FAQ

Circuit Cellar is the Contest Administrator for the ZiLOG 2004 Flash Nets Cash Design Contest. What follows is our response to the most frequently asked questions. If you still have questions, please contact us at contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com.

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY

1. I am not a U.S. resident. Can I enter the Flash Nets Cash Design Contest?
   Yes. The Contest is open to anyone who is 18 years or older as of September 30, 2004, regardless of your place of residence. However, foreign entrants are cautioned to review the laws in the country or province in which they reside to determine that there are no prohibitions to their entry in the Contest.
   
   
2. I work for a major distributor that sells ZiLOG components. Are these companies considered “affiliates,” which would make me ineligible to enter the Contest?
   ZiLOG would prefer not to exclude smart technical people, especially from its product support and distribution channels, but there is only one ethical choice. It is ZiLOG’s opinion that anyone who works for one of its affiliates directly selling or supporting the sale of ZiLOG components, is ineligible. However, ZiLOG has deemed that third-party developers and resellers are eligible to enter.
    
3. Can I use a third-party commercial board or ZiLOG development system?
   Technically speaking, any design that uses a ZiLOG eZ80® device is eligible. Let’s face it, this contest is about ZiLOG components used in various applications. It is not necessarily about proving that you have new ways to wire an eZ80® in a circuit or that you soldered it together yourself. The real focus of the Contest is the uniqueness of your application and its software. The judges, however, will probably be more impressed if the commercial source of your project’s “brain” is de-emphasized and the project application and software are emphasized. The easiest way to de-emphasize that you are using an ZiLOG development system or other commercial board is to redraw the entry schematic to contain only the hardware circuitry necessary for the project. That tells the judges that, although you used a commercial board for convenience, you did it only for that reason and not because you don’t know how to configure the proper ZiLOG component circuit. The photograph submitted with your abstract should contain your actual hardware, even if this is a commercial development system.
   
   
4. Why do I need a Project Number? Do I have to register for one ahead of time?
   Project Numbers are used instead of names to identify entries to ensure unbiased judging. Do not put your name on any project materials to be judged, including the project description, schematic, photograph, block diagram, and code. Include your name and address only on the official entry forms and in correspondence with us.
   
   We prefer that you go to the web site and fill out the official entry form before e-mailing your project. (Filling out a Project Entry Form is separate from the sample request form and does not influence the delivery of samples.) After the official entry form is received, we will e-mail you a registration Project Number to label your entry. This number doesn't have to be plastered on every file but it should be somewhere prominent enough that the judges know what is yours. Most entrants label the ZIP file and the main Word document with the Project Number.
   
   Some entrants request a Project Number months before the end of the contest. Others do it only hours before. Certainly, getting a Project Number before the last hour makes better sense. Of course, the Contest is about the projects and we don’t want to miss receiving yours on a timing technicality. If you request a Project Number at the last minute and do not receive a reply in time to meet the 12 midnight deadline, simply e-mail your project anyway. Include all the registration information required on the official entry form in the text of the e-mail (don’t put it with the project files) and just send it. We’ll sort out the details after we receive your entry.
    
5. Is there a preferable file format? How should I submit the photograph?
   We prefer Word files, but the rules allow projects to be submitted in Word or as a PDF. Some entrants submit projects simultaneously in Word, PDF, and HTML. We don't discourage this, but it isn't required.
   
   At least one photograph of your project must be included with your entry. If you embed your photograph in a Word document or PDF, you must also include a separate file of the photograph that we can use for publishing purposes. The preferred file formats are JPG, GIF, TIF, and BMP. High-resolution (around 300 dpi) images that are approximately 4² × 4² are preferred.
   
   
6. Can I mail or FedEx my entry instead of e-mailing it?
   Yes. Some people don’t trust e-mail delivery. The rules suggest that e-mailing digital entries is the preferred method, but you are welcome to send a CD-ROM or a pile of diskettes. Send an e-mail to contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com for the address and shipping instructions. Just make sure that if you haven't already registered online and received a Project Number to label your entry, then you should fill out a hard copy of the entry form and mail that along too. And finally, mailed entries must be postmarked no later than 12 midnight EST on September 30, 2004.
   
   
7. Should my entry be digital or hard copy?
   We prefer digital files, preferably by e-mail. It’s also acceptable to send digital files by mail on a CD or diskette. If you cannot send digital files, we will accept hard copies. Because we post the winning projects, digital files are more convenient. When sending a hard copy entry, you must include four (4) copies of the entire entry. Send an e-mail to contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com for the address and shipping instructions.
   
   
8. When should I send in my entry?
   Before the deadline, obviously. Seriously speaking, you’ll want to send your entry with plenty of time to get it here by September 30, 2004. E-mail your entry to contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com and not to ZiLOG. If you send it before the last minute, it gives us time to inspect the project, check that files aren’t corrupted, and make sure everything is there. If you forget a schematic, for example, we would have time to tell you and you could add it before the deadline. After your entry is received, you will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt. (Note: This is not an auto-reply service, so please be patient.)
   
   
9. How do I put together an entry that will impress the judges?
   For the most part, following the rules is the best way to impress the judges. They don’t like searching for the key ingredients in your entry. They appreciate organization and presentation depth. We’re not telling you to submit your entry as a magazine article, but the organized format of a technical article is a good template for describing your project to the judges. It also makes your presentation more impressive when the time comes for us to decide which projects should be published in Circuit Cellar magazine.
   
   
10. Is the EZ80Acclaim!™ Test Drive Kit free? Do I have to pay shipping and handling costs?
    The Test Drive Kit is free and includes cost-free shipping to any eligible contestant. A limited number of Test Drive Kits is available. An online request form is provided for serious contestants. If you don't see an online request form posted, it indicates that the free kits are no longer available.
    


11. May I submit multiple entries? If so, what is the maximum number allowed?
    You may submit as many entries as you want (please see the Contest rules), but each must have a separate Project Number.
    


12. Four of us are combining our talents to make and submit a single project. Do we each need to request Project Number?
    No. The Project Number is used to label the entry, in this case a single design, and not to indicate the number of people who worked on it. One person should request a Project Number for the group. That person can include the other names at that time or indicate them in the e-mail that accompanies the final submission. In either case, we will ask participants whose names go on a project before announcing the winners.  

13. By entering this contest or requesting an EZ80Acclaim!™ Test Drive Kit, is my contact information going to be sold to outside parties?
    No, it will not be distributed to others. ZiLOG may periodically send product information to you, but they will not sell or distribute your name to anyone. We may use it to update you on the progress of the Contest or notify you of follow-on Contest opportunities. In either case, all Privacy Act conditions apply, and all contact information will be used solely by ZiLOG or Circuit Cellar personnel.
     
14. Are there other opportunities besides the Contest prizes?
    That’s up to you. Circuit Cellar magazine is the administrator for the Flash Nets Cash Design Contest. As a technical applications magazine, we are always on the lookout for good design projects to publish. If you have done your work correctly, your entry probably already contains 90% of the information necessary for creating an article. Winning a prize in the Contest is not related to publishing your project. If you have a good design, win or loose, it is quite possible that we may contact you. In addition, we traditionally approach many of the non-winning yet noteworthy entrants about opportunities to have their project posted along with the winners.
     
15. How long after the Contest deadline will the winners be notified?
    Winners will be notified via e-mail or postal mail on or about December 1, 2004. The list of winners will be posted on or about January 14, 2005 at
    http://www.ZiLOG.com/acclaimcontest.
    
    
16. If I win and have to send in my finished project, does ZiLOG keep it or is sent back me after it’s evaluated?
    No. According to the rules, if you are chosen as a winner, we will notify you and inform you that you may be required to ship your project to them. Your project will be returned after it is photographed.