New extension policy

[lstkz]

Our current policy: https://apps.topcoder.com/forums/?module=Announcement&annID=2626

Some copilots and PMs don't respect it, and they grant 6h - 12h extensions or they grant extensions without any reason. It would be good to redefine it.

[ThomasKranitsas]

IMO some rules that should be clearly mentioned in the new Extension policy are:

1. When someone can request a timeline extension.
2. When an objection to an extension request should be accepted/rejected.
3. What is the minimum allowed extension. As @lsentkiewicz said above an extension of 6-12h would be unfair for some members due to timezone difference.

[lstkz]

My suggestion. We should keep the same rules as currently. The copilot can make exceptions only if the challenge is reposted.

[birdofpreyru]

I would vote for more flexibility: to allow copilot to extend challenge in a fair manner if he believes it is beneficial. Mostly because of the following situation: say I'm running a 5 days challenge, and there is no activity during the first tree days, while on the day 4 a member with good TC records shows up and start working on it having just 2 days left, and then he asks for one day prolongation. In such situation it looks a way more reasonable just to prolongate and get a resonable move of the project forward in 1 day, than reposting, thus shifting the project timeline by 5 days.

[birdofpreyru]

Also if everybody actively participating agrees upon that 1 extra day is resonable and fair, why not to grant it?

[lstkz]

@birdofpreyru

I would vote for more flexibility: to allow copilot to extend challenge in a fair manner if he believes it is beneficial.

So it means "I can do whatever I want." Even if some member objects an extension, you can grant it because it can be "beneficial."

while on the day 4 a member with good TC records shows up

Rules should be fair for all members. It's not important if they have good stats or are new members. I remember when I was starting competing at topcoder and copilots always granted extensions for known members, but always rejected my requests because I was new. Unfortunately, copilots don't care about new members. You can also see it in XRE challenges. You always get the extension for no reason or because you started "too late". Other new members always get rejected.

[birdofpreyru]

Rules should be fair for all members. It's not important if they have good stats or are new members.

Well, if a member is real newcomer, or never got a passing score in the past, I believe it is safe to assume that he won't contribute anything good for a present challenge, event if he promise to. If I deside between extension (+1-2 days delay of the project) and repost (+5 days delay), in such situation I would go with repost. It does not prevent that member to participate, and if he really can do the job great in the first 2 days of the reposted challenge - good for him!

Even if some member objects an extension, you can grant it because it can be "beneficial."

No, if somebody objects an extension, I agree, it should be prohibited.

[lstkz]

Well, if a member is real newcomer, or never got a passing score in the past, I believe it is safe to assume that he won't contribute anything good for a present challenge, event if he promise to.

Do you think bad members always stay bad and they will never improve?

Here is the example https://www.topcoder.com/members/whudhn/details/?track=DEVELOP&subTrack=CODE&tab=challenges He had bad history but was able to win a prize in the last 2 challenges. The copilot rejected all his extension requests in the past projects.

[birdofpreyru]

Ok. If history shows that a member has improved his skills, then it is fine to trust him.

[hokienick]

Talk with Mess and Cardillo to relook at the extension policies and post to help.topcoder.com

[hokienick]

https://apps.topcoder.com/wiki/display/TCU/Generic+Managing+Competitions#GenericManagingCompetitions-ExtendingaContest

[lstkz]

@hokienick These are existing rules. Will be there any changes or we keep current rules?

[f0rc0d3r]

Some copilots and PMs don't respect it, and they grant 6h - 12h extensions or they grant extensions without any reason. It would be good to redefine it.

What I see here is that there are existing rules which are not being applied properly so the question is: what can we do about that?

1 - Provide the link to rules in the contest details page: there should be some simple page to make everybody aware of basic rules such these.

2 - If someone requests for extension, copilot (being educated) or any other old member should paste the link for extension policy: the problem here is that old members could take this as an advantage because they know there will be no extension while new members will be losing time, so this task should be done by copilot.

3 - If the copilot receives the extension request and both client and all of the other participants agrees with extension, then extend 24h (due to timezones). If there is any valid submission in the system you should never allow an extension: this means that someone has been able to do the job.

4 - If the copilot extends the contest against rules.... we should define here what can be done because this can make the winner to change (no matter if is a new or an old member: we cannot track the knowledge of the contestants or make assumptions about it).

[hokienick]

@wdprice and I will be starting discussion of this on 07/05.

Final resting place for this item will reside in the Help Center.