gsb: The Stata Grand-Challenge Bounty Contest [5:30pm, 7ai playroom]

["His name was Matthew Marjanovic..." <maddog@>]

In a few days, Tech Square, as we have known it for the last four
 decades, will be no more.  It is fitting that the Grand Crate Schlep
 is happening on the eve of Spring's arrival.  This is a time of great
 transition, and like all such times it brings great opportunity for
 new growth.  In the wake of every forest fire come the sprouts and
 sprigs of a new stand of trees, the promise of reawakened vitality.

Those green shoots and saplings, however, do not spontaneously
 generate in the mud and ash.  They arise from the seeds dropped by
 the old growth in its passing.  Following this age-old dynamic, we
 present you with this small kernel of inspiration in order to plant
 a grand old notion into the fertile empty space ahead of us:


            The Stata Grand-Challenge Bounty Contest

   The old AI Lab was always a home to hackers --- people who
   crossed the boudaries of what seemed possible or plausible or
   even permittable.  Sometimes this was to show the world a better
   way; often this was just to get something done; many times it
   was just for the sake of doing something cool.
 
   This Grand-Challenge Bounty Contest consists of three independent
   challenges, each of which fulfill all of the above justifications.
   Competitors can submit entries in any or all of these categories:

    a)  "Eyes on the Prize"

        Demonstrate that privacy concerns about the MIT proximity
        card system have a firm basis in reality by hacking the
        system to track the movements of lab director Rodney Brooks
        throughout the Stata Center.  Compile a detailed two-week
        log before telling anybody, and then provide a network 
        accessible map of his position which operates in real-time.

    b)  "No News is Good Gnus"

        Demonstrate that the security guarantees of the MIT proximity
        card system are overly optimistic by hacking the system to
        allow free-software advocate Richard Stallman to move freely
        around the Stata Center at any time of day without any chance
        of card-based surveillance.  The scheme must operate without
        door-propping devices, and it must not necessitate interaction
        between Mr. Stallman and any other human being.

    c)  "Su Cash-a es Mi Cash-a"

        Create a profitable automated day-trading system which
        operates on penny stocks (perferably those advertised in
        pump-n-dump spam announcements).  The system must be funded
        solely using microscopic transactions on the TechCa$h accounts
        of students who randomly traverse the Stata Center throughout
        the day.

   This Grand-Challenge Bounty Contest is open to all members of the
   CSAIL community, including such second and third class citizens as
   UROP's and M.Eng. students.  The prize for each category is a cold
   and satisfying Free Beer.(*)

   There is no time limit.  Submissions will be evaluated weekly on a
   rolling basis.  The Grand-Challenge Bounty Contest is open until
   each category-challenge has been completed.

   Please come by tonight to meet the judging committee and to preview
   our selection of tasty prizes.(**)

   It's Tech Square's last...

         +-                                                 -+
           girl scout benefit -+-  5:30 pm  -+- 7ai playroom
         +-                                                 -+

          [ for those coming from elsewhere: building ne43,
            http://whereis.mit.edu/bin/map?locate=bldg_ne43 ]


  (*) Younger UROP's may have to settle for a delicious frothy root-beer.

 (**) Sorry, prizes are not free until you win.