Group Activity Idea(s)

[Steve Johnson]

Thanks Matt, here's what I've laid out so far, contributions/ideas/feedback
is requested.

PerlJam 2000
============

Objectives: fun group activity that will promote interaction and
relationship building within grand-rapids-pm.

Teams:
x (say 2) teams of y (say 3) members each will compete in 3 timed rounds.

Teams could be formed by: random, self selection, or semi-random taking into
account skill levels.

Judging:
Judging will be done by 3 judges (the ones that create the problems for the
3 rounds).  Judging will be done and points awarded based on: 1) the
solution works/meets specs, 2) elegance, 3) perlness, and 4) overall
coolness.

Rounds:
3, to be determined, events will be completed by the teams.  Each event has
a winner and then a grand prize winner is determined based on total points.
The events consist of programming problems with perl and/or may include
question and answer sessions (or answer and question sessions if you like
Jeopardy).

To allow the proper amount of audience participation (heckling), programming
will be done on laptops with projectors showing the work as it happens
during the event.

It might look like this:
Round 1: Perl problem with all resources allowed, programmed on a laptop
running Win32 version.
Round 2: Perl World History Q & A session (buzzers, points, the usual game
show feel).  Questions can be technical, philosophical,  historical, or
perlical.
Round 3: Steelcage Perl--nothing but Perl, no helps, no books, no holds
barred!  Let the carnage begin!

Winner's Circle:
Prizes awarded.  I think we can get some cool stuff donated, but all
participants receive something.  PerlJam2000 T-shirts or something.

What I think it will take:
-At least 3 people willing to be judges, volunteer some time to get things
ready.  Someone that can provide a place (need a projector and laptop for
each team).  Others to help with just a few things like getting some
donations from their companies for prizes, etc.  We'll need a master of
ceremonies (game show host) to keep things going. We are really only talking
about a few hours between now and the January meeting, if that is when we do
this.
-6 people to be contestants, hopefully with a good skill mix.
-more people to be the audience.

The proposal is now up for discussion.  Good idea, not so good?  Better
tweaks?  Volunteers?  Ideas?

Please send your Personal Level of Participation Feedback to
steve at bbdltd.com:
I want to be on a team:
I want to be a judge:
I am willing to heckle:

Regards,
sj