Yeah, this is similar to how I got into the game. Just thinking about it in my spare time for fun.
From your and others’ comments, it sounds like a prize for best work isn’t the best use of money. It’s better to spend money on getting more people into the game. In that case it probably shouldn’t be a competition: beginners need gradual rewards, not one-shot high stakes. Something like a more flat subsidy for studying and mentoring could work better. Thank you for making me realize that! I’ll try to talk about it with folks.
Yeah, this is similar to how I got into the game. Just thinking about it in my spare time for fun.
From your and others’ comments, it sounds like a prize for best work isn’t the best use of money. It’s better to spend money on getting more people into the game. In that case it probably shouldn’t be a competition: beginners need gradual rewards, not one-shot high stakes. Something like a more flat subsidy for studying and mentoring could work better. Thank you for making me realize that! I’ll try to talk about it with folks.
I also think surveying applicants might be a good idea, since my experience may not be representative.