Yeah that's been my impression at a lot of hackathons, but I think it has be accepted at least to some extent, as just "good preparation" rather than cheating. In fact I'd recommend doing it (Pre-wrangle the dataset into the format you need. Test out some tools. Prepare some components to assemble). I've only been organised enough to do this on a couple of occasions, but this way I've enjoyed the event more. More likely to achieve satisfactory hack project, and/or more time to socialise at the event.

To each their own, I guess, but I don’t understand why you’d waste a hackathon in that way.

If the hackathon has a $10,000 cash prize for first place, you honestly think that people aren't going to show up with pre-built stuff?

Well sure, definitely. But at any prize that’s enough to be a sole reason for a person to enter a hackathon, imho that’s either 1) a poorly designed hackathon or 2) a really ugly way for a company to fund R&D.

I’ve never participated in a hackathon with a 1st prize worth over $500, and I’m not sure I’d want to. But I guess if I had a bunch of random unmonetized projects sitting around then entering them into high-prize-value hackathons could be a way to shop them around. I’m just not sure why an organization would call an event like that a “hackathon.”

haha! yes, that happened in my previous workplace. many people would keep fully-finished side projects , that they alone use everyday to save time, ready including fancy shiny ppts for "next quarter's hackathon"

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