topcoderinc / cab Goto Github PK

1. Add visual statistics for different design challenge types
2. Show unread forum notification for challenges we join
3. On payments page, show summary of total earning, not paid money, monthly earnings
4. Have the ability to switch off the total earnings on dashboard or use only on payments page

Now releasing a payment takes 30 days since it gets into PACT. Can this be reduced to at least half?

"Final Fixes on Studio go above small modifications, sometimes with new requirements or updates on many pages"

Now we can unregister from Online Review only, but many members don't know where this is. Add the option to unregister from challenge's page or add a link to Online Review somewhere visible.

Wirefame designing on mobile should require small size like 320x480 not big ones like 1080x1920 as this track is about concepts not accurate visuals and it makes it more difficult for wireframers to implement ideas. Also more elements fit in a bigger page, than smaller, which might not look good on an actual design.

Add a tree navigation to be able to see blogs/month and not to search it. It's difficult to find blogs from few months ago now.

An idea to create a new reliability system for the code track.

There is an idea to create an official ESLint config for Topcoder.
https://www.npmjs.com/package/eslint-config-topcoder

And best practices per technology.

Example best practices for nodejs applications: https://github.com/lsentkiewicz/javascript/blob/master/nodejs.md

Every time after submitting, an error appears on the new site instead of the confirmation. The message displayed is "Got an error? Get a cake!"

-Assembly, Prototype: could send email notifications 1h before closing of registration phase because these 2 tracks have a bonus based on reliability rating

"The current forums are outdated. It's a single thread and does not allow
for discussions to branch / chain"

"Re: Review

We need relook at our existing scorecards. I firmly believe that we have some
really good reviewers unlike what the community may think (there may be a
couple of bad apples but overall, they are quite good). However, the existing
scorecards seems to prevent the reviewers from effectively scoring submission

This thread contains some good ideas - http://apps.topcoder.com/forums//?module=Thread&threadID=875190&start=0
"

It appears that the re-appeal policy was not what the community had been assuming all along

https://apps.topcoder.com/forums/?module=Thread&threadID=894205&start=0&mc=2#2164164

"Since in Bug Hunts, the participant that first reported the issue wins, it is critical
that each participant start at the same time. Due to different timezones, this
does not happen. Hence, announcing Bug Hunt contests 24 hours before will
give each participant the same opportunity to participate and compete"

Some of the challenges within specific industries have a difficult language so are hard to understand. A better translation is needed.

http://studio.topcoder.com/?module=ViewContestDetails&ct=30052985 http://studio.topcoder.com/?module=ViewContestDetails&ct=30052780

It would be good, specially for newcomers, to give a sample code for every Marathon Match, in every available language. For example, in C++ a .cpp that creates a class instance, calls the public method that needs to be implemented, and include the .h that can be the same file that is submitted for the Marathon Match. The same can be done in Java and any other available language.

"Remove specification phase from Bug Hunt
OR
Disallow specification reviewers from competing"

"Re: Reviews

Currently, participants need to add topcoder copyright
in EACH file that they submit in their application.
Either

1. Remove this requirement
2. Only have the winner carry out this requirement

Reviewers currently are penalizing participants for not
adding / updating the copyright information and this is
affecting the review quality"

Provide more customized content for dashboard, including top blog posts/news, notifications about forum posts on the challenges we join. Make blog area more visual attractive - banner/image.

"Legacy site showed the total earned by members if they opted for it.
New site does not show this anymore. Not sure if intentional or bug"

Give members a blog section to write their own blogs, which can be voted. The most upvoted ones can be published on the general forum. Have a contributors leaderboard.

Nowadays we don't receive reminder emails for all SRMs.

You can send reminders for all SRMs and/or create a Calendar in Google Calendar with all SRMs so people can configure the calendar to send automatic reminders before SRMs.

Also it would be nice to have SRM's dates some time before. As an example, today, on January, 18th, there are not SRMs for February on https://www.topcoder.com/community/events/

"UI Prototype track does not follow latest and best practices in creating UI Prototypes

1. No encouragement of the use of bower
2. No encouragement of the use of SASS or LESS or other CSS frameworks
3. No guidelines on breaking up the CSS into multiple files or categorize them based on the component that they style. Instead a single large stylesheet is used
4. No guidelines on the CSS naming conventions
5. No guidelines on how images need to be stored - creation of sprites in each contest resulting in multiple sprite files per project, defeating the purpose of creating sprites. We now have tools that can automate this creation and update the CSS correspondingly too
   Overall, this track appears to be way behind the times. Needs a revamp badly."

https://apps.topcoder.com/forums//?module=Thread&threadID=880303&start=0

We've been using the new Code scorecard for 6 months.
Now, we are collecting feedback from members and we are going to create another version.

Difficult to see active challenges because now all challenges are listed - even those in review phase or final fixes. Show only those opened to submit.

Now the time displayed is the time left for final end date and not for the next coming phase - R1 for example. This is confusing.

Designers deliver partial final fixes instead of providing all files(sources+pngs) and so development copilots have to check what has changed and see how to merge the files => designers and Studio copilots should send complete files

Designers rename part of the PNGs they work on final fix and the development copilot has to check what has changed and where those files fit, which causes delays when writting development specifications

Adding a reliability bonus for all members will increase motivation, participation and this can stand as a secured income for consistent members.

Verify carefully the design submissions so no more than 1 person works under 1 handle.

Let members know about upcoming Marathon matches well in advance

Add possibility to see at least the preview image of the winning submission for 2nd round submitters.

"Re: Reviews

Follow discussion in this thread - http://apps.topcoder.com/forums//?module=Thread&threadID=876081&start=0

Request an email be sent out to all members (or just reviewers / co-pilots)
notifying them that submissions with spelling mistakes should not be penalized

NOTE - winner should still fix any spelling mistakes in their submission. Just
that the submission should not be scored down because of it"

Put scorecards/guidelines into a Wiki-like environment so competitors can suggest constant improvements as the tech changes. Would need competitor “sign-off”. moderation and version control.

Some members reported they had large final fixes when they had won second place.

In the general leaderboard and on profile it seams only 1st place placements are counted as winnings. Members would like to count other places as well.

"On the lines of having a guide for iOS contests, similar guides should be created
for the popular tech stacks namely:

1. Nodejs
2. .NET / C#
3. Java
4. Android
5. Angularjs"

Display a checkpoint winner icon on member profile immediately after it was won

If the user hasn't registered for a challenge or the challenge is closed then the "Challenge Discussion"/forum link doesn't show. This makes it difficult to find discussions for closed challenges.

Sometimes it happens that if you click accidentally twice on the post button you create unintentional double posts, it would be nice to check for double posts and avoid them. For example, don't let a user post more than once in a 2 seconds time range.

Need a faster response on problems from support. It takes even 2-4 weeks for to get a solution.

This was previously discussed but it still happens. When one idea is disclosed, all the time spent for research and thinking is lost + it lowers the chances the client to buy the submission. It should be a rule that at least unique ideas shouldn't be disclosed.

For Studio, F2F sometimes submissions are not evaluated in the order they come, but the client sees all and chooses the best to go. This is against the F2F model.

The clients take too much time to give feedback, even 4-5 days so it loses the momentum. It would be good if client can give feedback in 24h and be available as submissions are uploaded. Also sometimes client chooses to give feedback only to the first who submitted ignoring the ones coming after if the first ones submitted an update fast after second.

With the current model the winners are usually chosen by the order they submit and if one member submits immediately after another his submission won't be reviewed. Proposed solution: have 2 winners and pay them 75%, 25% of the prize or have a pool of top designers and assign task directly.

Code Track has no Final Fixes. In case, at the end of the contest, the submission has issues, what is the procedure to get this corrected from the participant? Are they expected to fix that for free or for a fee?

https://apps.topcoder.com/forums/?module=Thread&threadID=889949&start=15&mc=21

The review process is anonymous by default, and members shouldn't reveal
their identity anywhere.
However, members can be recognized in an easy way by:

• git patch, youtube username, monosnap username
• using TC API
• submissions are not hidden on the challenge page

Some members have reported many issues with the new uploader. For example some fail when reaching 100%, some do not receive the confirmation email especially near the deadline and others are having problems uploading 7zip files when used without problems in the past.

There are challenges where client gives feedback and decides the winners very late. Designers are dissapointed as they have to work on fixed deadlines but clients don't respect the terms (3 weeks delay in both examples - checkpoint and final).

Topcoder should be leading the way in technology

Sometimes wireframe challenges ask for mobile, tablet and desktop designs, but the focus should be the workflow here and we should plan it for the most difficult device as the rest is easy adaptable

Our current policy:
https://apps.topcoder.com/forums/?module=Announcement&annID=2626

Some copilots and PMs don't respect it, and they grant 6h - 12h extensions or they grant extensions without any reason.
It would be good to redefine it.