END USER CHALLENGE Brian Nalewajek for CCP/M I've presented a few programmer challenges in other issues of this newsletter and we've had some interesting responses. This time, however, it's going to be a bit different. The challenge is not to the programmers, but rather to the end users. In the programmer challenges, we put forward a problem in explicit terms, looking for imaginative programming solutions. For the end user challenge, we're looking for problems that would serve as a challenge to the programmers. As you might imagine, such an open invitation could prompt all kinds of hypothetical or impractical entries. To give the challenge focus and relevance, I will be setting up certain criteria for entries. 1) GET REAL! - While calculating the number of angels that can sit on the head of a pin might challenge programmers (to say nothing of philosophers), we're looking for real life problems for which you'd like a real life solution. 2) NON-RECURSIVE! - A recursive procedure is one where the answer becomes part of the question, which becomes part of the answer.... What I mean by non-recursive in this case is non-computer related. Don't ask for a way to get Z-System to load Wordstar style overlays, and don't ask for a BASIC program to format MS-DOS disks on a Kaypro II. Lift your eyes and imaginations from your computer keyboards and give us a problem from your non-computer related problem stack. Of course, we'd like to put our computers to use in solving the problem, but we don't want to solve problems for computers (not this time, at any rate). 3) OBJECTIVE! - If your problem is one where the central issue is subjective (opinion or preference), I doubt if the answers the programmers can provide would be of much value. There are programs that help shoppers select gifts, for example, a problem that is subjective at it's core; such programs do, in fact, require a lot of hard data, such as a data base of gifts with assigned qualities. If your problem contains subjective elements, you must provide all the supporting objective data and other criteria that would make a programmed solution practical. 4) (/) BIG FOUR! - The (/) is my as close as I can get to showing a "Do not enter" sign in ASCII. The "BIG FOUR" are what I call the very popular off-the-shelf programs that come under the headings of spreadsheets, database managers, wordprocessors, and graphics programs. If the solution to your problem requires no more than a routine application of one of these or similar packages, it won't excite our programmers a whole lot. If you need help using a spreadsheet to prepare your tax return, or a database to keep track of your business clients, we can probably help you - but not as part of this challenge. Our programmers may use some or all of these packages in finding a solution, but let's hope it's in a novel application. 5) CLARITY! - State your problem as clearly as you can. Give us all the relevant parameters and data. The old adage is "garbage in, garbage out"; we want to give you real solutions to your real problems, but we can only work with what you give us. All the entries we receive will be evaluated with the above considerations. We'll then place as many of your problems as possible as challenges for the programmers. Then we'll see if POE's reader-programmers are as sharp as they think they are. At best, we'll have helped someone find a real solution to a problem; at least, we'll have tried. BRN..90 [Lee - you can enter your address here for replys, or mine if you'd rather. "All entries to POE End User Challenge c/o "ect..]