I understand that GCJ admins want to make the contest inclusive of all (or atleast major) languages, which is why they test in them. Before, Python competitors could compile and run in pypy, (and this is available in most major OJ platforms,) but now since 2018 we have lost that option.
It's now a major disadvantage to participate in Python in two ways, and these ways did not exist since GCJ started. First, it usually requires to code the best possible solution in problems where multiple solutions like O(N^2), O(N log N), O(N) exist. Second, because testing is done and time limits are set to ensure all major languages *can* pass, it allows for unintended solutions to also pass in C++. When this happens, it allows contestants to AC a large input as if it were a small input (ie. a brute force or other substantially easier solution will pass), which hurts the competition. Case in point, N*N*D*D dp solution passing in Round 2, Problem B. Before, the argument was presented by staff that it's a skill to know more languages, because eg. 'Python handles big numbers better than C++' (not my words), so a person who competes in more languages has an advantage, and therefore there is an equality of opportunity. I don't totally buy that explanation, but also more importantly I think it's irrelevant to the argument. In a competition setting I would always compile my code in Pypy, and not having that option both warps the setting of the problems (the time limit is raised to allow Python) as well as significantly discourages the use of Python (disadvantaged in two ways as described above). This also impacts beginners a lot more than experts, which hurts the growth and interest in the competition. I feel if one of the stated goals is to allow Python, and not move to a more traditional "two-tier" contest (where only C++/Java are guaranteed to be solveable or even allowed), [and which I do believe it is a goal of GCJ admins], then it is a much better policy to allow users to submit in Pypy. I understand there's other concerns too, but overall this post is already getting too long so I'll leave it here. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Google Code Jam" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/google-code/65b3aa8b-5c62-414b-834e-1a680f1a70a8%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
