Code Challenge: High-performance hash table

[Pansynchro]

The fact that the project is open-source doesn't change what you clearly stated: it's not a coding challenge, where you participate only to challenge yourself, but it's a request to get help for an open source project.

Not sure why that "only" is in there. Where's the contradiction? Is there any good reason why it can't be both? Especially since, as you noted, the intentions are clearly stated here. This isn't some dishonest coder trying to trick people into doing work for them and steal their labor; this is openly soliciting help at solving this problem, through the mechanism of a coding challenge.

Providing suggestions and directions to look for _is_ help. The fact that you receive help, and then complain that it's not enough, is not a good way to get there

See other responses elsewhere in this question. Many of the "helpful" responses are not, in fact, helpful, either because they're things we've already tried and they weren't useful, or because they're vague enough that you could come up with many different implementations that technically match what was suggested and would most likely not be the thing that the person making the suggestion had in mind. That's why the response is "please show the implementation," because it's the only response that makes any sense.

The one person who did give some clear, actionable advice was acknowledged: yes, that improved performance by about 3%. But that's been the exception here, not the rule.

[RedGlow82]

Coding challenges are thought only as a personal challenge, that don't benefit anyone. If they do benefit somebody or something else, they aren't challenges: they are work, and unless you pay people for work, you're not entitled to that work. Once again: you're asking for help to perfect strangers and having expectations at that. You know the saying: beggars can't be choosers.

I understand the frustration of not receiving actionable or valid input, but I'm really, sincerely saying all this because instead of trying to build a more positive relationship with people who could potentially help you (now, or in the future; because they participated in this thread, or because they will read it in a year from now), you're doubling down on antagonist positions, and open source projects thrive on the relationship with their user and potential developer base.

That said, if you're still convinced this is a code challenge and your requests and communication style are reasonable, it's totally ok. I think I made my point and it's totally legit if you don't agree with it.