What is a good community run venue for finding programming competitions?

Question

The closure of a recent entertaining 'question' got me wondering what would have been a better forum for the challenge presented. I know there is a similar question, but most of the responses are pointers to infrequent and or hierarchical style challenges. I don't see any where the programming community creates both the challenges and the solutions. Is there such a venue, or is it perhaps another potential Stack Overflow offshoot?

Alternatively, what features would you like to see in such a site?

Answer 1

As one of the other answers pointed out, TopCoder is what you're looking for.

Answer 2

It has been mentioned before, Java4K. A small competition with really great things to learn.

Java 4K 2010 contest is soon, 1-Dec. I learned all the code optimizing i know from this contest.

Answering the second part of your question. i myself would be really interested in such challenges. But sites like TopCoder who put money rewards on challenges will be always the first peoples choice. When i was in college, i hated most of contests sites, simply because they where very complicated, although i learned a lot, but i quickly became bored since i never won, and my best rank was 50th. A good competition site will have many categories for all people, and will be really challenging where all people can learn and win at the same time. Reputation and bounties (like StackOverflow) will also be good.

Good luck

Answer 3

An informal forum is codekata.com

From the site:

How do you get to be a great musician? It helps to know the theory, and to understand the mechanics of your instrument. It helps to have talent. But ultimately, greatness comes practicing; applying the theory over and over again, using feedback to get better every time.

How do you get to be an All-Star sports person? Obviously fitness and talent help. But the great athletes spend hours and hours every day, practicing.

But in the software industry we take developers trained in the theory and throw them straight in to the deep-end, working on a project. It’s like taking a group of fit kids and telling them that they have four quarters to beat the Redskins (hey, we manage by objectives, right?). In software we do our practicing on the job, and that’s why we make mistakes on the job. We need to find ways of splitting the practice from the profession. We need practice sessions.

Answer 4

I have been a long time supporter of Planet Source Code http://www.planet-source-code.com/ and it's "The 'Superior Code' Coding Contest".

Answer 5

UVa Online Judge has tons of programming competitions. Lots of great problems.

Answer 6

http://discuss.techinterview.org/?interview