Google Offers Programmers Chance To Show Off

Are you a genius? Are you itching to show your programming skills to somebody that matters? Google's annual Code Jam gives top programmers a shot at $10,000 plus a job. The window for Google Code Jam 2005 registration opens today and closes Friday, August 19. Coders from around the world are invited to participate in the brain-picking competition that tests entrants' problem solving and code cracking abilities. Available in four programming languages, Java, C++, C#, and VB, the competition begins with a downloadable app with problem statements for coders to analyze and solve. Competitors are placed in "virtual rooms" in groups of ten, racing to create an accurate solution in the shortest amount of time. After solutions have been presented, competitors essentially grade each others' work by trying to crack the codes of their challengers in the "Challenge Phase." After human solutions and break-ins are finished, the final phase of the competition involves systems tests that evaluate all submissions. Results are instantaneous. The final round is reserved for the top 100, who will be treated to finishing the competition at the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif. The programmer who produces the best, fastest, and most uncrackable code wins $10,000 and (according to