The Novell Developers' Contest
Articles and Tips: article
01 Mar 1999
Do the Future of Networking a Favor: Build Yours!
Well, you probably could hack your way to shadowy fame and a disreputable fortune. But you're more likely to be financially, and legally, successful in the long term doing what you do best: namely, developing solutions that solve customer problems. Building better applications with Novell. Entering the Novell Developers' Contest.
Got Vision?
With the first and second rounds of the contest completed, and a vastly enhanced version of NDS to work with, the time to jump into the contest is now. The Novell Winners' Circle list of first- and second-round winners and honorable mentions even provides the opportunity to "cruise" the competition to see firsthand what judges are looking for.
Winning first- and second-round applications, along with more than 200 qualified applications entered thus far, have impressed Novell judges with their high quality and performance. But this showdown for next-generation Novell-based solutions won't end until late in the summer. The contest began in May 1998 and runs through August 1999. Which offers you plenty of time to deliver an industrial-strength application that leverages NDS.
To learn more about the winning first- and second-round entries (including honorable mentions), please visit http://developer.novell.com/contest/spotlight.htm.
You Better Bring Sunglasses
With its directory-services strategy and products, Novell offers the most compelling technology and infrastructure for developer growth in the Internet age. In fact, the demand for third-party, directory-based network applications is exploding with the marketing opportunities, developer tools and support for building and bringing them to the largest possible customer base. NDS makes it easy to directory-enable your applications for the Internet and everything connected to it, including users, operating systems, platforms, resources, and locations.
If this rapidly evolving "NDS-everywhere" scenario resonates enough to spur your fiscal imagination, then the Novell Developers' Contest offers a bright opportunity and lucrative incentives to leverage Novell's technology leadership, and take the networking industry by storm. Through the Novell Developers' Contest, DeveloperNet is making it easy for you to shake up the future of networking and pad your bank account with a prize-winning, Novell-based solution:
$3 million in potential capital funding for the best commercial application
$25,000 cash for the best custom solution
Luxury vacations for four
Publicity
Broad co-marketing exposure
Scholarships for students
Success stories
Priority consideration for Novell Ventures
Free subscriptions to DeveloperNet and more
Everybody Loves Winners
Who among us can resist sampling prize-winning creations—whether they're found at the local Way-Hot Chili Festival, or while shopping around for the hottest, new networking solutions? More than 81 million Novell customers are eagerly waiting to sample what this contest turns up in the way of killer directory-enabled applications. Whether you've been doing time in the corporate world, developing with a Java startup or with a well-known vendor, here's your opportunity to be one of the prize-winners—with prizes and compensation you can actually take to the bank.
Is this contest just a showcase for Novell's ISV developers? Not exactly. The next generation of networkable software is coming from the broadest range of developer talent imaginable, including those who may have only recently come to network-level development, such as Web masters, Java-based chat developers and others. In addition, corporate developers have long been the most prolific source of Novell-based innovation, and until this contest, some of the most under-recognized. For example, the Best Overall Custom Solution nets $25,000 cash, a luxury vacation for four persons, and more.
Bottom line? The contest is about promoting directory-enabled development, wherever it comes from. Rewarding those who possess the skills, market insight and technical vision to build better network solutions, regardless of professional situations or tool choices. Whether you are a successful independent software vendor, CNE, Web master, a corporate developer, administrator or a skilled support staffer, chances are you're already building Java, ActiveX, database, scripting, LDAP or C/C++ utilities or shipping applications that could stand to benefit from leveraging Novell's directory and operating system software.
Or, in a cool, deliberate way, you've been waiting for the right time to let the rest of the world know what you've already built.
Where Do You Want to Go--Tomorrow?
Make your plans today. Submit an application or solution that leverages significant NDS functionality using Java, C, or any scripting language that runs on NetWare 5. For more information, visit the contest site map at http://developer.novell.com/contest/map.htm.
Everyone Who Enters Wins
Visit http://developer.novell.com/contestto find out more about the contest, and the benefits and incentives it has for you to participate. For example, just by registering to participate in the contest, you will receive a stainless steel, thermal-insulated, double-walled Novell tumbler. For actually submitting a qualified application to the contest, you'll also receive a high-quality Novell fleece vest, along with a complementary CD copy of the new Novell Developer Kit. Beyond the enticements, this contest is about handsomely rewarding the most deserving developers for their best work. If you happen to win one of the three Best Overall prizes, you'll win something more important and useful: lots of working capital, or cash, market opportunities, and a bright future on the directory-enabled Novell network.
There will only be a few Best Overall winners. But participating in the contest with a qualifying application will net you a good deal more than a tumbler, a Novell fleece vest, and the Novell Developer Kit—although they're nice incentives. You'll win in the long term by building manageable networked applications with NDS-enabled enterprise value and performance.
Winning a final prize in the Novell Developers' Contest simply provides the additional incentives (monetary and otherwise), along with the recognition and resources to be commercially successful with Novell-based development.
Give Yourself a Raise
You make a decent living with your developing intelligence. Now you can put networking intelligence into your solutions and build your future for a change. Take your application or custom solution to new audiences, and a new level of manageability, value and performance with Novell's red-hot directory technology. Win here, and maybe you'll even be able to say goodbye to your job and hello to retirement.
Sign up for the contest today, and send us a totally new or updated application that leverages what Novell is offering. You could enjoy the fruits of your labor—and savor your astute choice of opportunity—for years to come.
For registration and detailed contest information, visit http://developer.novell.com/contest.
Note: The Novell Developers' Contest ends August 23, 1999, at 11:59 p.m. (PST) and is open to all Java, ActiveX, C/C++, scripting, LDAP and database developers. Applications must be received by Novell before the end of the contest to be eligible. The Novell Developers' Contest will award final prizes at the end of the contest, with winners to be announced at Fall 1999 Networld+Interop in Atlanta.
--Jay Toups DeveloperNet Content Manager Novell Developer Services
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
Disclaimer
The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.