The Resolver One (Python) Challenge - $25,000 | Hacker News Reader

The Resolver One (Python) Challenge - $25,000

voidspace.org.uk

9 pointsbdfh428 comments

This looks like something I could use on my OSX desktop but unfortunately this is a Windows-only product. Here are the full requirements:

  What are the system requirements for running Resolver One?

  ''Software'': Resolver One requires Windows XP or later, with .NET 2.0 installed. 
  If you don't have .NET 2.0, you can download it from Microsoft (it's free).

  ''Hardware'': The minimum specification for running Resolver One is a Pentium 4 at 2GHz 
  with 512Mb RAM. We recommend a Pentium 4 at 3GHz with 1Gb if you're running Windows XP or 
  2Gb if you're running Windows Vista.

  Does Resolver One work under MacOS or Linux?

  Not right now, but it is something we're looking at. In particular, we have been able to get 
  the Resolver One Web Server running on Linux using Mono internally; we will post instructions 
  on how to do this soon.

You can run a windows instance on EC2 or similar for $.12 per hour, and connect to it with rdesktop. Personally, I find this better than trying to run things under Mono, etc: I can use resource-intensive applications from my laptop without roasting my thighs.

Sounds like an interesting option for developers who would like other people to try out non-trivial Windows applications like Resolver One in a safe way: put a trial version of your app on a public AMI for anyone to use.

VirtualBox in seamless mode is your friend. That's how I've my IronPython and F# set up on OSX.

I wonder how effective a prize like this is for marketing? I've been considering doing a prize for http://utilitymill.com. I certainly couldn't do 25K, but maybe $500. Would that be enough to entice people? Think it would be worth it?

I don't see a lot of legal stuff for this resolver prize. Is that not really necessary?

putting python code in spreadsheet files?

sounds like a security nightmare unless they sandbox with pypy.

What's the commercial thinking behind the giveaway?

How do these guys make money?

a) Every new sale gets them $200, much more for the bells-and-whistles financial version. It won't take many sales to make back the prize money.

b) It's being used largely inside organizations, which need a push to share what they're doing with resolver. [I'm in this situation: I've done some cool things with resolver, but been asked not to talk about them. I may use the prospect of prize money to nudge my client into loosening up on the secrecy]

c) It's a very good piece of software. People trying out the app are likely to come away loving it.

d) Potential customers may be worried about buying something with a small user-base. A competition like this makes the number of existing users more visible, and maybe draws in new ones.

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