Doubts/Question: Is this a legit contest?

[TheCotMan]

Talk to DT , Pyr0, Neil or Nikita about this as a contest at Defcon. It won't get any forum or citation on the main site without some nod from one of them.

I have heard nothing about this being a contest this year, so my first thought is that this is a scam or some sort of marketing/commercial thing.

* You pick a day when few people even use the forums as most people are at defcon
* I've heard nothing about this from any of the above people... not that I get all the information about contests, but if it was a go and then canceled I would probably have heard about the first part before it was canceled.
* It is a "last minute" addition

All of these add up to increased suspicion that this is not on the up-and-up.

If this they say it is a contest, I will create a forum, and set the announcements about it, but I'll have doubts about this as a contest until that happens.

[ishtr]

Re: Ricketts Sniffing/Trivia Contest

I believe this is intended as a completely unofficial contest which is not requiring any support from the Defcon staff and is organized/supported by the Ricketts people (I'm the one who agreed to toss in a prize.) I'll grab Jeff when he has a free moment on this busy day but no one is asking for anyone's money or private info. I don't expect many people to be on the forum...I've been chatting with people in line today who seem lonely/not part of you "cool kids".

It should be considered a completely unofficial contest aimed primarily to provide some fun for people who are intimidated or can't commit to longer Contests.

Anyway, sorry for any confusion. Feel free to PM if you have questions/complaint.

[TheCotMan]

Re: Ricketts Sniffing/Trivia Contest

I believe this is intended as a completely unofficial contest which is not requiring any support from the Defcon staff and is organized/supported by the Ricketts people (I'm the one who agreed to toss in a prize.) I'll grab Jeff when he has a free moment on this busy day but no one is asking for anyone's money or private info. I don't expect many people to be on the forum...I've been chatting with people in line today who seem lonely/not part of you "cool kids".

It should be considered a completely unofficial contest aimed primarily to provide some fun for people who are intimidated or can't commit to longer Contests.

Anyway, sorry for any confusion. Feel free to PM if you have questions/complaint.

Get Jeff to give an "OK" and I'll make a forum for this. (He has many ways to reach me.)

[TheCotMan]

Re: Ricketts Sniffing/Trivia Contest

I believe this is intended as a completely unofficial contest which is not requiring any support from the Defcon staff and is organized/supported by the Ricketts people (I'm the one who agreed to toss in a prize.) I'll grab Jeff when he has a free moment on this busy day but no one is asking for anyone's money or private info. I don't expect many people to be on the forum...I've been chatting with people in line today who seem lonely/not part of you "cool kids".

It should be considered a completely unofficial contest aimed primarily to provide some fun for people who are intimidated or can't commit to longer Contests.

Anyway, sorry for any confusion. Feel free to PM if you have questions/complaint.

Jules contacted Pyr0 to get this listed as a contest. Pyr0 said this contest is ok to take place but should be treated as unofficial. I have the confirmation I need to make a forum for this contest. Since this forum has a contest, forum members finding this listed will know that one of the people at Defcon that can give contests/events a green light has done so and it is known by at least one goon or Defcon Staff member.

I strongly suggest that you start work on this early for Defcon 19 if you plan to return. Best time to really state your intentions is around December/January. I ask for what contests or events will return and make forums for those that are returning on the assumption leaders/organizers will get an OK from one of the Defcon people that can green-light a contest/event.

...I've been chatting with people in line today who seem lonely/not part of you "cool kids".

You have me confused with someone else. I am not one of the cool kids, and never have been. Even among misfits, I am a misfit. Plan earlier next time and you won't have such a rocky start and people will actually know about your contest, and you could probably even see it in the program and mentioned on the main Defcon 19 website when Defcon 19 arrives next year.

Here is what will happen:
1) This thread will be moved into a new forum for this contest, and the URL for the forum is https://forum.defcon.org/forumdisplay.php?f=534 and this URL is a "permalink" for this contest during Defcon 18 and only Defcon 18. If you come back for Defcon 19 and let us know your are returning earlier enough, a new forum and URL will be a "permalink" for that year Defcon and contest. In this way, we contain each year's events in their own forum to avoid confusion.

2) A "redirect" will exist in the old location for 1 week to allow you to find where this thread has moved.

3) I will split my worries and comments about how this does not look like a legit contest off from this thread and replace it with one reply from me stating that Pyr0 gave an OK. The rest of the posts as former replies will be split into a new thread and closed to deny anyone future opportunity to reply, except other mods.

Good luck in running your contest.
-Cot