That’s if you want to be an FAI developer and on the Final Programming Team of the End of the World, not if you want to work for SIAI in any capacity whatsoever. If you’re writing to myself, rather than Anna, then yes, mentioning e.g. the International Math Olympiad will help to get my attention. (Though I’m certain the document does need updating—I haven’t looked at it myself in a long while.)
It does kinda give the impression that a) donors and b) programmers are all that SIAI has a use for, though. It mentions that if you want to help but aren’t a genius, sure, you can be a donor, or you can see if you get into a limited number of slots for non-genius programmers, but that’s it.
I’m also one of the people who’s been discouraged from the thought of being useful for SIAI by that document, though. (Fortunately people have afterwards been giving the impression I might be of some use after all. Submitted an application today.)
Anna, and in general the Vassarian lineage, are more effective cooperators than I am. The people who I have the ability to cooperate with, form a much more restricted set than those who they can cooperate with.
That’s if you want to be an FAI developer and on the Final Programming Team of the End of the World, not if you want to work for SIAI in any capacity whatsoever. If you’re writing to myself, rather than Anna, then yes, mentioning e.g. the International Math Olympiad will help to get my attention. (Though I’m certain the document does need updating—I haven’t looked at it myself in a long while.)
It does kinda give the impression that a) donors and b) programmers are all that SIAI has a use for, though. It mentions that if you want to help but aren’t a genius, sure, you can be a donor, or you can see if you get into a limited number of slots for non-genius programmers, but that’s it.
I’m also one of the people who’s been discouraged from the thought of being useful for SIAI by that document, though. (Fortunately people have afterwards been giving the impression I might be of some use after all. Submitted an application today.)
Anna, and in general the Vassarian lineage, are more effective cooperators than I am. The people who I have the ability to cooperate with, form a much more restricted set than those who they can cooperate with.
I once had that impression too, almost certainly in part from SYWTBASAIP.
FWIW, I and almost everyone outside SIAI who I’ve discussed it with have had this misconception; in my case, SYWTBASAIP did support it.