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Optimising Compilers competition
Computer Laboratory > Course material 2005-06 > Optimising Compilers > Optimising Compilers competition

Optimising Compilers Competition
2005-06


This year, we are offering a Playstation Portable games console to the student who produces the best optimiser for a simple 32-bit register machine using the techniques presented in the Optimising Compilers course. This page describes the rules of the contest.

For more information, and to get started on your entry for the competition, download the software (accessible from cam.ac.uk machines only) and read the included documentation.

UPDATE, 13/02/2006: The documentation has been updated with corrections. Please make sure you've got the newest version (or have seen what's changed).

UPDATE, 09/03/2006: The competition is now closed to entries.

UPDATE, 14/03/2006: Congratulations to Robert Norton for winning the competition! The code used to judge the entries is now available here.

Rules

  1. Contestants must be undergraduate students studying the Computer Science Tripos in the 2005-2006 academic year.
  2. Contestants must submit their own version of 'Optimise.java' by the end of the penultimate lecture of the course (Thursday 9th March).
  3. The judges will run each optimiser against a sample program of their choosing. The optimiser which produces the best* output shall be the winner.
  4. In the event of a tie, the judges may run the optimiser against further sample programs, or may at their sole discretion distribute a number of smaller prizes to the winners in lieu of the main prize.
  5. The judges' decision is final.
* see the "Writing Your Optimiser" section of the documentation for the definition of best.

How to enter

Send a brief email to tom.stuart@cl.cam.ac.uk to register your interest in participating; this will render you eligible to submit your entry at the end of the course, as well as allowing us to allocate time for the judging of your entry and to contact you if there is any additional information related to the competition or its software (rule clarifications, bug fixes etc). UPDATE, 09/03/2006: The competition is now closed to entries.

Acknowledgements

This competition was made possible by a generous donation of code and prize by Eben Upton, Podfun Ltd.