All the code Idols did a great job. In the end, mostly by popular vote, Steve Potter won the "Top Geek" title. I'm sure we will see more of Steve as he is very interested in presenting at future meetings!
Thanks to the code idol contestants:
Steve Potter - Cache Register
Jonas Strawski - SQL Server as Document Repository
Lou Yovin - Volume Shadow Copy
Tim Corbett - System Tray App
Louis Datz - dashCommerce
Martin Anderson - XML Schemas and powershell
Max Trinidad - Powershell script to create CSV file
We will definitely do this again at code camp and at other UG meetings. A few lessons were learned!
- Next time we will limit it to four contestants and give each at least 15 min, with 5 min of Q&A while the next person sets up. Seven was way too many but we were not sure how it would work out.
- I was a judge and it was not fun to try and pick a number for each contestant. None of the judges liked this. So.. in the future the judges will still be there but only for the normal banter, asking questions and embarassing the presenters.
- The way to go for judging is the "Popular Vote". We did this by having the contestants (the top 3 of 7 in this case but in the future all 4) stand at the front of the room with their backs to the audience. The audience is given the chance to vote by raising their hands as each contestant is indicated by the MC. This is much more objective and far more humane for both the contestants and the judges.
- From a code idol presntation standpoint, focus is important. Boil what you have down to something that can be shown from end to end including the code. I think that Tim Corbett's system tray app might have been the best example of this even though he did not win.
Other than that it was different and a lot of fun. Blasting through a bunch of different subjects in one night was great. I saw a number of things i will use myself!
Thanks to Shervin Shakibi for the concept and being a judge and also to Jeff Barnes of Microsoft who was the third and "Mystery Judge".