Please note: To qualify for student membership in ACM, you must be matriculated at an accredited educational institution and be carrying at least 9 semester credits at the time of joining.
Q. Do I have to use IBM's VisualAge for Java to build my applet this year?
A. No, you don't. You can develop your applet using the Java Development Environment of your choice. All entries must be 100% Java and the use of native classes or 3rd party libraries is not permitted.
Q. Why aren't applications permitted in this Contest?
A. During the 1997 Contest applications were permitted but they took an inordinately long time to judge because many of the applications didn't run initially and judges spent many days just trying to get the applications running. By permitting applets, the judges can run a student's entry by loading their web page, and, the student has more control over the environment that the applet was developed in. Students have the entire Submission Period, the month of March, 1999, to make sure their applet is running correctly.
Q. Can an entry consist solely of an applet or can it be an applet/server pair?
A. You can submit an applet with a Java application as a server. You will need to make sure that your server is up and running during the Judging Period (month of April, 1999) so the judges can evaluate your entry. The server will be considered part of your entry.
Q. What will the applets be officially tested on?
A. The judges don't have an official browser.
Q. Is there any regulation regarding the number of lines of code that need to be submitted?
A. There is no limit on the number of lines of code for submissions. The only constraint is that it needs to be original code.
Q. Does the applet need to display within the browser, or can it open its own frame?
A. You can open your own frame/window if you like.
Q. What if my applet depends upon other software that I have used in my school?
A. The applet couldn't interact with any other component unless it was a self-developed java component.
Q. I'm a Student Member of ACM but I also have a co-op job at a company; am I eligible to participate in the Quest?
A. As long as you are a Student Member of ACM at the time you submit your applet, you are eligible.
Q. Is HTML acceptable documentation format?
A. Yes!
Q. Can I use external databases for my entry?
A. You can use external databases so long as your database is running and accessible by your applet during the judging period. Since you have control over the environment, students should ensure that this is the case.
Q. Are games acceptable?
A. No, we're sorry, games are not acceptable. Maybe at some point we'll start a "Games" category.
Q. Who owns the submitted applet?
A. The student owns their code!
Q. Can I submit an applet that was previously submitted to another contest?
A. Yes, as long as you retain ownership of the code.
Q. I would like to use mSQL which provides a free JDBC driver and Java MsQL API. Would the Contest require me to write my own database driver?
A. No, you can use external databases but you must make sure your database is running during the judging period; the use of a JDBC driver is OK.
Q. Can my applet make use of sound and image files?
A. Yes!
Q. What about entries that mix Java and VRML?
A. The Contest restricts submissions to only the Java language and the API provided by the JDK.
- Key Dates:
- September 14, 1998: Registration Opens
February 20, 1999: Last day to register and/or join ACM
March 1st through March 31, 1999: Submit Applets
April 1st through April 30, 1999: Judging Period
May, 1999: Winners Notified
June, 1999: Winners Posted
Questions? jquest@acm.org
