How You Can Be Part of the Future of Computing

Posted on April 11, 2014 by XRDS Staff

With 50 years of history behind IBM’s mainframe computers, these powerful machines are here to stay. IBM has been making a continuous push to encourage industry and educational institutions to adopt this technology, and provide more educational tools and resources to teach mainframe computing.

In celebration of IBM’s Mainframe 50^th Anniversary, this year’s Master the Mainframe competition was one of a kind. This was not only the first World Championship, but a record number of students participated—about 20,000 students from all over the world competed over a three-month period. Those who qualified completed all three stages of the competition; but only the top 43 contestants with the highest scores were invited to the World Championship. Continue reading →

Yong-Siang Dominates at the 2014 IBM Competition

Posted on April 9, 2014 by XRDS Staff

…and we have a new IBM Mainframe World Champion!

On Tuesday April 8th, all six student finalists were officially introduced during the IBM Mainframe50 event; and the final results were delivered to a NYC audience that could not wait to meet the winners. Yes, it was a tight competition and all 40 contestants are already winners. Here we leave you with the top three. Continue reading →

2014 IBM Master the Mainframe World Championship

Posted on April 7, 2014 by XRDS Staff

4/7/14, 10:30am: Mainframe 50th Anniversary

Only the highest scored students have the opportunity to participate in the IBM Master the Mainframe World Championship. In this competition, 43 student contestants from five continents, will compete for the grand prize of mainframe computing, which has 50 years of history behind it. This two-day event will be taking place in New York City, April 7-8, and XRDS will be there covering every detail live for you. Continue reading →

2012 ICPC World Finals

Posted on May 18, 2012 by XRDS Staff

Students from St. Petersburg State University of Information Technology, Mechanices & Optics take the Gold at IBM-Sponsored ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest.

Out of 112 universities from around the world, St. Petersburg State University of IT, Mechanics & Optics emerges as winner of “World’s Smartest Trophy”

The Winning Team - Andrey Stankevich (Coach), Eugeny Kapun (Contestant), Mikhail Kever (Contestant), Niyaz Nigmatullin (Contestant)

The competition begins…

Once a team solves a problem a balloon is tied to their workstation as a visual indicator of who has solved the most problems. Each problem has a certain color balloon. There are also live scoreboards projected on the wall, however during the last hour of competition the scoreboards are frozen so contestants don’t know the exact standings!

Top 12 Finishers

The Ending

The reading of results had everyone on the edge of their seats. It was announced that the University of Warsaw had successfully solved 9 problems, moving them ahead of St. Petersburg State University of IT, Mechanics & Optics however St. Petersburg still had one question to be resolved.

After moments of heart pounding anticipation the last problem was resolved and it turned out that St. Petersburg State University of IT, Mechanics & Optics had also solved 9 questions and since their time was 337 minutes shorter they became the first place World Champions!

About the Contest

The contest challenges students to solve the most computer programming problems in the least amount of time. Demonstrating their elite problem solving and programming skills, St. Petersburg State University of IT, Mechanics & Optics successfully solved nine problems in five hours. The World Champions will return home with “The World’s Smartest Trophy,” as well as awards and a guaranteed offer of employment or internship with IBM.

“This is a sport. Many teams go to camps specifically to train; it’s mental gymnastics.”
– Sal Vella of IBM

Problem Set of the 2012 ICPC Finals, click here.
Official Results of the 2012 ICPC Finals, click here.