29
\$\begingroup\$

A couple years back we ran an advertising campaign using community ads on other network sites. For those who might be unaware, community ads are "community-vetted ads that will show up ... in the right sidebar" of the respective site. You can see community ad threads on several graduated sites. As an example, here is the top-scoring ad from our previous campaign, by @squeamish:

enter image description here

I think we should make a new campaign for 2016. So, post your ad suggestions below! All ads must follow these requirements:

  • The image that you create must be 300 x 250 pixels (wider than before), or double that if retina.
  • Must be hosted through our standard image uploader (imgur)
  • Must be GIF or PNG
  • No animated GIFs
  • Absolute limit on file size of 150 KB
  • If the background of the image is white or partially white, there must be a 1px border surrounding it.

After a reasonable consensus has been reached (based on votes after 2 weeks or so), the top-scoring ad(s) will be submitted to the community-ads meta posts of several related sites.

\$\endgroup\$
6
  • 11
    \$\begingroup\$ I'd be interested to see any designs that focus on code and don't reference the sport golf. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 12, 2016 at 5:51
  • 11
    \$\begingroup\$ Also, if anyone has this mad idea, don't just take "pictures from the internet". Copyright is copyright, even if you modify the image. \$\endgroup\$
    – user42643
    Feb 12, 2016 at 13:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ Do we have an example of readable or at least recognisable code that gives an instant reaction without having to study it? Unexpectedly short but understandable in a glance at an ad. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 13, 2016 at 3:24
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Possible duplicate of Community Promotion Ads - 2016 \$\endgroup\$
    – user45941
    Sep 14, 2016 at 5:25
  • \$\begingroup\$ It is in fact a duplicate, and, as far as I'm aware, only Grace Note can ask such a question. \$\endgroup\$ Sep 14, 2016 at 15:01
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ To give some context, the point of this question was to produce ads that could be submitted to other communities for them to consider posting on their own sites. This is what we did (or attempted to do) before we could put ads on our own site. They aren't duplicates because they serve totally different functions: the "official" thread is to put ads (about any topic) on our site, this thread is to help coordinate fielding ads (about our site) to other communities. Whether or not we close this question (as obselete) is a separate issue, but if we do we need to close Doorknob's post as well. \$\endgroup\$
    – PhiNotPi
    Sep 14, 2016 at 15:34

4 Answers 4

24
\$\begingroup\$

This has the same general format as my previous suggestion, but is based off of this BF program.

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$
5
  • 4
    \$\begingroup\$ Looking forward to you (and SE) updating it every time primo beats themselves. ;) \$\endgroup\$ Feb 12, 2016 at 19:43
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ It would be cool to have something like this with piet, although that might be a color overload \$\endgroup\$
    – Liam
    Feb 15, 2016 at 6:00
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ Maybe if we did something like this with a more widespread language, the ad might benefit from having "Can you do better?" on it. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 15, 2016 at 13:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MartinBüttner Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Ideally it would be a Python/C++/Java program which 1) is really short 2) performs a simple task 3) in a nontrivial way such that someone looking at it wouldn't know what it does without reading the caption. \$\endgroup\$
    – PhiNotPi
    Feb 16, 2016 at 5:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ Candidates, Java prime check, Java fibonacci \$\endgroup\$
    – J Atkin
    Feb 16, 2016 at 19:05
20
\$\begingroup\$

Based on the current graduation userscript design.

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$
9
  • \$\begingroup\$ Maybe it's just me but it looks a bit off-centre to me (to the right). \$\endgroup\$ Feb 12, 2016 at 14:24
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MartinBüttner I've tried measuring it, it all seems centered. If it doesn't appear that way, it's an optical illusion (which I suppose we can still correct for, but it'll be more difficult). \$\endgroup\$
    – PhiNotPi
    Feb 12, 2016 at 14:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ Maybe it's due to the larger amount of whitespace in the code in the right half? No clue though. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 12, 2016 at 14:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MartinBüttner might be interesting to head over to GraphicDesign.SE with that problem. \$\endgroup\$
    – user12166
    Feb 12, 2016 at 21:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MichaelT only if I'm not imagining things :P... Are you seeing it as well? \$\endgroup\$ Feb 12, 2016 at 21:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MartinBüttner indeed I am. I suspect its the white space before the 'P' in puzzles and the lower height of the 's' on the far right compared to the 'P' on the left. Though that's a guess. That the stem is pointing to one of those whitespace bits also doesn't help. You can see it too by putting a piece of paper over the text and noting that it looks centered again. \$\endgroup\$
    – user12166
    Feb 12, 2016 at 21:35
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Are the downvotes due to the "let's not use an unofficial/subject-to-change icon" sentiment or some other reason? \$\endgroup\$
    – PhiNotPi
    Feb 13, 2016 at 20:11
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ @PhiNotPi I haven't downvoted but to me it seems a bit strange to have an ad that looks like it shows PPCG's graphical theme and logo, even though when you come to the site it looks nothing like that (for now) \$\endgroup\$
    – Fatalize
    Feb 15, 2016 at 8:49
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ I like the design, but the {} remind me too much of CR's badges :P \$\endgroup\$
    – Sp3000
    Feb 17, 2016 at 1:13
3
\$\begingroup\$

Based on Martin's comment.

enter image description here

Please pardon my terrible graphic design skills, but you get the point. If this gets chosen someone with better artistic talents can redesign it.


Edit: PhiNotPi and his trusty steed, Gimpy, are here to save the day.

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$
9
  • \$\begingroup\$ While I'm flattered that you used my code, if it's going to be in an ad, it should probably be golfed a bit more ;) I see a couple things left to do (one at least was mentioned in comments). \$\endgroup\$
    – Geobits
    Feb 17, 2016 at 0:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Geobits of course, but it is just a starting point at the moment. \$\endgroup\$
    – GamrCorps
    Feb 17, 2016 at 0:29
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ I'm not so sure about this type of ad. For one thing, if it's too well golfed and the current solution is optimal, then we're wasting everyone's time. If it's non-optimal though, and someone does outgolf it... have fun updating the ad? \$\endgroup\$
    – Sp3000
    Feb 17, 2016 at 1:11
  • 7
    \$\begingroup\$ @Sp3000 How about 1) Community-golf a program as short as possible 2) Ungolf it a character or so 3) The ad reads "This Java whatever could be at least one character shorter. Can you blah blah something?" \$\endgroup\$
    – Geobits
    Feb 17, 2016 at 1:32
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ @Geobits I like that idea. You could also make a program with like 5 golfable characters and make it like a Where's Waldo type deal \$\endgroup\$
    – GamrCorps
    Feb 17, 2016 at 1:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Geobits It still sounds a bit... narrow? First off, the reader would need to know Java. But then how "obvious" are you going to make the ungolf? \$\endgroup\$
    – Sp3000
    Feb 17, 2016 at 3:16
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ The second image doesn't mention "shortest" which could be confusing for people completely new to the site. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 23, 2016 at 3:22
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ (although leaving it vague may attract both optimisers and golfers, so we'd get more new users and more variety) \$\endgroup\$ Feb 23, 2016 at 3:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ You can golf at least 3 characters off the first example, maybe even up to 8 characters. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 24, 2016 at 19:44
-1
\$\begingroup\$

Programming Puzzles & Code Golf - may our source lengths be low

\$\endgroup\$
4
  • \$\begingroup\$ A novice's ad, you say? Here you go. Foreground: truth machine in PowerShell. Background: shortest programs from the same question in five different languages (C, Java, C++, C#, JavaScript). Green tip: I should check different sizes of background payload (this one took much time!). \$\endgroup\$
    – user48538
    Feb 26, 2016 at 17:54
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Nitpick: If for(x=prompt();+x;)alert(x) is JavaScript, it's not valid, because it will print nothing for 0. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 26, 2016 at 18:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ETHproductions Yes, it's JavaScript, and it should be 1) deleted, 2) made valid, 3) undeleted. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – user48538
    Feb 26, 2016 at 18:14
  • 5
    \$\begingroup\$ I don't think most people know what a truth machine is... afaik that's only a thing in the esolang community. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 26, 2016 at 18:17

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .