ACM Programming Team  -- Fall 2009

Do you like programming puzzles?
Do you like working together closely?
Do you want more practice thinking and DOING?
Do you want to broaden your programming expertise?
Do you like a challenge and a competition with a chance for big rewards?
Would you like credit for a CS Major elective?

Join the ACM Programming Team!
We need undergraduates and graduate students! 

Please contact the coach, Dr. Harrington. Contact information:  www.cs.luc.edu/~anh/officehrs.html

Every year the ACM puts on a programming competition for several three-member teams from each school.  Generally undergrads and first year grad students are eligible, though the actual rules are more baroque.  In particular for the Fall 2009 competition, eligible students include:  
People who have started college in 2005 or later,
OR were born in 1986 or later,
OR possibly if you have completed no more than 8 semesters after high school (Fall 09 doesn't count) AND not have significant programming experience at times you were not a student (other than summer jobs).  If you are in this last category, let me know - a waiver must be acquired promptly!
In 2009 we compete in Chicago at UIC. The competition is Saturday, October 24, all day. Winners get to go to the International Finals.  See http://icpc.baylor.edu/icpc/ for detailed information.

An excellent description of most aspects of our Mid-Central Regional Competition is http://mcpc.cigas.net/.

We will practice with old competitions.  A team needs to agree on their language, C, C++ or Java.  Sorry no C# or Python.  Students can join the team for the first time while taking COMP 271.  Of course, advanced students are very welcomed to jump in any time, but you are encouraged to start early in your studies and return in later years after more advanced programming/algorithms courses!  I am happy to have a second or third team with beginners, gaining experience.

If you like, you can earn 3 units of credit  in two years of participation, 1 unit of credit the first year and then 2 units in succeeding years by enrolling in Comp 314/315 and by participating in the practices.

See Basic Strategy for a more complete idea of the competition/practice dynamics, strategy, and sample problems.

Past teams have agreed that it is important to have practices as much like the real competition as possible.  That means 5 hours long!  I have never had a team that could agree on a five-hour weekday time.  We have generally done 5 weekend practices, coming about every other week, generally including the last two weekends before the competition. There was some discussion after the competition last year about having some initial shorter practices, maybe on a weeknight in place of one or more 5 hour weekend practice.  In the organizational meeting in the first week of class we give time preferences, and decide on practice times.  These have most often been first thing on Saturday (starting at 9 or 10 AM), though people have agreed sometimes to a Sunday afternoon practice. We have also tried to schedule a 1 hour post-mortem session during the week after practices. We should also agree on the postmortem time.  


Fall 2009 Tentative Schedule 

Practices Aug 29, Sep 12, Sep 26, Oct 10, Oct 17  1-6PM  in the 512 Lewis Towers suite
The competition is Saturday Oct 24 all day, basically 10AM to 6PM+ invitation from the dept to dinner afterward

Alternate postmortems times between the following

Wednesday at 2:30 PM at Lakeshore.  Tentatively in DH 341 or check my door (226)
Sep 2, Sep 30, Oct 21

Monday 6:30 PM at Watertower  LT 512
Sep 14, Oct 12

The basic pattern is practices roughly every other week (except at the end) on Saturday 1-6PM, with postmortems alternating between 4 days later Wednesday afternoon 2:30-3:45 PM and  2 days later on Mondays 6:30-8PM.