Loadstar 212/212.d81/t.compcamp

Text File | 2002-01-01 | 5.6 KB | 195 lines

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           C=OMPUTER C=AMP
           by Gaelyn Gasson


    I've had a dream more than once
now with the same premises and it's
pretty complex and definitely C=
related! Since this was the 2nd time
I've had this dream, I sat down and
typed out all the really interesting
things about this place and event.

    In the dream, Rod and I were at
this camp with lots of you and we had
a riot! The text below only really
covers the premise of the event rather
than the fun and what we actually did,
but hopefully in sharing it you never
know, someone might come along and
develop such a concept.  That'd be
neat.

    The other odd bit is that I feel
I've actually been there rather than
it being a dream, if you know what I
mean. Anyway, here goes.....

           ---------------

[Computer Summer Camp]

    Based on teams of approximately 25
people, each team is from a different
computer platform such as  C=8bit,
Amiga, Linux, Windows, etc.

    The camp is based in a wooded
area, with teams living in tents with
4 people in each. Each team also has
a pavillion where some meals are
taken. One meal a day is taken in a
mess-hall where all teams are present.
Each team sends a daily group of
people to the hall to assist with
preparing the meal and cleaning up
afterwards.

    Inside each team's pavillion is a
room with electricity where all
computer related tasks are completed.

    Each team has to take a device
specifically made for their computer
platform and make it into something
that does something different from its
original intention. The device must
be 'sacrificed' from one of the team
members. IE, it can't be purchased for
the purpose of the contest.

    The main program(s) for the device
must be modified from one of the other
computer platforms - the purpose of
this being to promote cross-platform
programming.

    A higher score is given if the
device is made to make use of external
parts not related to the item.  For
instance a mouse with an attachment
that does OCR text scanning.  The
programming for the attachment/
external parts must follow the basic
rules as outlined above.

    Daily and weekly challenges are
also given in addition to the main
challenge. These includes things from
regular type summer camp situations as
well as computing related. To
demonstrate team work, it is possible
that one team member complete (or take
on additional) tasks so that other
team members can concentrate on the
main challenge. For instance, each
team member must perform other duties
(cooking, dishes etc), and it's
expected other members of the same
team will help perform these tasks for
the people working on the programming
and hardware aspects of the main
challenge.

    Daily and weekly computer related
challenges include:

 *  Writing documentation for real or
imaginary software or hardware (these
are handed out by the camp
organizers). Scores are given for
funniest, most likely to be read, most
likely to fit for a real world item,
etc. Demerits are given for
documentation that's hard to follow,
poorly written, or that doesn't follow
what the software or hardware actually
does.

 *  At least one program that doesn't
already exist on the platform that
performs a specific function. These
can be silly or serious, small or
large. Points are given for the
smallest amount of programming code to
acheive an end. Points are taken away
for very large amounts of code used.
Extra points are given to teams that
produce documentation, advertising or
spin-off programs for their daily/
weekly programming challenges.

 *  Non-computer related challenges
include: Performing duties that
sustain the rest of the team - daily
cooking, cleaning duties, supplies
gathering - ie, teams must barter to
receive extras such as coca-cola,
mountain dew, coffee and munchies,
entertainment planning for evenings
that must be attended by at least X
number of members of each team. Etc.

    It is expected that at least a few
members of each team NOT be proficient
in programming, writing or hardware.
These people will be the ones who will
help with entertainment and will
participate by performing many of the
non-computer related challenges.
Without these people, most teams will
fail.

    On the very last night of camp,
after scores have been awarded, teams
must destroy the devices they've
created and it's expected that this be
done with flair! Advanced planning is
even encouraged. Teams unwilling to
destroy their devices will forfeit
their awards/points and other teams
will be allowed to perform the task of
destruction. The point being that all
good things come to an end, and that
nothing lasts forever.  Rough, I
know!! I kept waking up at this stage!



 [Team Commodore]

    In the first camping dream I had,
I sacrificed my Ramlink to be used as
part of the main challenge. Maurice
Randall and Jeri Ellsworth mainly
dealt with the hardware and software
side of things with added support from
other people. The software they
started with was taken from the
AmigaOne (is there such a thing?). I
forget what it actually did, but it
worked and it performed without being
connected to a computer by virtue of
the fact it was interfaced with an
SCPU and had it's own power supply.
Our team was legendary!

    We didn't do as well in other
categories but we were in the top 5
and that's not bad. The Windows team
didn't fare too well because they
wouldn't share code with other teams
as required and some of their
documentation didn't match the actual
software or hardware.

    In the second dream, it was the
2nd year of camp, and someone had
picked up the pieces from last years
device and made a special
commemorative trophy out of it for us.
That was pretty neat too.

 GG