DM Tests

ID:135201
 
Dec 22 2004, 9:53 am (Edited on Dec 22 2004, 9:59 am)
Just a random idea I had:

How about DM tests to test people's programming skills and you'd get a report back?

Yeah no not the best of my ideas...

Note: A little feedback on my Pager topic wouldn't hurt.
Dec 22 2004, 9:55 am
Uh?

There already is one...can't remember who made it.

Kunark, or someone.
Dec 22 2004, 9:57 am
In response to Elation
I dont know what you're talking about but I mean DM tests that could be held on a regular basis by BYOND's programming staff.
Dec 22 2004, 10:01 am
In response to DeathAwaitsU
Oh, right, that's slightly different.

I dunno.
Would they have time?
Dec 22 2004, 11:07 pm
In response to DeathAwaitsU
what 'BYOND programming staff' ? you have Dan and Tom who build the engine, and they've even admitted that some of the stuff people have created was beyond their expectations to some extent. and you have Mike H, Lummox Jr., and Deadron, who tinker about and try to push out the next version(s). i really do not think they have the time to stop and test people on their programming skills.
Dec 23 2004, 10:03 am
In response to digitalmouse
digitalmouse wrote:
...Lummox Jr. ...

JR, not Jr.

Lummox JR
Dec 23 2004, 10:10 am
DeathAwaitsU wrote:
Just a random idea I had:

How about DM tests to test people's programming skills and you'd get a report back?

Yeah no not the best of my ideas...

Actually this strikes me as a very interesting idea. I don't know if "tests" would be the right approach but I think you're on the right track with some kind of learning feedback tool.

I can think of two ways to help with that sort of thing:

  • A set of exercises, each describing a problem to solve. The learner could try their hand at the problem, and then see some of the right and wrong answers. I.e., "Write a basic DeathCheck() proc that checks if a mob has been killed. If killed it should award 1 point to the killer and delete the victim." The wrong answers would include assigning DeathCheck() to the killer instead of the victim, and applying usr.
  • A basic "code review" in which a developer shows their code to an advanced user, and can be told how to improve their skills based on that. Unlike a debugging session this would simply offer some tips for improving technique or avoiding common mistakes. The phrase "No put usr in proc. Ungh." would come out a lot.

    Note: A little feedback on my Pager topic wouldn't hurt.

    I'll check on it.

    Lummox JR
Dec 23 2004, 1:15 pm
In response to Lummox JR
Feedback: yes. Test: no.

I think it would be great if it was used as a way for developers to get feedback on their abilities, but the questions would have to be linear enough to be checked by a computer because as we all know, the BYOND Staff has much better things they could/should be doing, such as reviewing projects and deleting hub entries. Also, it can't be used as a test of any sort, because if it were, it would incredibly easy to cheat on it.
Dec 23 2004, 11:51 pm
In response to digitalmouse
Ok fine then people who are known to not make novice mistakes, like One Fish Down? Considering they voluteer ofcourse.
Dec 26 2004, 7:09 pm
In response to Wizkidd0123
Wizkidd0123 wrote:
Feedback: yes. Test: no.

I think it would be great if it was used as a way for developers to get feedback on their abilities, but the questions would have to be linear enough to be checked by a computer because as we all know, the BYOND Staff has much better things they could/should be doing, such as reviewing projects and deleting hub entries. Also, it can't be used as a test of any sort, because if it were, it would incredibly easy to cheat on it.

A multiple-choice quiz that pulls questions from a large database would work. The computer would just have to check if A, B, C, or D was the correct answer for that question.

Concerning cheating, there shouldn't be any. If you do good on the quiz, you yourself will know that you did good on the quiz. It's not like a test for a class where the mark counts, or a test for something like an MSCE certification. There's nothing to be gained by cheating.
Dec 27 2004, 3:49 am
In response to Jon88
Jon88 wrote:
Concerning cheating, there shouldn't be any. If you do good on the quiz, you yourself will know that you did good on the quiz. It's not like a test for a class where the mark counts, or a test for something like an MSCE certification. There's nothing to be gained by cheating.

Ya, that's what I was saying. What I meant by n"It can't be a test of any sort" was that it can't actually mean anything; it can't count for anything or to anyone.
Dec 27 2004, 6:05 am
In response to Wizkidd0123
Wizkidd0123 wrote:
Jon88 wrote:
Concerning cheating, there shouldn't be any. If you do good on the quiz, you yourself will know that you did good on the quiz. It's not like a test for a class where the mark counts, or a test for something like an MSCE certification. There's nothing to be gained by cheating.

Ya, that's what I was saying. What I meant by n"It can't be a test of any sort" was that it can't actually mean anything; it can't count for anything or to anyone.

It counts for the person taking the test. What else matters?

Do we really need something like "<s>Microsoft</s>Dantom Certified Software Engineers"? :P
Dec 27 2004, 6:23 am
In response to Jon88
Jon88 wrote:
It counts for the person taking the test. What else matters?

Do we really need something like "<s>Microsoft</s>Dantom Certified Software Engineers"? :P

Yup: That's exactly what I meant :D