2008 Winter Scripting Games
About the 2008 Scripting Games
February 15 – March 3, 2008
Here is everything you need to know about competing in the 2008 Winter Scripting Games. If you find it’s not everything you need to know, just send your questions to scripter@microsoft.com (in English, if possible)
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What are the Scripting Games?
The Scripting Games are an annual scripting competition held online at the Script Center. Contestants from around the world compete for fun, competition, status, to learn new skills and test existing skills, and of course for prizes.
Did you say prizes?
Yes, we said prizes. Enter the competition and you’ll have the opportunity to win one of hundreds of prizes. Included in the giveaway are 250 limited-edition Dr. Scripto bobblehead dolls, 2008 edition; Certificates of Excellence for top scorers; and dozens of software and books giveaways donated by our sponsors. Check here for a full list of prizes and, of course, rules.
What do I have to do to enter?
Entering is simple. Just show up at the Script Center on February 15, 2008. On that date we’ll release the list of events, along with the deadlines for each event. You have your choice of entering in six divisions: Beginner VBScript, Beginner Windows PowerShell, Beginner Perl, Advanced VBScript, Advanced Windows PowerShell, and Advanced Perl. You can enter in as many divisions as you want.
There will be 10 events in each division. Each event is a problem you need to solve by writing a script. After you’ve written the script to solve the problem, simply follow the instructions outlined in the event to submit your entry before the deadline for that event. Or, to make this event easier, use the Scripting Games Entry Form HTA included in the 2008 Scripting Games Competitor’s Pack to submit your entry. Be sure to follow allevent instructions carefully, and pay close attention to deadlines.
Are the Games open to anyone?
Yes. There are a few restrictions outlined in the rules as to who can win the prizes, but the Games themselves are open to just about anyone in the world.
What if English isn’t my first language?
The Games are held in English (sorry, but that’s the only language the official scorers – aka the Scripting Guys – speak). But the event descriptions will be available in eight additional languages: French, Spanish, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. We’re sorry if your language isn’t listed, this is the best we could do this year. If there’s enough demand maybe we’ll try to add more next time.
What do you mean by “official scorers?”
The way the Games work is that each event is worth a certain number of points. All 10 events together within a division will add up to a maximum score of 100 points. Each entry you submit will be reviewed and tested by one of the Scripting Guys. If you complete the event successfully you’ll receive the points for that event.
How do I know you received my entry?
We’ll be posting the scores as we go. If you don’t want your name to show on our Web site in the official scoring list, simply submit your entry with an alias – that way you’ll know who you are in the list but no one else will. When a score shows up under your name (or alias) you’ll know we’ve received your entry. Please be patient! We’re expecting a lot of contestants this year, and we’ll be hard-pressed to keep up with all the entries. We’ll be scoring as quickly as we can and updating the scores pages frequently.
Is that it?
That’s all we can think of right now. The Scripting Games home page will have a link to News so any updates or breaking changes can be posted throughout the Games. So come to the Script Center on February 15, 2008, and be prepared for two weeks of scripting fun!
What if I have more questions?
Download the 2008 Scripting Games Program. If you still have questions, send email to scripter@microsoft.com (in English, if possible). We probably won’t have time to directly answer all questions, especially not right away, but keep an eye on the Scripting Games News page, where we’ll post updates and other information.