HP Code Wars

HP CodeWars 2008 Logo

HP CodeWars, formerly Compaq CodeWars, is an annual programming competition held on the Hewlett-Packard campus in Houston, Texas, for area high schools. The first competition was held in 1998. In 2002, the name changed from Compaq CodeWars to HP CodeWars following Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq.

Dates

The contest is typically held on a Saturday morning on the first week of March, primarily to avoid conflict with Spring Break. The 2010 competition was held on Saturday, March 6th.

Divisions

The contest is divided into two divisions: Novice and Advanced. There is separate grading and ranking for each division. A team registers as an advanced team if at least one of its team members has completed at least one year of computer science classes.

Programming problems

The contest consists of approximately 15 problems, each with an assigned point value based on difficulty. Some of the problems are shared by both divisions, while others are unique for one division or another. The problems generally require input from the user, and should give appropriate output to solve the problem. The programs can be written in either Java or C/C++. A team can submit each problem a maximum of five times. When a problem is judged to be correct, the team receives that problem's points. Team's scores are displayed periodically throughout the competition, and the teams with the highest scores at the end of the three-hour competition win.

Costume contest

In addition to the programming competition, awards are also given out for the teams with the best costumes.

Door prizes

Contestants and team coaches in CodeWars receive a number of free products from the event's sponsors. The contest's t-shirt, which changes every year, and a number of other Hewlett-Packard and Compaq branded products are given to every contestant, as well as free software from Microsoft, which in the past has included Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft Windows. Every contestant received a free raffle ticket, which is used to give away technology products, including computers, printers, digital cameras, and gaming consoles. Additionally, free breakfast and lunch is provided.

External links

• HP CodeWars Official Website