The original intention was pages under 5k, but if you want to enter a whole site which is smaller than 5k, we probably want to see it. However, remember that all the files which constitute the entry (whether it is a page or a site) must collectively total less than 5k in size.
-
Top of this page
By adding up all the sizes of the files which constitute the entry. Each file gets counted once and only once. Size measurements for individual files are based on the number of bytes in the file and not the amount of disk space required to store the file (that amount, generally determined as a multiple of the disk allocation block size, varies from system to system).
-
Top of this page
Nope, just count it once. In the example, the image would count as 1KB (since it is one file which is 1KB in size). Even though it may be referenced more than once, what gets counted is the total size of all the files needed to view the page (or site), excluding those files which already exist on the viewer's system, such as browsers, plug-ins, an OS, and so on. Or, in other words, all those (unique) files that the web server sends to the web browser, excluding protocol data, etc.
-
Top of this page
Entries are judged in four categories: (i) size, (ii) aesthetic appeal, (iii) function, (iv) overall concept & originality. The total scores are calculated according to the following formula:
((5120 - size of entry in bytes) / 1024) + (average score: function) + (average score: aesthetics) + (average score: concept and originality)
The result is some number between 0-20. For example, a 3.51K site which got an average score of 3.81 for aesthetics, 2.12 for function and 4.76 for concept would get:
((5120 - 3594) / 1024) = 1.49
1.49 + 3.81 + 2.12 + 4.76 = 12.18
The entry with the highest number wins. (12.18 is pretty good.)
- Top of this page
No, but you do get points for smaller files. If two people came up with pages that were in all other respects equally good, but one was 400 bytes smaller than the other, then the smaller one should win, no?
There are four criteria for judging, and the judges are instructed to use the full range for scoring (if a page doesn't do anything at all it should get close to 0 for function -- if the page is completely unoriginal or doesn't have any thinking behind it, then that entry should get a low rating in the concept and originality category). And since ratings for aesthetic appeal are probably going to partially vary with number/size of images, there will be a counter-balance.
But in any case, pretty much all entries are going to be fairly close in size; of the dozen or so people who have fooled around with this idea before the contest was announced, the end products tend to be within a pretty small size range (3-5K). Most good entrants will be able to turn an extra 400 bytes or whatever into combined points totalling more than 0.4 in the other 3 criteria, and if they can't then they have reached their own size limit. That tradeoff is part of the contest.
- Top of this page
Yes, but let's try to be reasonable. If you enter 5 pages with a common theme, they are not going to be considered as a whole: chances are they'll be reviewed by different members of the reviewing committee and perhaps even different judges. The entries really have to be distinct, and that means the ideas have to be distinct. Also a lot of mediocre ideas don't "add up" to anything. Designer, edit thyself.
-
Top of this page
No. No, you can't. That is part of the rules.
-
Top of this page
Right here on sylloge.com. Apache on IRIX.
-
Top of this page
Look, the rules clearly state that no server-side processing is allowed. If you comply with this rule then it won't matter where your entry is being served from. (OK, it's not a question. Shut up.)
-
Top of this page
Because it is just too hard to evaluate the total file sizes. It takes too much time to check to see if your script or servlet or whatever is calling libraries that could be larger than 5k.
-
Top of this page
Sure, go ahead. But remember that you aren't guaranteed that all the judges will have the plug-in installed. Chances are they will, but that is no guarantee.
-
Top of this page
Client-side scripting, including the use of scripts which write out additional HTML (i.e., by using JavaScript's "document.write()" function) are permitted. The size component of the judging will be done by examining the files which sit on the server, not the browser's rendering of those files. The normal caveats apply however (see the next question); make sure you are confident about your scripts running in the judges' browsers.
-
Top of this page
It can be about what ever you want. It doesn't have to be about anything in particular, and it doesn't even have to be "about" anything at all. There are no limits on, or guidelines for, the type of content you choose to use.
-
Top of this page
Nope, you are free to use whatever language you want. It would be very helpful if you could provide a translation with your entry though.
-
Top of this page
It's OK I guess. But try to remember this is a design contest. It takes a lot of human effort to answer the email and track and catalog the entries. Don't enter any old page that you have sitting around just because it happens to be under 5KB. Try to come up with something creative and interesting.
-
Top of this page
Sure, go ahead. I like teamwork. You'll have to split the prize though ;)
-
Top of this page
In order: No, no (that's risky though) and no. I'm all for standards and clean code, but this is a special case and your entry can be sloppy and invalid if it needs to be.
-
Top of this page
Part of the challenge is that you don't know. Like real life design, if there are compromises to be made; you have to make your estimations and play the odds. Every single judge could be using IE5 on 98/NT but there could be NN4 on Macs or even Opera on Linux. Love it or hate it, it's part of the web.
-
Top of this page
C'mon! Am I going to go pay for a lawyer here? If you enter the contest, you should be prepared to have your entry on display for up to a year (even if it doesn't win) on sylloge.com, with or without credits shown (your choice). I think that's reasonable; the intention is to let other people see all the cool stuff that got created, to share ideas, promote the field, get inspired. Otherwise, what's the point? I will not ask for or claim ownership of any submitted materials. All entries remain the property of their creators, whatever that means.
-
Top of this page
Lots of people. I am organizing it (and I am Stewart Butterfield,
stewart@sylloge.com) but there are many people reviewing entries, working on the judging system, acting as judges, and there were many people who contributed encouragement and support early on.
-
Top of this page
The judges come from across web industries, primarily design. They are listed on
a separate page. They graciously donated their time and deserve thanks. Thanks!
-
Top of this page
Of course it's 5120 bytes! 5k! Properly, it is 5KB (note the capital letters) as has been pointed out by the pedantic Mr. Jonny Axelsson of Metastasis design and many others. But are they right? Declan Hackett, writing from Ireland, thinks not:
"Mr. Jonny Axelsson of Metastasis can be as pedantic as he likes that
it's 5KB, but he's still wrong! The prefixes are only capitalised for
Mega- (M) and above. 30 years of metric living, and a quick check of the
relevant British Standard confirm this!"
Oh well. The point is that there are 5120 bytes in whatever it is that we're talking about.
-
Top of this page
Very shortly after the contest closes. Many entrants have requested that their entries not be made public until after all the entries are in, and this is a fair request (since part of the scoring is based on originality). That doesn't mean that we're not committed to getting the entries out there as soon as possible.
Part of the point of holding this contest is to collect a bunch of great ideas in one place so that everyone can learn from them (see the definition of "sylloge"). This site will hopefully become a snapshot (albeit from one particular angle) of the state of web design and production technique in the early year 2000. We want to share the entries with you as soon as possible, and we're working as hard as we can to get that done.
The contest has generated more interest than I could have anticipated (as of March 11, with over 3 weeks left to go before the contest closes for entries, almost 300 entries have been received and there have been over 1000 email inquiries). A database is being built to catalog, sort, review and judge the entries, and it will (hopefully) be finished right around the beginning of April.
- Top of this page
Enter by sending files (zipped, stuffed or plain), your name, a title and (optionally) a brief description to
5k@sylloge.com. Do not cut and paste the text from the browser window into your submission email; attach your entry as a separate file or files.
-
Top of this page
- - - - - -
The Contest |
FAQ & Elaboration |
The Judges
