The New Novell Developers' Contest
Articles and Tips: article
Senior Technical Writer
Developer Information
01 Jul 1998
Discusses how Novell's latest developers' contest works, including the rules, categories, and prizes.
- Introduction
- Here's How It Works
- Application Requirements and Judging Criteria
- Prizes
- Entering the Contest
Introduction
Win fame, fortune and marketing opportunities. Well, perhaps not fame. But, does the idea of a partner pavilion with Novell, access to our sales channel, co-marketing, and perhaps even venture capital from Novell appeal to you? If you're a student, how about a $5000 scholarship? That sound enticing? Then, enter our new developer contest.
The new developer contest began May 5, 1998 and runs until August 23, 1999 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. We will announce winners at the Fall 1999 Networld+Interop. But, this contest doesn't have just one set of winners. The contest offers grand prizes, best in category prizes and runner-up prizes in four categories, and each category has three divisions. This contest also has quarterly winners.
Here's How it Works
We want you to turn your ideas and market outlook into a next-generation application that's so compelling, we'll do everything we can to help you make it available to the networking world. We're looking for a networking solution that:
Uses Novell's Intelligent Network Server Platform, NetWare 5 and NDS.
Is discoverable by network, Internet, or intranet users.
Is open, manageable and available from anywhere at any time.
Addresses real-world customer needs.
Contest Categories and Divisions
The Novell Developers' Contest will award overall grand prizes for the best Intelligent Network Server Platform applications, best in category prizes and substantial prizes for the best runner-up applications submitted in the following solutions categories:
Network Services & Collaboration&&Best Network-Aware Solution&
Network Manageability Best Network Manageability Solution
Internet & Intranet Services&&Best Internet-Ready Solution&
Application Development & Deployment&&Best Open Development Solution&
Each of these solutions categories will have three best in category winners:
Best commercial application
Best custom solution
Best student application
Grand prizes will also be awarded to the:
Best overall commercial application
Best overall custom application
Best overall student application
The contest will award quarterly prizes during these four successive quarters:
First quarter: May 5, 1998-August 24, 1998. Winners will be notified by September 28, 1998.
Second quarter: August 24, 1998-November 30, 1998. Winners will be notified by January 11, 1998.
Third quarter: November 30, 1998-March 1, 1999. Winners will be notified by March 29, 1999.
Fourth quarter: March 1, 1999-May 31, 1999. Winners will be notified by June 28, 1999.
Applications for each qualifying quarter will be tested and judged using the contest criteria. Three winners (commercial, custom and student) will be selected at the end of each quarter for each of the four solutions categories. All quarterly winners will remain eligible for all final prizes.
Novell Products for Each Solutions Category
We want you to develop a winning application for these networking market segments, using these Novell products and technologies:
Network Services & Collaboration
"Best Network-Aware Solution"
Market Segments
Enterprise Host Connectivity
High Availability
Groupware
Small Business
Database Connectivity
Novell Products
Novell Storage Services
Novell Distributed Print Service
Novell Clients
Novell Multi-Protocol Routing
NetWare Connect
NetWare Telephony
GroupWise
Informs
SQL Integrator
Network Manageability
"Best Network Manageability Solution"
Market Segments
Manageability Set
Web Management
NT Management
Single Sign-on
Client Management
Novell Products
NDS For NT
ManageWise
Migration Upgrade
NDS Synchronization
ZENworks
Intranet & Internet Services
"Best Internet-Ready Solution"
Market Segments
Web Site Designer
Small Business Online
Netscape SuiteSpot
Internet Acceleration
E-commerce
Novell Products
Netscape Servers for NetWare
BorderManager
NetWare SAA HostPublisher
GroupWise Publisher
Netscape Navigator
Application Development & Deployment
"Best Open Development Solution"
Market Segments
Open Solutions Architecture
Java, C++, Scripting
Web Database Development Kit
Enterprise Solution Kit
Novell Products
Open Solutions Architecture SDK
Java Server
CORBA ORB
Web Database Development
DeveloperNet Essentials
Application Requirements and Judging Criteria
To be eligible to win the Novell Developers' Contest, your application must support the following position: NetWare is an intelligent network platform that fully embraces NDS (Novell Directory Services), providing users with an ideal mid-tier platform to run scalable, robust network service and collaboration solutions, along with intranet/Internet services and ISV applications and solutions.
Application Requirements
Your application must meet these requirements:
Directly support the NetWare 5 platform.
Directly support NDS (Novell Directory Services).
Pass Novell Self Certification. (For more information about Novell Self Certification, see the Web site at developer.novell.com/prodcert.)
Be administered through ConsoleOne. (For more information about ConsoleOne, see the Web site at developer.novell.com/consoleone.)
Be fully functional and produced to a final beta state.
In addition:
You or your organizations must be a member of DeveloperNet, Novell's premier program for developers. (Memberships range from free to full-service.)
Existing applications are eligible as long as they are updated to leverage NetWare 5 functionality, such as Java, ConsoleOne, etc.
Client-side applications are eligible; however, they must tie to the server through some directory-based functionality.
Judging Criteria
Novell's DeveloperNet Labs will judge all entries for performance, ease of use, installation, and so on, using the criteria in the following table:
|
Application Features
|
Criteria
|
|
Install |
Does the product install easily? Can the installation be accomplished from one workstation, or many? Are there any special needs associated with installation? |
|
Uninstall |
Does the product uninstall easily? Does it remove itself from the registry, clean up files, directories, and NDS objects? |
|
Ease of Use |
Does the product allow easy access and use of its features and functionality? |
|
Features |
Does the product have a range of features? Is it scalable and customizable for a wide array of environments? |
|
Performance |
Does the product efficiently handle memory, disk space, and the environment? |
|
Documentation |
Does the product have sufficient, accurate technical and end-user documentation? |
|
Internationalization |
Does the product have value for users in all areas of the global market? |
|
Application Description |
Does the product have testimonials on: Why the application was created. How the application solves a customer problem. Why using Novell products was the best solution for the customer. |
|
Use of NetWare 5 features |
Does the product use: Memory Protection Multiprocessor Kernel Remote Management Novell Licensing Service |
|
Use of NDS Features |
Does the product use: Single Sign-On Single Point of Administration Security Service Location Shared Object Data Store NDS Schema Registration of schema extensions Schema extensions Are the extensions registered with Novell? |
|
IP Support |
Does the product support native TCP/IP implementation? |
|
Use of Java |
Does the product leverage the Java platform? |
|
Level of ConsoleOne Support |
Is the snap-in easy to use? |
|
Manageability of Application |
How well does the product score in: Lower Cost of Ownership Deployment Management Security Maintenance |
All judging criteria will be weighted to determine the score for points earned in each category. The highest score will determine the winner for each solutions category. The base criteria is scored on a 1 - 5 scale:
5 = Excellent Application far exceeds expectations. 4 = Good Application meets standard criteria and includes some special features. 3 = Satisfactory Application performs as expected. 2 = Poor Application falls short in essential areas. 0-1 = Unacceptable Application is seriously flawed and/or unusable.
Submitted applications will receive bonus contest points for the following items.
|
Category
|
Bonus Points
|
|
Solutions for these vertical markets |
One bonus point given for each vertical market. Finance Healthcare Manufacturing Communications Legal Retail Transportation Government Education |
|
Use of these interfaces |
Bonus points will be awarded if the application uses and conforms to the industry-accepted standard for the interface. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) JDAP (Java Directory Access Protocol) IIOP (Internet Inter-Orb Protocol CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) |
|
Customer Success/Solution Story |
A point will be given for a complete marketing-oriented story on the solution. Maximum length 2 pages. Testimonial on: Why the application was created. How the application addresses customer needs Why using particular Novell products offers the best solution for the customer. |
|
Electronic Commerce |
One bonus point will be given for leveraging database technology, such as Novell's new SQL Integrator. |
|
Number of Novell Applications used |
One bonus point will be given for each Novell application used in the solution.No points will be given unless the Novell applications perform a key function in the solution. |
|
Elegance of design and effectiveness of user interface |
Bonus points will be given on the basis of: Does the product appeal to potential customers with its ease of use, design, menus and dialogs? Is it intuitive? |
|
Uniqueness |
Bonus points will be given on the basis of: Is the product unique in the solutions marketplace? Does it provide functionality no other product does? |
|
Enterprise Solution |
Bonus points will be given on the basis of: Does the product service the enterprise? Is it scalable? Does it allow for ease of rollout? |
|
Shipping Product |
Bonus points will be given if your product is currently available on the market. |
Requirements for Best Overall and Best of Category Winner
The winners of the best overall prizes and the best of category prizes will:
Clearly advance and extend NetWare as the intelligent network server platform that fully embraces NDS (Novell Directory Services).
Solve customer problems and provide compelling performance and functionality that captures significant mindshare with their users.
Provide elegant, next-generation customer solutions that run on the fastest mid-tier execution platform available for running scalable, robust network service and collaboration solutions, along with intranet/Internet services, and ISV applications and solutions.
Prizes
Novell is offering significant co-marketing and promotional opportunities to the best overall application and the best in category winners. But, more than that (and this is where the fortune comes in), you might just gain venture capital from Novell for your application. Like everything else in life, there are no guarantees. But, if your intelligent application is truly ground-breaking or paradigm-shifting, you could gain venture capital from Novell to help you market it. Novell Ventures has 3 million dollars of capital funding to award to companies with selected, next-generation networking applications. These investments will not be awarded as cash prizes, but will represent a strategic capital investment by Novell to allow businesses with next-generation networking applications to position themselves for future growth. The venture capital could be in addition to the grand prize.
Best Overall Application Grand Prizes
The Novell Developers' Contest will award these "Best Overall Application" grand prizes to next-generation, market-ready applications. Novell will award one "Best Overall Application" grand prize for:
Best Overall Commercial Application
1 Partner Pavilion
3 x Advertisement in NetWare Connections, 1/3 page
Opportunity to present to Novell's Internet Equity Fund Board
Priority consideration for Novell's Internet Equity Fund
Success story
Solution story
Upscale listing on in-box catalog
Enterprise DeveloperNet membership
Article in Novell AppNotes
Article in Novell Developer Notes
Yes Testing
Web banner on Novell Partner Product page
BrainShare Technology Lab station
BrainShare session
Joint press release
Participation in closing press event
Best Overall Custom Solutions Application
Cruise vacation for four
3 year DeveloperNet Enterprise membership
Best Overall Student Application
$5,000 scholarship
2 year DeveloperNet Professional membership
Best in Category Prizes
The Novell Developers' Contest will award these "Best in Category" prizes to next-generation, market-ready applications in each solution category:
Best in Category Commercial Application
Novell Partner Pavilion participation
Ad in NetWare Connections, 1/3 page
Priority consideration for Novell's Internet Equity Fund
Success Story
Up Scale listing on in-box catalog
Enterprise DeveloperNet membership
Article in Novell AppNotes
Yes Testing
Web banner on Novell Partner Product page
BrainShare Technology Lab station
Joint press release
Participation in closing press event
Best in Category Custom Solution Application
Vacation package for 4
DevelperNet Enterprise subscription
Best in Category Student Application
$2,500 scholarship
Professional DeveloperNet subscription
Novell will award these Best in Category prizes for each solution category:
Network Services & Collaboration
Network Manageability
Intranet/Internet Services
Application Development & Deployment
First, Second, and Third Runner-Up Prizes in each Solution Category
Professional DeveloperNet subscriptions
Quarterly Prizes
These prizes will be awarded quarterly for applications that have been submitted to date. Selected applications will still qualify for all additional contest prizes. Novell will award one prize each quarter for:
Commercial Application
Novell Partner Pavilion participation
Success story
Priority consideration for Novell's Internet Equity Fund
BrainShare Technology Lab station
Web banner on Novell Partner Product page
Joint press release
Custom Application
Trip to Hawaii (for four)
Subscription to Novell AppNotes
DeveloperNet Professional subscription
Student Application
To be announced
Monthly Developer Spotlights
Each month during the contest, Novell will select several developers who have entered the contest to spotlight on the Web site. Each selected developer will receive a selection of Novell merchandise.
Novell Ventures Criteria
Along with winning a grand prize, your intelligent, prize-winning application could position your company for even greater success with possible capital funding directly from Novell Ventures. Applications entered into the Novell Developers' Contest which are selected for final prizes and consideration of capital funding will be chosen on the basis of performance, functionality and adherence to Novell Ventures requirements.
Applications selected for priority consideration for capital funding from Novell Ventures will be chosen from these categories:
Best Overall Intelligent Network Server Platform Application
Network Services & Collaboration
Network Manageability
Intranet/Internet Services
Application Development & Deployment
For more information about Novell Ventures, see the Web site developer.novell.com/ventures.
Entering the Contest
This contest is open to Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Java, Windows NT, UNIX and corporate developers, consultants and high school and college students. To be eligible:
If you're a student, you must be 16 years or older at the time of entry and be enrolled full time in high school or college to qualify for the Student Application Prizes.
Otherwise, you must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry to be eligible for the Commercial Application or Custom Application prizes.
You must also meet all the other qualifying requirements described in the rules.
Employees of Novell, their affiliates, their advertising, promotion, production, and certification agencies and their immediate family members or those with whom are domiciled are not eligible.
Submitting your application
Qualifying applications, documentation and supporting materials must be received by Novell no later than August 23, 1999, at 11:59 p.m. (PST).
For the most recent contest news, sample applications, and more information about submitting your application see the Novell Developers' Contest Web site at developer.novell.com/contest. The Web site contains Novell's official contest information.
* 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.