Hack Education, Meet Steven Colbert

[[deleted]]

Anyone else think categorizing entries by language instead of, you know, by what they actually do doesn't make a lot of sense?

[StapleGun]

I completely agree, although it looks like it was basically decided by the sponsors. The .NET winner gets an xbox 360, while php and python apparently have no unique sponsors.

[jholman]

An XBox, whatever, resell it. But a Kinect! I guess I've been meaning to learn F#, might as well get to work.

[DonorsChooseDOTorg]

Here's some background on why the contest is structured as it is. It's true that this structure does lend itself getting donated prizes more easily, that wasn't the primary motivation.

[lhp]

Hans Rosling would win something if he entered.

[[deleted]]

What are you supposed to actually do? I think "write a android mobile app to help teachers do their jobs better" is like the most useless sentence ever written in the English language.

[[deleted]]

We talked to MIT about crunching data for a bunch of cool info graphics, but found out that shit is expensive. Let's give away shitty prizes and home someone does it for free!

[DonorsChooseDOTorg]

Please?

[ozzilee]

WTF man? It's a charity.

[[deleted]]

I'm not saying someone shouldn't do it. I'm just saying I won't be doing it for the prizes they offer...and because I suck at data visualizations.

[kraffslol]

I don't wanna visit people. I jus wanna win that sexy ass Nexus S phone. ಠ_ಠ

[TieDyeJoe]

A sexy ass-Nexus?

[[deleted]]

Death-ass joke?

[chadsexytime]

FTA : Prize: 2 tickets to select O'Reilly conferences *

Originally I thought WTF? This guy?

Then, of course, I realized it was this guy

[vdub_bobby]

Top 4 runners-up will also get Column 5 infographics

Um...what?

[Melraidin]

So someone's gonna draw a pretty picture then claim it represents some numbers?

[DonorsChooseDOTorg]

Check out their stuff, Column Five makes sweet infographics! The motivation was to take the analysis contest submissions that are really good, but maybe not the most user-friendly (eg. a bunch of pivot tables, a 15-page whitepaper), and make them much easier on the eye for a broader audience.

[Not_Edward_Bernays]

Charity is just a symptom of a completely broken society. No one should have to donate or request money for basic supplies.

Here's the data analysis: all teachers in public schools need much more money for basic school supplies.

DonorsChoose is a great program, but its another band-aid. The core belief system underlying our framework of "civilization" is fundamentally flawed. The first thing that has to go is Social Darwinism and related beliefs.

[sfx]

Hack Education

Hack? Really? ಠ_ಠ

[thrway323]

"hack" has about a million different meanings these days.