6 Days to Top Coder Open and 6 blog post for each day!
The following is a blog post I wrote for the Top Code Open 2014 blog. Enjoy!
1) Opportunity to compete live with or to watch competing the best of the best coder in the world
Tens of coders wisely selected among the Topcoder community will fight one another to become the best in their own track.
For the algorithm track, you can even watch them live solving incredible problems on video screens…it is pretty like watching the itch on the Matrix…you could be Morpheus for real (and you can even find the woman in red, cit.).
The Marathon track is like a fast run against time to complete different programming tasks one after the other!
The First to Finish track is like a code frenzy, where contestants try to finish tasks as quickly as they can!
For the Mashaton track, you will see contestants spin the wheel of fortune to get randomly 3 APIs: they have to combine them to achieve a new and innovative product.
You will have a chance to see awesome prototypes, made in few hours, that could be the next killer app (maybe you have just met the next IT billionaire). I personally love this track (I had a chance to get into it at TCO13).
The “Studio” track is the most visually attractive, you can appreciate amazing designers creating new logos, graphics, UIs just in front of you.
You will appreciate their immagination and creativity and maybe see the next TCO15 logo!
2) Know coders (friends) from all over the world
People are there to share / show their skills, to have a couple of days of fun; the “mood” is incredible, all people are friendly even when it is difficult to communicate (I’m talking about my past experience…generally topcoders speak a great English, but I do not, so sometimes I used gestures to explain myself) you can still find someone to “eat your meal with”.
You can also learn just by chatting, receiving advices, new point of views, new ideas. I assure you will have a lot of new good friends at the end of the event!
3) What about the “staff”?
Without them Topcoder would not be so amazing!
Maybe I’m influenced by past event and I should not add any word to this point (I have a “bromance” with one of them, we literally fell in bro-love at first sight). The staff is there with at least a smile for each other; they try to make you feel part of the whole (and they actually do it).
4) Big companies on site!
Do you want to meet a guy from a big company and ask him something about your dream job?
Do you want a chance to get in touch with Google, Two Sigma, HP, Amazon, MemSQL, Sequoia Capital and maybe have a chance to get an interview or to get hired (yes, by competing you can also come to this!)?
If your answer is yes, you only have to book a flight to San Francisco!
5) SWAG
Point number 4 leads to point number 5. Get a bag and grab all the gadgets you can take.
6) Chance to visit San Francisco!
7) Listen to experienced and innovative speakers.
We are hosting the first TCO Developer Conference with an incredible lineup! See the agenda and speakers!
8 ) Did I mention the staff? Oh yes, I did, but they certainly deserve 2 places in this list
9) Cool lists have always about 10 items…
10) Do I really need to add another point?
Watch the TCO13 Closing film if you’re not yet convinced!
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