The Hackathon

In this day, hackathons provide a place of focus and fun to participants. Coders and programmers gather together to work as groups on different projects. Sometimes software, but other times hardware. They tinker with Python, NodeJS, Processing, C, among other languages and create Arduino powered gadgets, Myo or Leapmotion gesture recognition embedded in their project.  However, hackathons are now more about just creating for the fun and for trying some new code. The competition aspect of hackathon is a large reason why participants join these events. In order to gain prizes that can range from a GoPro to several thousand dollars, hopeful programmers gather in hopes of snagging a prize.

But even more so, hackathons are designed to be a show of coding talent. While rows of tables are lined up for the hundreds or thousands of avid coders, recruiters line the sides of hackathons hoping to find their next top engineers and recruit by hosting some of the prizes. Furthermore, resumes sent in as applications to attend hackathons are often forwarded to recruiters. Also, hackathons provide a time and place for coders and computer programmers to network with professionals and recruiters. This in turn creates a social environment that not only demands high quality work, but also one that demands the need to be proactive to approach recruiters. It is like a coding arena with a computer science career fair off to the side.

Hacking is now probably an extreme sports of sorts for programmers. Some programmers attend every and any hackathon in reach that provides travel reimbursements and fills their hunger to a plethora of prizes and delicious food. Many look forward to the long hours of the hackathons to meet and connect with hackers like themselves. The hours are long so that the result can be its best because many times tinkering with new and modern technology takes at least 4 hours in order for one to fully understand the documentation needed to power up an Oculus and get the right software installed.

The Hackathon title is now incredibly powerful. It implies sponsors, prizes, long nights, a large room packed with passionate coder, and competition. And it labels an event where hackers pride themselves in their work and work tirelessly for fully-developed apps targeted at improving the world. However, misuse of the title will cause negative judgements and extreme bias to cower its head because hackers who take pride in their sport would not like something other their coveted hackathon swag-filled events being mislabelled as anything else.