Google Code-in Contest Rules for 2012
Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTEST: The Google Code-in Contest (the “Contest”) is designed to (1) encourage and inspire pre-university students to begin participating in open source development, (2) help open source projects identify and bring in new contributors, and (3) provide pre-university students interested in computer science and other fields with exposure to real-world software development, including coding work, documentation and open source community involvement. Google will work with various open source organizations (“Open Source Organizations”) to develop a list of tasks that Participants can attempt to complete (“Tasks”). Judges from each of the participating Open Source Organizations will choose winning entries in accordance with these Google Code-in Rules (“Contest Rules”) and prizes will be awarded to eligible winning Participants.
2. SPONSOR: The Contest is sponsored by Google Inc. (“Google”), a Delaware corporation with principal place of business at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA.
3. BINDING AGREEMENT: In order to enter the Contest, you must agree to these Contest Rules. Therefore, please read these Contest Rules prior to entry to ensure you understand and agree. You agree that submission of an entry in the Contest (“Entry) constitutes agreement to these Contest Rules. You may not submit an Entry to the Contest and are not eligible to receive the prizes described in these Contest Rules unless you agree to these Contest Rules. These Contest Rules form a binding legal agreement between you and Google with respect to the Contest.
4. ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open to individual students who are at least thirteen (13) years of age and no older than seventeen (17) years of age on November 26, 2012 who are currently enrolled in a pre-university, high school or secondary school program, and who have agreed to these Contest Rules (“Participants”). You must demonstrate the consent of a parent or legal guardian as well as written proof of age and proof of enrollment in a pre-university, high school or secondary school program in order to be eligible to participate in the contest. The Contest is not open to persons who are (1) residents of US embargoed countries (Cuba, Iran, Myanmar (Burma), North Korea, Sudan, or Syria), (2) ordinarily resident in such countries, or (3) otherwise prohibited by applicable export controls and sanctions. The Contest is also not open to residents of Brazil, Italy, Quebec, and Saudi Arabia. Employees, interns, contractors, and official office-holders (or immediate families thereof) of (1) Google or its affiliates, (2) participating Open Source Organizations or its affiliates, or (3) the Melange team administering the software for the Contest, are ineligible to participate in the Contest. “Immediate family” means parents, children, siblings, spouse or individual living in the same household. You must have access to the Internet and either have or sign up for a Google Account in order to enter.
5. CONTEST PERIOD: The Contest begins at 9:00:00 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) Zone in the United States on November 26, 2012 and ends at 9:00:00 A.M. PT on January 14, 2013. You are responsible for determining the corresponding time zone in your respective locations.
6. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES:
6.1 Sign in to your Google Account. If you do not have a Google Account, you can create one without charge from Google. If you already have a GMail address, you can just sign in to your GMail account.
6.2 You’ll need to sign up for a Melange profile as well. You can do so as soon as you are logged in at google-melange.com. You will need to attach your signed parental consent form and proof of enrollment in a pre-university program before your Melange Profile is complete. After the profile has been successfully uploaded you can then claim a Task.
6.3 Visit www.google-melange.com and follow the steps
below to enter:
a. Select a Task: In order to submit an Entry to the Contest, Participants must visit the Main Contest Page at http://www.google-melange.com/. Each of the the relevant Open Source Organizations will add to a list of Tasks on the “List all tasks” page for Participants to attempt to complete. Each Task will identify the problem, explain some general background information, set the time limit for the Task, and define the requirements that an Entry for that Task must meet in order to be designated as a Completed Entry. All tasks are worth 1 (one) point.
b. Claim a Task: You claim a Task by selecting “Request to claim the task” from the drop down menu on that Task. You cannot claim a Task that another Participant has claimed UNLESS that Task has been reopened as explained in subsection (d) below. Participants may claim only one Task at a time.
c. Submitting an Entry: Once you finish a Task you have claimed, you submit an Entry by uploading your original work product as an attachment and/or link to the Task. You may then, if you choose, select another Task to work on, claim it in the fashion set forth in subsection (b) above, and submit your Entry to that Task in the manner set forth in this subsection. Participants will be required to submit varying information, depending on the Task. Participants should review the specific instructions provided for the Task to determine what to submit.
d. Reopening a Task: Each Task has a time limit associated with it that is set forth in the Task description. The time period begins to run from when you claim the Task. If you claim a Task but do not submit an Entry for that Task within the allotted time period, you will receive a reminder via email. From the time the reminder is sent, you will have twenty-four (24) hours to either post an Entry or inform the Open Source Organization through a comment to the Task that you will not be posting an Entry. If you fail to post an Entry during the 24 hour extension period, the Open Source Organization will reopen the Task for other Participants, any of whom may claim the Task according to the procedure set forth in subsection (b).
e. Language: All Entries must be in English unless otherwise specified in the Task description. Entries in any other language will not be considered unless otherwise specified. Entries that are lewd, obscene, pornographic, racist, sexist, or otherwise inappropriate to the Contest will be disqualified at Google’s sole discretion.
7. JUDGING: Each Entry will be judged by a panel of experts (the “Judges”) associated with the Open Source Organization that defined the corresponding Task. Open Source Organizations will judge each Entry according to the following equally weighted factors: (1) creativity, (2) thoroughness, and (3) quality of work. Each Entry determined by the judges to be a successful completion of the relevant Task (i.e., meeting all stated requirements) will be deemed a Completed Entry. If a Participant wishes to challenge the Open Source Organization’s determination as to whether or not an Entry should qualify as a Completed Entry, he/she must do so through the email link provided on the Main Contest Page. In this event, Google will re-examine the relevant Entry and make a final determination, at its sole discretion, as to whether the Entry should be classified as a Completed Entry. The decision of Google in this matter is final and binding.
All points each Participant accrues (outlined in 6.3a) for each Open Source Organization will be given to the Judges of the Open Source Organization and they will evaluate the work of the five (5) highest scoring Participants for their Open Source Organization and will determine the two (2) Participants with the most comprehensive body of work and name those two (2) Participants the Grand Prize Winners for their Open Source Organization. In the event a potential Grand Prize Winner is disqualified for any reason, the eligible Participant the Open Source Organization picked as their runner up will be chosen as the Grand Prize Winner.
If two Open Source Organizations choose the same Grand Prize winner the Open Source Organization who submitted their Grand Prize Winner’s name to Google first will name that Participant the Grand Prize Winner for their Open Source Organization. The second Open Source Organization that named the same Participant as their Grand Prize Winner will then name their runner up Participant as the second Grand Prize Winner for their Open Source Organization.
In the event that no Completed Entries are received, no prizes will be awarded. Determinations of Judges are final and binding, except as set forth above. Winners will be notified by email and a list of Grand Prize winners will be posted on the Main Contest Page on or before February 4, 2013 for a period of at least 60 days.
8. PRIZES FOR COMPLETED ENTRIES: Each Participant submitting at least one (1) Completed Entry will receive one certificate with an approximate value of $2 USD (two U.S. dollars). For submitting three (3) Completed Entries a Participant will receive a t-shirt with an approximate value of $18 USD (eighteen U.S. dollars). Participants may submit as many Entries as they choose but each eligible Participant is limited to one certificate and one t-shirt in prizes. No prizes in excess of this limit will be awarded, unless the Participant is a Grand Prize Winner, in which case the provisions in Section 9 will apply.
9. PRIZES FOR GRAND PRIZE WINNERS: The Grand Prize Winners will receive a paid trip to Google’s Headquarters in Mountain View, California, USA in addition to any prizes awarded under Section 8. Each Grand Prize Winner will receive round-trip coach air transportation for himself/herself and one parent or legal guardian from the major airport nearest the Participant’s residence, hotel accommodations for two people for four nights, and all meals. Hotel accommodations will be arranged at a hotel of Google’s choice. Certain blackout dates apply. All other expenses not specified herein are the responsibility of the Grand Prize Winners.
10. TAXES: PAYMENTS TO POTENTIAL WINNERS ARE SUBJECT TO THE EXPRESS REQUIREMENT THAT THEY SUBMIT TO GOOGLE ALL DOCUMENTATION REQUESTED BY GOOGLE TO PERMIT IT TO COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE US, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN (INCLUDING PROVINCIAL) TAX REPORTING AND WITHHOLDING REQUIREMENTS. ALL PRIZES WILL BE NET OF ANY TAXES GOOGLE IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO WITHHOLD. ALL TAXES IMPOSED ON PRIZES ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNERS. In order to receive a prize, potential winners must submit the tax documentation requested by Google or otherwise required by applicable law, to Google or the relevant tax authority, all as determined by applicable law, including, where relevant, the law of the potential winner’s country of residence. The potential winner and his/her parent or legal guardian are responsible for ensuring that (s)he complies with all the applicable tax laws and filing requirements. If a potential winner fails to provide such documentation or comply with such laws, the prize may be forfeited and Google may, in its sole discretion, select an alternative potential winner.
11. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Google reserves the right to substitute an alternate prize of equal or greater value in the event all or part of a prize set forth above becomes unavailable. If a Grand Prize Winner is unable to attend the Grand Prize Trip due to required National School Exams Google reserves the right to offer an alternate prize. Prizes are awarded without warranty of any kind from Google, express or implied, without limitation, except where this would be contrary to federal, state, provincial, or local laws or regulations. All federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations apply. Submission of an Entry in this Contest constitutes agreement by the Participant to the terms and conditions of these Rules. Return of any prize/prize notification may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Any potential winner who cannot be contacted by email within 15 days of attempted first notification will forfeit his/her prize. Potential prize winner(s) and their parents/legal guardians will be required to sign and return an Affidavit or Declaration of Eligibility within 30 days following the date of the first attempted notification, and, in addition, Grand Prize Winners will be required to sign and return a Liability/Publicity Release within 7 days of announcing the Grand Prize Winners. Failure to comply within these time periods may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Travel companions of Grand Prize Winners must also execute a Publicity/Liability Release prior to ticketing and both Grand Prize Winners and companions must possess required travel documents (e.g. valid passport and visa if applicable) prior to ticketing. Once the travel schedule has been arranged, it cannot be altered and failure of a Grand Prize Winner to follow such schedule shall not obligate Google in any way to provide the winner with alternate arrangements. Google reserves the right to disqualify any Participant from the Contest if, in Google’s sole discretion, it reasonably believes that the Participant has attempted to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception, or other unfair playing practices or annoys, abuses, threatens or harasses any other Participants, Google, the Judges, or participating Open Source Organizations.
12. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: As between Google and the Open Source Organizations on the one hand and Participant on the other hand, the Participant retains ownership of all intellectual and industrial property rights (including moral rights) in and to the Entry that Participant had before submitting the Entry. As a condition of entry, Participant grants Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display any Entry that Participant submits to this Contest (1) for the purposes of allowing Google and the Judges to test and evaluate the Entry for purposes of the Contest, and (2) in connection with advertising and promotion via communication to the public or other groups, including, but not limited to the right to make screenshots, animations and video clips available for promotional purposes.
All Entries requiring the writing of code must be released by the Participant under the open source license specified by the applicable Open Source Organization in the manner appropriate to that open source license. If no license is specified by the Open Source Organization, the code must be released under an Open Source Initiative approved license of the Participant’s choice in the manner appropriate to the chosen license. All Entries not requiring the writing of code must be released by the Participant under the open content license specified by the applicable Open Source Organization in the manner appropriate to that open content license. If no such license is specified, the Entry must be released by the Participant under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License in the manner appropriate to that license.
All Entries (code and otherwise) must be submitted and published on the www.google-melange.com site as specified in Section 6. Participant may mirror code or other works on her/his personal infrastructure at her/his option and expense.
13. PRIVACY: Participants agree that personal data including, but not limited to, name, mailing address, phone number, and email address may be collected, processed, stored and otherwise used for the purposes of conducting and administering the Contest or to verify participation in the Contest if requested by Participant. This data may be transferred into the United States. Further, this data may also be used by Google to verify a Participant’s identity, postal address and telephone number in the event a Participant qualifies for any applicable prize as well as to deliver the applicable prize(s). Participants have the right to access, review, rectify or cancel any personal data held by Google in connection with the Contest by writing to Google (Attention: Open Source Programs Office) at the address listed in Section 2. If a Participant does not provide the required data when requested, that Participant’s Entries will be ineligible for any prizes. All information provided will be maintained in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policy, which Participants should read and understand, and will be used solely for the purpose of administering the Contest.
By accepting a prize, Participant agrees to the use by Google and its agencies of Participant’s name, country, and/or likeness and Entry for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.
For residents of the EU: pursuant to EU law pertaining to data collection and processing, you are informed that: the data controller is Google and the data recipients are Google and its agents; your data is collected for purposes of administration of the promotion and for marketing purposes; you have a right of access to and withdrawal of your personal data. You also have a right of opposition to the data collection, under certain circumstances. To exercise such right, you may write to Open Source Programs Office, Google Inc. 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Your personal data will be transferred to the U.S.
14. WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY: Participants warrant that their Entries are original and that they are the sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted Entries and that they have the right to submit the Entries in the Contest and grant all required licenses. Each Participant agrees not to submit any Entry that (1) infringes any third party proprietary rights, intellectual property rights, industrial property rights, personal or moral rights or any other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or confidentiality obligations; or (2) otherwise violates applicable U.S. law or the law of the Participant’s country of residence.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Participant indemnifies and agrees to keep indemnified Google at all times from and against any liability, claims, demands, losses, damages, costs and expenses resulting from any act, default or omission of the Participant and/or a breach of any warranty set forth herein. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Participant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Google, its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any and all claims, actions, suits or proceedings, as well as any and all losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or accruing from (a) any material uploaded or otherwise provided by the Participant that infringes any copyright, trademark, trade secret, trade dress, patent or other intellectual property right of any person or defames any person or violates their rights of publicity or privacy, (b) any misrepresentation made by the Participant in connection with the Contest; (c) any non-compliance by the Participant with these Official Rules; and (d) claims brought by persons or entities other than the parties to these Official Rules arising from or related to the Participants involvement with the Contest.
To the extent permitted by law, Participant agrees to hold Google, its respective directors, officers, employees and assigns harmless for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in the Contest and/or use or acceptance of any prize, except to the extent that any death or personal injury is caused by the negligence of Google.
15. ELIMINATION: Any false information provided within the context of the Contest by any Participant concerning identity, age, mailing address, telephone number, email address, ownership of right or non-compliance with these Official Rules or the like may result in the immediate elimination of the Participant from the Contest. Google further reserves the right to disqualify any Entry that it believes in its sole and unfettered discretion infringes upon or violates the rights of any third party, otherwise does not comply with these Official Rules, or violates U.S. or applicable local law in Participant’s country of residence.
16. INTERNET: Google is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission. Google is not responsible for theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of Entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind. Google is not responsible for inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive Entry information by Google on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site or any combination thereof, except to the extent that any death or personal injury is caused by the negligence of Google. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Google reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. Google further reserves the right to disqualify any Participant who tampers with the submission process or any other part of the Contest. Any attempt by a Participant to deliberately damage any Web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Google reserves the right to seek damages from any such Participant to the fullest extent of the applicable law.
17. NOT AN OFFER OR CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT: Under no circumstances shall the submission of an Entry into the Contest, the awarding of a prize, or anything in these Official Rules be construed as an offer or contract of employment with either Google or any participating Open Source Organization. You acknowledge that you have submitted your Entry voluntarily and not in confidence or in trust. You acknowledge that no confidential, fiduciary, agency or other relationship or implied-in-fact contract now exists between you and Google or the Open Source Organizations and that no such relationship is established by your submission of an Entry under these Rules.
18. FORUM AND RECOURSE TO JUDICIAL PROCEDURES: These Official Rules shall be governed by, subject to, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States of America, excluding all conflict of law rules. If any provision(s) of these Official Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect. To the extent permitted by law, the rights to litigate, seek injunctive relief or make any other recourse to judicial or any other procedure in case of disputes or claims resulting from or in connection with this Contest are hereby excluded, and all Participants expressly waive any and all such rights.
19. WINNER’S LIST: You may view a list of winners after February 4, 2013 by visiting http://www.google-melange.com.
The Google Code-in is a contest to introduce pre-university students to the many kinds of contributions that make open source software development possible. It runs from November 26, 2012 to January 14, 2013.
For many students the Google Code-in contest is their first introduction to open source development. For Google Code-in we work with open source organizations, each of whom has experience mentoring university students in the Google Summer of Code program, to provide “bite sized” tasks for participating students to complete.
These tasks include:
Code: Tasks related to writing or refactoring code
Documentation/Training: Tasks related to creating/editing documents and helping others learn more
Outreach/Research Tasks related to community management, outreach/marketing or studying problems and recommending solutions
Quality Assurance: Tasks related to testing and ensuring code is of high quality
User Interface: Tasks related to user experience research or user interface design and interaction
Students earn one point for each task completed. Students will receive a certificate for completing one task and can earn a t-shirt when they complete three tasks. At the end of the contest each of the ten (10) open source organizations will name two (2) grand prize winners for their organization based upon the students’ body of work. The 20 grand prize winners will receive a trip to Google’s Mountain View, California, USA Headquarters for themselves and a parent or legal guardian for an award ceremony, an opportunity to meet with Google engineers, explore the Google campus and have a fun day in the San Francisco, California sun.
Stay tuned to the Google Open Source Blog and subscribe to the contest announcement list for updates.
http://www.google-melange.com/gci/homepage/google/gci2012
