Several days ago, when I was participating in Code Chef March Challenge 2020, I found this announcement here:
CodeChef gives cash prizes to the top 2 global contestants, so, does "double the number of prizes" apply to cash prizes as well?
With this doubt, I sent an email to CodeChef, and received this:
When I got this reply, I was at rank 3. Since he said "The number of cash prizes will be double", which sounded like top 1~4 will get cash prizes, I thought I didn't need to optimize my solution in order to win the cash prize.
After the final ranking was out, I was still rank 3, so I sent another email to confirm that I would get the cash prize, but this time the reply was different:
This time, he said "The cash prize will not get doubled", which is completely different from the first reply. What's more, these two replies are from the same person!
I asked him why he said "The number of cash prizes will be double", but he asked me to provide a screenshot:
I certainly have the screenshot, as you can see above. So I provided the screenshot, and here are his replies:
He said "When the contest was on, was it mentioned anywhere on the website that this is applicable on the cash prize?", but I can infer it from "This is applicable across all category winners". Perhaps "all category" is ambiguous, but I have asked him for confirmation.
I know this could be a careless fault, I'm not eager for the money, but his attitude — "Was it? Not right? No further discussion" — annoyed me, so I sent him one more email for a reasonable explanation, and this is his final reply:
Do you think this is a reasonable reply?
UPD: Glad that CodeChef replied to me, I do accept that apology, also we had put aside some misunderstanding between us. So I feel good now, thanks CodeChef for a quick reply this time.
When it comes to Codechef, the lack of professionalism is no longer surprising. It is a great initiative, but the realization is at least questionable. I wonder what Mr. Turakhia thinks about Codechef now.
Definitely extremely irritating and unprofessional responses from that person. I've won a prize before and worked as a tester multiple times and the experience with Codechef really varies a lot. Overall, though, I'd say they have a lot of people that genuinely work really hard. I've had no dealings with this person specifically, though.
It's clear that they won't be giving these extra cash prizes, but I think it'd be fair for you to get a proper apology from this person or from someone more senior on his behalf. His logic is ridiculous and his manners insulting.
I hope some of the people who work in Codechef and are active on Codeforces give this a closer look.
So true. I worked so hard to earn Codechef t-shirt and eventually I ordered it 2 years ago. Though, didn't receive any t-shift from Codechef yet [blog] :(
I'm aware that it's been said already, but just to re-iterate:
Why are you surprised? It's Codechef that we're talking about.
Atleast they are not doing this.
What is wrong with the crowdfunding campaign from a non-profit organization?
Yea, they do worse by spamming everywhere with ccdsap certification and not returning money now that it's cancelled.
Several months ago I send a email because I won laddus and didn't receive it, after the third email finally I get my laddus, currently I won laddus on two more contest and never received it I send another email and I never receive a reply, it's very annoying the situation.. So I decided ignore all that come from codechef, sometimes I participate in a contest but just for fun.
Totally off topic, but the battle between you and me over the challenge problem was so intense and hilarious. The order between us changed 3-4 times during the last two days alone, you optimized your code by 1 point (out of a magnitude of 6000), then I optimized mine by 2 points and then you managed to tie it up in the so called "tie-breaker" problem! XD
Anyhow, congratulations on the final third rank.
Thank you.
I think so too,and I think this battle was really interesting
I am very sorry about this. The replies you got are absolutely unacceptable, and we will ensure that our communication is never this rude again, particularly when we are clearly at fault.
As for the issue in itself, the announcements should definitely have mentioned that it is for the laddu prizes only. And the first reply that you got should obviously not have had wrong info, which seems to have been because of some communication gap within our team. Apologies for that as well. This has been a major mess up, and will hopefully not repeat.
Also, in future situations, it would help if you don't send 5 emails with the same content in a span of 4 hours. It wasn't even a time-sensitive issue, as the contest had already ended, and sending repetitive emails in such a short period doesn't help anyone. The only effect it has, is to overwhelm the support team.
That said, this still does not excuse our replies. So apologizes again, for that.
Sorry, I wasn't intended to do that. In fact, that was possibly a bug of mail system that sent multiple emails automatically. Apologize sincerely if that was the reason Merrick got impatient because it's also my fault.
Ohk! We checked now, and it doesn't seem to an issue on our end. We have received 5 independent emails from you in that duration. But glad this particular misunderstanding was resolved!
Also, in future situations, it would help if you don't send so many emails regarding CCDSAP in a span of few days. It isn't even a time-sensitive issue, sending repetitive emails in such a short period doesn't help anyone. The only effect it has, is to overwhelm us.
The email I sent was "Please reply that feedback" because I found that you will ignore my reply unless I do that.
If I got a reply in time, why I had to send emails like this?
Sorry, but I wasn't replying to you. This reply is for CodeChef.
I'm so sorry that I misunderstood what you mean.
Now I realize what you mean, and I do agree with you.
In the words of a certain drunk lawyer: HOW EMBARASSING.