   7 138 (97.18)
300   4 142 (100.00)

[GenePeer]

Can the

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 tag in this forum be formatted as well? With no option, it would work like it does now but if I do something like [code="Java"], it formats it like in the problem forums.

[sivakd]

Hi, I just realized that the number of veterans is shown as 141 but the data provided for May 14th indicates there should be 142 members. Which is correct?

[hk]

I think the 141 is correct. Please remember that I do this manually to give a general idea, and are not inclined to spend more effort /time on it checking that I don't accidentally make an error.

[sivakd]

Hi hk, the latest update (for June 10th) gives a total of 139 while there are 145 veterans. I am not sure how the data is stored, but I can volunteer to automate it if I have the necessary info.

[hk]

Colin has automated it now (thanks for that).
Here are the current values

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342 8 8 
341 3 11 
340 1 12 
339 2 14 
338 0 14 
337 0 14 
336 4 18 
335 1 19 
334 1 20 
333 4 24 
332 15 39 
331 2 41 
330 3 44 
329 1 45 
328 4 49 
327 3 52 
326 4 56 
325 4 60 
324 13 73 
323 4 77 
322 4 81 
321 4 85 
320 2 87 
319 2 89 
318 3 92 
317 1 93 
316 4 97 
315 0 97 
314 2 99 
313 2 101 
312 6 107 
311 0 107 
310 6 113 
309 3 116 
308 1 117 
307 3 120 
306 4 124 
305 2 126 
304 2 128 
303 0 128 
302 5 133 
301 7 140 
300 6 146 

Update 24 June 2011

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343 10 10 
342 2 12 
341 2 14 
340 2 16 
339 0 16 
338 0 16 
337 2 18 
336 1 19 
335 0 19 
334 2 21 
333 9 30 
332 13 43 
331 3 46 
330 2 48 
329 1 49 
328 5 54 
327 3 57 
326 5 62 
325 4 66 
324 9 75 
323 5 80 
322 4 84 
321 3 87 
320 3 90 
319 3 93 
318 0 93 
317 1 94 
316 5 99 
315 1 100 
314 4 104 
313 1 105 
312 3 108 
311 1 109 
310 6 115 
309 2 117 
308 2 119 
307 2 121 
306 3 124 
305 3 127 
304 1 128 
303 2 130 
302 5 135 
301 9 144 
300 5 149 

Update 3 July 2011

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344 5 5 
343 7 12 
342 1 13 
341 1 14 
340 2 16 
339 0 16 
338 1 17 
337 6 23 
336 0 23 
335 2 25 
334 4 29 
333 7 36 
332 7 43 
331 4 47 
330 1 48 
329 2 50 
328 5 55 
327 4 59 
326 6 65 
325 5 70 
324 11 81 
323 2 83 
322 4 87 
321 2 89 
320 2 91 
319 4 95 
318 0 95 
317 1 96 
316 5 101 
315 1 102 
314 4 106 
313 0 106 
312 5 111 
311 1 112 
310 5 117 
309 1 118 
308 2 120 
307 3 123 
306 4 127 
305 2 129 
304 2 131 
303 3 134 
302 4 138 
301 7 145 
300 6 151 

[sivakd]

hk and Colin, thank you.