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OpenBSD was one of the first projects to start hackatons. I think they even invented the term. The idea behind them is great and does not have many of the downs

OpenBSD was one of the first projects to start hackatons. I think they even invented the term. The idea behind them is great and does not have many of the downsides indicated: just get together and work on things that require more 'bandwidth' than e-mail or IRC or sub-projects where you can quickly progress when tackling it with a couple of other people. Besides that, it's a good occasion to meet fellow project members, have a barbecue, and talk all night. However, most hackatons that I see in my mailbox are completely different. They are often: - A way for a company to get some app programmed as quickly and cheaply as possible (you win a price and we get all rights). - A way for companies to recruit. Both technical (which developers are good) and non-technical (who is willing to give up their life if we ask them to) datapoints can be gathered with ease.

leoc 12y ago
> The idea behind them is great and does not have many of the downsides indicated: just get together and work on things that require more 'bandwidth' than e-mail or IRC or sub-projects where you can quickly progress when tackling it with a couple of other people. Besides that, it's a good occasion to meet fellow project members, have a barbecue, and talk all night. That kind of meeting is more generally referred to as a sprint, isn't it?
- pgeorgi 12y ago
  Depends on which genesis of the word 'hackathon' you prefer. OpenBSD and Sun both did 'hackathons' in June 1999, OpenBSD's more of the high-bandwidth collaboration type, Sun's more of the 'promote our APIs' sorts.
computerjunkie 12y ago
- A way for companies to recruit. Both technical (which developers are good) and non-technical (who is willing to give up their life if we ask them to) datapoints can be gathered with ease. A company who recruits developers based on sub par products built in an unconventional way is one I would like to stay away from. Its screams "we are a sweatshop".
imanaccount247 12y ago
Yeah, it is really sad how the term has been so heavily co-opted that few people even know what an actual hackathon is.

leoc 12y ago

> The idea behind them is great and does not have many of the downsides indicated: just get together and work on things that require more 'bandwidth' than e-mail or IRC or sub-projects where you can quickly progress when tackling it with a couple of other people. Besides that, it's a good occasion to meet fellow project members, have a barbecue, and talk all night. That kind of meeting is more generally referred to as a sprint, isn't it?

pgeorgi 12y ago
Depends on which genesis of the word 'hackathon' you prefer. OpenBSD and Sun both did 'hackathons' in June 1999, OpenBSD's more of the high-bandwidth collaboration type, Sun's more of the 'promote our APIs' sorts.

computerjunkie 12y ago

- A way for companies to recruit. Both technical (which developers are good) and non-technical (who is willing to give up their life if we ask them to) datapoints can be gathered with ease. A company who recruits developers based on sub par products built in an unconventional way is one I would like to stay away from. Its screams "we are a sweatshop".

imanaccount247 12y ago

Yeah, it is really sad how the term has been so heavily co-opted that few people even know what an actual hackathon is.