>> Salesmanship is rewarded. The rewards are given strictly based on the presentation This is not a bad thing. I've won hackathons partly–but not strictly–beca

>> Salesmanship is rewarded. The rewards are given strictly based on the presentation This is not a bad thing. I've won hackathons partly–but not strictly–because we had a team that could present well in front of judges and an audience. Public speaking, sales, and presenting to others is an important skill in business and entrepreneurship. The author would be wise to convey this to his students. A hacker who can build a product of value AND sell it well is a force to be reckoned with. Sorry, but I love hackathons as long as they're run somewhat well. If I don't like the food, I'll go eat somewhere else. I'm too old these days to work through the night so I usually get a hotel room and get a good sleep. But college students are already used to studying through the night, so I don't see what the big deal is. Beyond the intersection of making <-> presenting (see above), I also love that hackathons force you to work within constraints–most notably time. Its a great way to network–especially if there are corporate sponsors. I've met some great friends at hackathons and I've received job offers from companies I've met. I've even been offered investment in a project. Yeah, people cheat. Yeah, some hackathons are poorly run. The pros still outweigh the cons for me though.