IBM Sponsors Linux on POWER Contest

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IBM Sponsors Linux on POWER Contest

Posted by michael on Friday October 29, 2004 @06:53AM from the prius-for-everyone dept.

bill_mcgonigle writes "IBM is sponsoring a Linux on POWER Open Source Developer Contest with some nice prizes. For the best original LinuxPPC64 app you can win a Toyota Prius. Porting and/or optimizing specific applications can win you one of a hundred PowerMac G5's or one of a hundred Thousand Dollar cash prizes. Accounts on community LinuxPPC64 are available for contestants without their own machines. The registration deadline is October 31st and the contest runs through the end of the year."

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can I get the G5... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 07:07 · Score: 0

Can I get the G5 without paying an Apple tax? I.e., just the hardware, please?
1. Re:can I get the G5... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 07:23 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  Sure, but be careful what you wish for.
  As with everything else in life, it may be cheaper to pay taxes than live life without them.
2. Re:can I get the G5... by clem.dickey · 2004-10-29 08:59 · Score: 1
  
  The good news: a 3 button mouse.
  
  The bad news: an AIX 5L tax.
3. Re:can I get the G5... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 09:13 · Score: 0
  
  They have GOT to be kidding.
  
  There is no way on earth that $10,000 machine is faster or more efficient than $10,000 worth of overpriced Apple kit, let alone the AMD64 equivalent...
4. Re:can I get the G5... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 10:44 · Score: 0
  
  Those are Power4 computers which are numerically much, much more capable than a G5.
5. Re:can I get the G5... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 11:18 · Score: 0
  
  Dude.... it's a POWER4, not a G4... It just might be.... but probably not, it includes an AIX license.
no fair by Naikrovek · 2004-10-29 07:17 · Score: 4, Funny

this is biased towards developers! I want a prize without doing anything!
1. Re:no fair by Enrico+Pulatzo · 2004-10-29 08:11 · Score: 1
  
  Oh come on mods, this was funny. Troll indeed.
2. Re:no fair by Naikrovek · 2004-10-29 08:20 · Score: 1
  
  hey humor-impaired moderator! its a joke ya terd!
Speaking of which... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 07:17 · Score: 0

Somewhat off-topic, but this seems like a good place to ask -- are Yellow Dog 4.0 ISOs freely available yet anywhere? Any idea when they will be available?
Wish I'da known sooner... by Randolpho · 2004-10-29 07:33 · Score: 4, Funny

2 months to design and implement an application on an architecture I've yet to even read up on.

I think I'll try it.

--
"Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised."
-Marilyn Manson
OS/X? by spitzak · 2004-10-29 10:09 · Score: 1

Do the prize machines come with OS/X or Linux?
1. Re:OS/X? by rreyelts · 2004-10-29 11:08 · Score: 2
  
  They are dual boot. It's posted somewhere on the rules page.
Jace is a tier 1 project by rreyelts · 2004-10-29 11:06 · Score: 2, Interesting

My project, Jace, is one of the tier 1 projects. It'll probably be one of the simpler ones to port, because it was already written with portability in mind. I was all "WOO HOO" when I found out I was getting an iPod Mini. Then I was all "DARN" when I realized I couldn't port my own project and win a G5. ;)
1. Re:Jace is a tier 1 project by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 11:34 · Score: 0
  
  If it's a tier 1 app then you wouldn't get a G5 anyway, only $1000 (pffft, what is that one days normal work?).
  
  Java sucks.
2. Re:Jace is a tier 1 project by rreyelts · 2004-10-29 11:38 · Score: 1
  
  Sorry, it's a tier 2 app. You do win a PowerMac G5.
  
  Java rocks.
more no fair... by temojen · 2004-10-29 11:10 · Score: 1

It's a contest for developing PPC64 code in which they are giving away a G5. Presumably if you can submit an entry you already have a G5 (or a POWER server, but then why would you want a G5).
1. Re:more no fair... by rreyelts · 2004-10-29 11:14 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Read the rules. They give you free access to POWER machines.
2. Re:more no fair... by temojen · 2004-10-29 11:16 · Score: 1
  
  Coooolll.... I know what I'm doing this weekend...
3. Re:more no fair... by palfrey · 2004-10-30 04:43 · Score: 1
  
  Have you actually *tried* to get this free access? As opposed to getting IBM to do it themselves, they've offloaded this onto the hapless University of Portland, who appear to currently be completely unable to give out accounts. Possibly the /. effect has hammered their mail server into the ground, but I'm not seeing any sign of the "you have signed up" mail for one of those accounts. Tried setting up another account a few hours ago, and still no dice.
  
  --
  Beware the psychokinetic mimes!
4. Re:more no fair... by llimllib · 2004-10-31 15:39 · Score: 1
  
  How about now? I signed up a couple hours ago, still got nothing. I was wondering if you got your account.
5. Re:more no fair... by palfrey · 2004-11-01 03:55 · Score: 1
  
  Still haven't seen a thing. Tried again about an hour ago...
  
  --
  Beware the psychokinetic mimes!
Bah! had me going... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-29 17:20 · Score: 0

but it is American entrants only!
what a ridiculous prize. by torpor · 2004-10-29 22:25 · Score: 1

they totally blew it.

if they want to have a 'real' "best app on POWER" contest, then make the First Prize a stonkin' POWER-based system.

If the Prius has a POWER in it, I apologize for my ignorance in advance. Generally, I detest automobiles and the kind of culture they have given mankind, so I have a bias against 'a car prize', but I think I could put its CPU to good use, if its got one..

--
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
1. Re:what a ridiculous prize. by CoolMoDee · 2004-10-30 04:49 · Score: 1
  
  You could sell the car and get a few massive POWER systems...
  
  --
  Jisho - A Japanese English German Russian French Dictionary for the rest of us.
2. Re:what a ridiculous prize. by MikeCapone · 2004-10-30 07:28 · Score: 1
  
  Generally, I detest automobiles and the kind of culture they have given mankind, so I have a bias against 'a car prize', but I think I could put its CPU to good use, if its got one..
  
  Well, the Prius being an hybrid car with extremely low emission, it's probably the least bad car you can get, so it's at least that. Not to mention that it' probably one of the most technologically advanced cars out there.
  
  --
  Treehugger? Treehugger... Treehugger!
only US developers by hephro · 2004-10-30 09:41 · Score: 1

They should put that in big letters on the front page, that would save many people a lot of time.
1. Re:only US developers by gp310ad · 2004-10-31 00:38 · Score: 1
  
  I'm gonna foward this /. discussion to buddy in IBM Linux marketing and ask, "what's up". Will add answer (if i get one ;-)
  
  --
  Do not look into LASER with remaining eye!
2. Re:only US developers by gabebear · 2004-10-31 05:12 · Score: 1
  
  Well, from the FAQ for "Why are only US contestants elligible?" :
  Regretfully, because of time constraints for obtaining legal clearances internationally, we are able to launch this first effort as a U.S.-contestant-only event. In future, we will plan for a worldwide event.
  So hopefully next time everyone can get in on this, but for now I'm glad I'm competing against fewer people, bwaa ha ha ha!
Strong agreement - POWER-based computer better by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-30 19:08 · Score: 0

I have a car I'm very happy with, so a Prius doesn't excite me.

A contest prize of something rather unique - like an extremely powerful computer - would be much cooler.