October 2011 Coding Challenge/FAQ

= How do I sign up for a challenge, or return to my challenge page? =

Go to the initial signup page.

If you have not yet signed up for the challenge, you will be taken through the signup process.

If you have already signed up, you will automatically be redirected to your challenge page, where you can manage your submission.

= Submitting your code to a public repository =

All contestants in Wikimedia coding challenges are required to upload code to public code repositories. The currently acceptable repositories are:


 * Github (https://www.github.com)
 * Gitorious (https://www.gitorious.org)
 * MediaWiki for user scripts (for more info, read the user scripts guide.

The reasoning is simple. We want to provide contestants with the freedom to edit their code continually -- but we also want to know when all code commits take place, so that code committed after the end of the challenge can be disregarded.

= License and documentation =


 * The code must have a LICENSE file, or in the case of User Scripts uploaded to Mediawiki, text that clearly states the license under which the software is offered. This license must be one of the licenses allowed in the Rules.
 * The code must be accompanied by a README that clearly describes installation and use of the software; or in the case of User Scripts uploaded to Mediawiki, accompanying text that describes the use of the software. Be clear. If the judges cannot figure out how to install your code, or how to run your code once it's been installed, then it's unlikely that your submission will be a winner.

= Challenge details; Mobile Photo Upload =

Of course, Mobile Wikipedia is great for learning about the things around you. But: We need pictures. Millions of people have phones. How can we take advantage of location and mobile cameras? Build an app, or extend the existing mobile gateway, to demonstrate your ideas. Read more about this challenge.

= Challenge details: Making Wikipedia More Alive =

Wikipedia articles are constantly changing, with some articles getting updated upwards of 100 times a day. But there is very little that tells the reader that anything has changed. We would like to make the articles on Wikipedia appear more alive, so that our readers understand knowledge is a dynamic, not static, thing. Read more about this challenge.

= Challenge details: Wikipedia Slideshow =

How can we bring the millions of pictures in Wikipedia to our readers beyond the current low resolution thumbnails in articles? Find a way to invoke a beautiful, interactive HTML5 slideshow that works well on the desktop (extra points for tablet or mobile implementations), from any Wikipedia article. Read more about this challenge.