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Subject: Re: Spring 2009 MATLAB Contest, April 1st-April 10th
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 02:20:03 +0000 (UTC)
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> "Ned Gulley" <gulley@mathworks.com> wrote in message <gr2u3p$g83$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> > No, the latest contest is not a joke. 
> > We're genuinely interested in seeing the insights that people will mine from the provided data set, and we think seeing how other people use MATLAB for the purpose of data visualization is a reasonable use of the File Exchange.

Ned, aside from the inappropriate use of the File Exchange people have mentioned I find the very nature of this contest farcical. It is little more than a homework exercise,
Teacher - "Ok class, this week we'll be learning how to visualize data in Matlab. Everyone grab a copy of the Peg Solitaire contest data and create a report on the significant trends which occurred throughout the contest. Be sure to include pretty figures and justify your conclusions about the contest. Oh, and you will mark one anothers work and the best author will win a Matlab T-shirt. Also copying other people's ideas is okay."

It is a worthwhile ambition to educate people about using Matlab to display data. However I expect this kind of knowledge to be presented through the blogs and video tutorials, not via a makeshift contest. Who really has the time to devote to mining through more than 1MB of data to write a report. 
You might argue that if someone has the time to submit entries to a normal contest then this is no different, but typical Matlab contests are well supported because they provide a diversion from regular work, whereas this is just like what I do day-in-day-out.
Darren