The Prize #3

[tom <tdroege2@earthlink.net>]

I now have enough that have shown interest that I plan to go ahead with the 
prize.

I will put the money in escrow so that your good work will be rewarded in the 
case that something happens to me before the end of the project.  I will also 
find someone to judge the result.  I now have contacts with Astronomers at 
Fermilab that should be suitable as disinterested experts.

I hope that those of you that are interested will debate the rules here on the 
list.  To give some indication of what I am after:

1) There should be a significant improvement in the tass survey data.
Something like that indicated in TN100 would be satisfactory to me.  I will 
work this out in more detail later if some of you don't come up with a good 
definition of success.
2) No improvement, no prize.  This is not a "best effort" prize.  You have to 
achieve something.
3) Collaborations are allowed.  You enter as a single person and make your own 
deals as to the division of the prize money.
4) I reserve the right to drop the contest up until the time the money is put 
in escrow.  After that the contest is on.  I expect do this by the first of 
the year.  
5) The probable period of the contest is Jan 1 to Dec 31 2005.
6) The improvement must be real.  We Will figure out a way to test the result.  
In other words, no hidden code that makes the result look good.
7) A description of the algorithm used is required.  Fully documented code is 
not required.  This is supposed to be fun.  But documentation is encouraged.  
8) A submission consists of the code, the result, and a procedure that allows 
the entire tass survey to be processed in a reasonable time.  
9) We hope you will put your code under the gnu license but it is not 
required.  You just have to give permission to process the tass survey with 
it.  
10) It has to be your code or stitched together public domain code.  
11) I will set up a way that you can verify that the prize is really in escrow 
before you start work.  
12) I will send out data sets as needed.  The .cal files are widely available.  
The images will be made available as requested.  But within reason.  
13) The method can use either the .cal files (preferred because it is easier) 
or the dark subtracted and flat fielded images.
14) The winner will have unrestricted bragging rights for their result.  While 
it would be nice to put the result under the gnu license, if you develop 
something that has commercial profit, you are welcome to it provided tass 
gets the use the result.
15) I will set a deadline to enter.  Say 1 Dec. 2004.
16) Entry does not obligate you to do anything, but once you submit a solution 
and win, tass has the right to use it.
17) The contest is open only to those who convince me that I want them to be 
in it.  It is not open to the general public.    

OK, this is enough for a start.

Just send e-mail to the list with suggested additional rules.  I will add them 
to the list and then later delete as many as we agree on to make the contest 
as simple as possible.

Tom Droege