[Game suggestion] Language to be visible in the header during a challenge

Question

to all of you playing multiple languages at the same time: if such a feature is implemented then one can play all languages without having to remember which one he is entering... ie there is literally the same quizz in JS, C++ with a different answer due to the way the languages handle the prefix ++.

I already have sent an e-mail, please do so as well if you think that might be useful 😃

Answer 1

Great Idea, Nikolay, I agree to your suggestion cos it will make Solo Learners pick up faster in learning and understanding different languages though at a faster rate instead of focusing on just a single Programming language.

My question: how will the rating system understand that between these two challengers one has no knowledge about the generated weapon in question? will it still use the general win to lose ratio?

Answer 2

You are right. I am playing PHP and Ruby challenges today and got confused between "puts" and "echo" sometimes.

Answer 3

I see no harm it its implementation.

Answer 4

@Krishna - if I am not mistaken you have authored a pair of Ruby quizzes - in one you swap the values of a and b and "puts" them, in the other same but "echo" them. You got me once with the echo, now it came back 😂😂😂.
Just kidding!!!, but yes that is my point and especially with theoretical questions like "strings are mutable?" or the like....

Answer 5

From the perspective of a proofreader for examination papers, it is crucial to eliminate all ambiguity from existing questions for multiple reasons. When it is not part of the question to trick a student into another language/topic/subject, said specifications should be made as clear as possible as to what the question refers to. It doesn't matter how impossible it is to get minor questions wrong due to "specifications which should be common sense". I have seen brilliant students answering test papers using a seperate/native implementation of data structures and failing the entire paper even with correct answers.

I just think that things should be perceived from all sides. The benefits of having the language specified for each challenge slide certainly outweighs the possible cons, and in no way presents itself as an unfair advantage for any player.

There is no way that I would agree to condemn someone through a question he/she clearly has the answer to.

Answer 6

@NeutronStar

1) The timeouts are not exactly there to check how fast one can answer a question. Without timeouts, one can simply surf the net or type codes into a compiler to get an answer. Timeouts are there to avoid foul play.

2) I didn't bring up the entire thing about challenges being beneficial to 'becoming a better programmer'. It is completely irrelevant.

3) You cannot compare giving hints to the answer to listing language specifications in challenge slides. The former conflicts with the original intent of challenges, while the latter doesn't. The former is an example of spoonfeeding, and the latter isn't.

Spoonfeeding is the act of providing (someone) with so much help or information that they do not need to think for themselves. It is a fallacy to think that placing language​ specifications on challenges slides == spoonfeeding. You further contradict your own points by implying that fatigue and the failure to think corresponds to the same thing - They don't.

In fact, your entire denial towards the addition of a minor language specification in challenges is due to ignorance of not knowing why it may be required for regular challengers of multiple languages - because you have never experienced what Nikolay did, and hence refuse to acknowledge his points by enforcing your viewpoints unto his. Nikolay has completed more challenges than a bunch of us combined, he has utilised the challenge interface more than any of us - If he thinks the interface requires a tweak, I suggest we shut up and listen if we have nothing better to contribute.

Answer 7

don't know what to say......
I would understand that if:
1. I ever pretended to be a great coder - I've always said there are much better coders here than me.
2. I ever said that doing millions of challenges will make you a better programmer - I never did, a challenge is only beneficial to learning once - the first time you manage to solve it or the first time you see the right answer and figure out what you did wrong.
3. I ever promoted memorizing - on the contrary I've always encouraged the logical approach, try, if you do it wrong - dig in until you figure it out.

and number 3 is exactly why I need that small hint of knowing the language in a challenge. My next task is to reopen all languages and accept challenges in all of them. As per SL there are 8938 Quizzes currently in the system, I don't believe someone would think that anyone can memorize them all. The ultimate conclusion being that there is something fundamental behind the languages and there is no "better" language, it does not matter which language you use, but if you understand fundamentals like conditionals, loops.... and for more advanced algorithms and data structures.
:D :D :D

[edit] and that feature kind of existed when we had separate apps for each language....

Answer 8

...some months later, the feature is now implemented 😃😃😃

Answer 9

@Siddharth - yes, but I want to open all languages and just be able to know which one I am playing during the challenge
@Awele Omeligwe - I didn't mean mixed language challenges, even though that might be interesting 😃
@Paulax - true, but there you can figure out which one it is by the surrounding code. Here - not always.

Answer 10

@NeutronStar

Placing the language specification on challenge slides != Altering the rules to anyone's advantage. If this is all about learning and having fun, as in your own words, there should be no need to be at such an extreme regarding the addition of this feature in the first place.

@Nikolay

I will personally provide a feedback to SL to weigh in on this as well.

Answer 11

Great idea Sir. But there would be a filter available in which we will select which languages we will accept challenges in.

Answer 12

@Neutron - thanks, I would not have reacted if you were actually playing challenges ....
@everyone else in this thread - sorry about that.

Answer 13

No one is forcing anyone to challenge in multiple languages simultaneously...

Answer 14

Well if you can't remember which language you're presently challenging in, you should be penalized for the confusion. :P

Answer 15

@NeutronStar - In theory you are right, in practice: try doing 100 consecutive challenges in different languages and you will know what I mean.
I know you think challenges are not beneficial for learning and I totally agree with you - practice and more learning is the only way to get better in programming, but challenges are fun and I find playing them relaxing and that is what keeps me here 😃

Answer 16

@NeutronStar - I have not a written a single line of Delphi code in a couple of year, yet I still use := for assignment and = for comparison sometimes... so yes I am that stupid and I get confused.
By the way how did the time you spent writing that much text here contribute to your learning process? 😉

Answer 17

It seems to me it's part of the challenge;) At least on the web it's a constant mashup

Answer 18

I believe that it would be better if they do that
cos I've failed a lot of questions about comments and arrays while playing a Ruby challenge inside a pile of python challenges.

Answer 19

@NeutronStar - here are some examples:
1. Strings are by default: mutable/ immutable.
2. Is the keyword 'var' required to declare a variable?

try to guess the language/ correct answer. 😃

Answer 20

these are probably the common problems for those who memorised almost the
entire challenge questions