R100 000 Extra Prize Money for the Computer Olympiad

Python is the language that Mark Shuttleworth used to write the security software that eventually enabled him to sell his company for millions of Rands.

Mark Shuttleworth wishes other young people to become familiar with Python. To encourage them, Mr Shuttleworth has kindly made available an extra R100 000 in prize money for Python users in this year’s Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad.

The top participants in the Third Round using Python will receive the following prizes – over and above any prizes awarded for coming among the top 6 in South Africa.

Top Python user: R30 000

No 2 and 3 Python users: R20 000 each

No 4, 5 and 6 Python users: R10 000 each

To get the Python prizes:
1. The school must take part in the First and Second Round.
2. The participant must take part in the Third Round.
3. The participant must be one of the top six Python users in the Third Round.

Python can be downloaded free of charge from www.python.org All schools taking part in the First Round of the Computer Olympiad will receive a free Python CD so that they can provide the language to interested learners.

Entry to the Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad is free. The First Round will be held on 17 April. Not sure if you have entered? Duplicate entries are not a problem (we regard them as entries with back-up copies).

Please complete the entry form elsewhere on this site, or mail your school’s details to info@olympiad.org.za or fax 021-447-8410 or phone 021-448-7864.

Free Python CD for Computer Olympiad Schools

Schools which enter the First Round of the Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad will receive a free CD with the computer language Python on it, with the compliments of The Shuttleworth Foundation.

Python is an Open Source language which is available free of charge. It is a serious developmental tool used by amongst others: Google, NASA, and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). It is the language that Mark Shuttleworth used to write the security software that eventually enabled him to sell his company for millions.

The First Round of the Computer Olympiad does not require the use of a computer or a computer language. It is in fact an aptitude test to see if learners have talent for computer programming. This round takes place at participating schools on 17 April.

The reason many schools want the Python CD is that learners need to use a computer language for the Second Round – any computer language – including Python. More information about Python can be found at www.python.org

Participation in the Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad is free. Not sure if you have entered? Duplicate entries are not a problem (we regard them as entries with back-up copies).

Please complete the entry form elsewhere on this site, or mail your school’s details to info@olympiad.org.za or fax to 021-447-8410 or phone 021-448-7864.

How to win Python Prizes

There are two ways of getting into the Final Round:

1. Be one of the top participants in the Second Round – irrespective of language used.
2. Be one of the top participants in the Second Round using Python. The top Python users will be invited to the Final Round, even if they do not qualify under 1 above.

Once a participant has been invited to take part in the Final Round, he/she can switch languages as they please. They will have 3 months to become familiar with the language of their choice. However, only those who use Python in the Final Round will qualify for the Python prizes.