Online FAQ (updated 3/4/2021 @11:30am)

• What is the contest environment?
  • A virtual machine (VM) using Ubuntu will be provided that contains the contest image. This image includes all compilers, IDEs, tools, and PC^2.
  • The virtual machine will be hosted via Amazon Web Services (AWS). Each team will be assigned a single VM. To connect to the VM you will need a remote desktop cllient (Microsoft Remote Desktop is preferred and is available for free for Windows and Mac OS).
• Can the VM be installed locally?
  • Yes. Students may install the VM on their machine if they wish. Note that the machine needs to be capable of running the VM. If students choose to install the VM locally, it is up to them to figure out how to run it on their machine. Please see the main page of this website for a link to the VM image and how to install/use it.
• Can a team compete without using the contest VM?
  • You must use the VM for the contest if at all possible. This ensures all contestants have access to the same contest image and materials. Furthermore the image will contain software to monitor activity to ensure the integrity of the contest is maintained. More specifically there will be screen captures that occur periodically that can be reviewed post-contest as necessary. If you are unable to access the cloud hosted VM and get reasonable responsiveness AND if you are unable to run the VM on your local machine, you can work outside of the VM (on your personal machine and OS) and submit to PC^2 (our contest control system) via your preferred web browser.
  • To work outside the VM you must make clear to the systems team that you are unable to use either version of the VM (cloud based or local install). If you work outside of the VM we cannot provide support for any problems you may have during the contest. This especially includes code your wrote, compiled, and ran outside the VM that does not work when you submit to PC^2.
• How many students per team?
  • 3
• Does each team member get to work on their own machine?
  • Yes
• How will each team member submit solved problems?
  • Each team will be given a single PC^2 account. All three team members will login to this single account and submit accordingly. PC^2 supports multiple logins to the same account.
• Can multiple file solutions be submitted to PC^2?
  • No. PC^2 accepts single file submissions only
• What should I do if I have a question about one of the problems I am working on in the contest?
  • Use the PC^2 Clarification system to inquire about that problem
• What should I do if I am having a problem with my VM (either local or cloud)?
  • State your problem in the chat section of the Zoom meeting for the contest. One of our systems people will help you as soon as they are able.
• Is internet access allowed during the contest?
  • Yes. You may use the internet to search, access files from Github, etc.
  • You are NOT allowed access to any 'sentient' help. This includes humans and any problem-solving programs/AI.
• Can we copy/paste code from websites for use with our solutions?
  • Yes.
• Is accessing local files/code and copying them into the VM legal?
  • Yes.
• How will students communicate with one another during the contest?
  • Each team may communicate in any fashion they wish. Discord, Zoom, Slack, or any other platform a team is comfortable with is acceptable.
• Is file sharing between team members allowed?
  • Absolutely. If a team uses the assigned VM in AWS, file sharing will be relatively straightforward since all work will be done on the same VM/image. There is even a shared folder you can place files in on the VM. Teams are also welcome to use any file sharing tools they are familiar with.
• Is the shared folder on the local VM connected to the shared folder on the cloud VM?
  • No. There is no connection between the two. You will need to find another way to share files with your team members if one person is working in the cloud and another is working from a local VM.
• What security features will be in place for the contest?
  • The contest image will have screen capture software. These captures can be reviewed as necessary to ensure the work a team does is its own and not obtained from someone outside the team that is solving problems. Please understand that any activity you perform in the VM will be recorded. 
  • The PacNW contest reserves the right to interview teams about problems solved post-contest to ensure the problems were solved by the team and not someone outside the contest.