IOCCC Accepting New, 'Improved' Entries

Rudolf writes: "The 16th International Obfuscated C Code Contest is open from now until 01 Dec 2001 23:59:59 UTC. Details are at the IOCCC web site. From the front page, the contest goals are: -- To write the most Obscure/Obfuscated C program (within contest rules -- To show the importance of programming style, in an ironic way. -- To stress C compilers with unusual code. -- To illustrate some of the subtleties of the C language. -- To provide a safe forum for poor C code. :-)"

Comments

Re:russians will win?

[Anonymous Coward]

It would not be the first time I read the assembly generated by the compiler to understand what the damned C code meant.

There are cases, often with complex logical expression with deeply nested parenthese, && and ||, where the assembly is easier to read than
the so called "high level" source code.
(Well, C is not high-level in any case)

When will they start an obfuscated perl contest?

[forgoil]

Or would that be too easy?;)

my fovorite

[snatchitup]

My favorite isn't so much obfuscated code, but hair-brained.. I've actually seen this by paid contract programmers......

String getLetter( int index ){
String [] x = { "A", "B", "C", "D" };
for ( int i = 0; i < 4; i++ ){
if ( i == 0 && index ==0 )
return "A";
else if ( i == 1 && index == 1 )
return "B";
else if ( i == 2 && index == 2 )
return "C";
else if ( i ==3 && index == 3 )
return "D";

if ( i >= 4 )
break;
}
return null;
}

Are they getting paid by the line?

Anecdote

[mirko]

The following event was related by ace@tidbits.com (Adam C. Engst).

The highlight of the annual Computer Bowl occurred when
Bill Gates,
who was a judge, posed the following
question
to the contestants:

"What contest, held via Usenet, is dedicated to examples of weird, obscure, bizarre, and really bad programming?"

After a moment of silence, Jean-Louis Gassee (ex-honcho at Apple) hit his buzzer and answered:

"Windows."

Mr. Bill's expression was, in the words of one who was there, "classic."

Re:When will they start an obfuscated perl contest

[myelin42]

There already is one!

Also, if you go to Perl Monks, there are heaps of people submitting obfuscated Perl code for judgement ...