# Suggestion: JuliaCon 2024 essay contest

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/suggestion-juliacon-2024-essay-contest/114142>\
**Category:** JuliaCon\
**Tags:** juliacon\
**Created:** [May 11, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/suggestion-juliacon-2024-essay-contest/114142 "2024-05-11T14:07:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/dan/32/42581_2.png) [@Dan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Dan)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/suggestion-juliacon-2024-essay-contest/114142/1 "2024-05-11T14:07:49Z")

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Some six months ago, on some thread (by now forgotten) I raised the proposal of having a JuliaCon essay contest. The goal behind this is to allow people to express ideas without the noise of other ideas crowding them out before they are developed (which is often the case in long threads on open-ish topics). The specifications could be:

(a) Essays are 500-2000 words. Both limits enforced.  
(b) A few volunteers or a vote would decide a winner or two.  
(c) Winners’ essays could be read during a slot in JuliaCon.  
(d) All essays can be batched and published after collection.  
(e) Open to all (from newbies to coredevs).

The prompt for the essay should be something general like:

(1) “Julia FTW (for-the-win)”

(2) “What would make 2.0 worth it”

(3) “The feature that got away”

Of course, this is just a post to measure the enthusiasm. I really appreciate _slower writing_ as having a place beside the Discourse format and the Q&A stackoverflow (which needs a separate discussion recently). So, any enthusiasm? suggestions? Is it too much work for busy Julians?

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**Author:** ![Dan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/dan/32/42581_2.png) [@Dan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Dan)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 1:09pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/suggestion-juliacon-2024-essay-contest/114142/2 "2024-05-13T13:09:20Z")

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Ok, perhaps 6 likes is borderline enthusiasm for the idea. For this contest to work there will need to be a decent minimal expected number of submitters (say 4). And a nice prompt. So here are a couple of polls:

_Poll ([view on site](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/suggestion-juliacon-2024-essay-contest/114142/2))_

Or if another option is preferred, suggestions in a reply are always welcome.

A second poll, can be used to gauge the gut instincts regarding the number of submissions:

_Poll ([view on site](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/suggestion-juliacon-2024-essay-contest/114142/2))_

Okay, let’s see. If response is enough, then a few bits of admin perhaps still needed, but I think you can start writing your masterpieces.

UPDATE: So far the expected submission count is 0.75… far below the minimal 4.00…

UPDATE 2: The expected submission count is now 1.25… come on, you know you want to write an essay!