Countdown to Competition

There are 10 days remaining in our Kickstarter and we are only 35% funded. I can't believe that the public doesn't feel it is worthwhile to support a software competition with generous scholarship prizes. What's the problem with supporting higher education???

This Smalltalk competition, if successful, could serve as a model for similar contests in other countries. It would also raise the public profile of Smalltalk to the benefit of everyone, including those in the Cincom community. I intend to parlay this competition into a major PR event. I'm already in contact with the IT press, local newspapers and television media.

What frustrates me is that I'm not getting much help from the general Smalltalk community. The competition is our last best hope for promoting Smalltalk...to incentivize the next generation of software developers to learn this language. Let's not brush it off with such abandon.

Oh, I forgot to mention...

Our Smalltalk competition explicitly uses Cincom Smalltalk and for a very important reason. So far, Smalltalk Renaissance has been focussing on Amber and Pharo, but I would like to bring some balance to our campaign by using a commercial Smalltalk in a major public event. If successful, this competition will introduce Cincom Smalltalk to thousands of Canadian students, young people who would otherwise not know anything about, nor give a hoot about, Cincom and Smalltalk.

For your consideration...

horrido wrote

There are 10 days remaining in our Kickstarter and we are only 35% funded. I can't believe that the public doesn't feel it is worthwhile to support a software competition with generous scholarship prizes. What's the problem with supporting higher education???

This Smalltalk competition, if successful, could serve as a model for similar contests in other countries. It would also raise the public profile of Smalltalk to the benefit of everyone, including those in the Cincom community. I intend to parlay this competition into a major PR event. I'm already in contact with the IT press, local newspapers and television media.

What frustrates me is that I'm not getting much help from the general Smalltalk community. The competition is our last best hope for promoting Smalltalk...to incentivize the next generation of software developers to learn this language. Let's not brush it off with such abandon.

We have here an opportunity to help up to 12 young people go to college or university. And to do so in a fun way: through an intellectual sports competition!

The contest is also known as the "James Robertson Memorial Competition." James Robertson was a long-time advocate of Smalltalk. He was a tireless promoter who contributed enormously to the Smalltalk industry. James passed away one year ago last week, and we honour him with this competition.

horrido wrote

There are 10 days remaining in our Kickstarter and we are only 35% funded. I can't believe that the public doesn't feel it is worthwhile to support a software competition with generous scholarship prizes. What's the problem with supporting higher education???

This Smalltalk competition, if successful, could serve as a model for similar contests in other countries. It would also raise the public profile of Smalltalk to the benefit of everyone, including those in the Cincom community. I intend to parlay this competition into a major PR event. I'm already in contact with the IT press, local newspapers and television media.

What frustrates me is that I'm not getting much help from the general Smalltalk community. The competition is our last best hope for promoting Smalltalk...to incentivize the next generation of software developers to learn this language. Let's not brush it off with such abandon.