Team Name: crteam
Team Members: Roman Udovichenko & Aliaksei Tolstsikau
Institution/Organization: Yandex
SnackDown 2015 Rank: ROW 17
Q. CodeChef: When did you start coding and how did you learn?
Roman Udovichenko: I started coding when I was 12. I learned about programming from my school teacher.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: In 2003. Practice, practice and once more practice.
Q. CodeChef: Could you name and share your first programming contest experience?
Roman Udovichenko: My first programming contest experience was regional olympiad in informatics. I did not very well, because I was 13 at that time 🙂
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: Belarusian state university contest in 2004 (preliminary round of regional ACM ICPC).
Q. CodeChef: How often do you code on any given day & weekend?
Roman Udovichenko: I code very much, every day on my job and in the free time. I think I spent about 50 hours a week on coding.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: Couple years ago I coded 4-6 hours per week, now only 1-2 per week.
Q. CodeChef: What was the biggest hurdle on your road to where you are today?
Roman Udovichenko: I can’t remember any hurdles.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: After wedding I still had time to compete a lot, but now I have two sons and don’t have time for trainings.
Q. CodeChef: What do you think biggest mistake competitive programmers make?
Roman Udovichenko: Hmmm… maybe being lazy and not practicing a lot.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: They don’t learn any code style.
Q. CodeChef: What programming language do you use and why?
Roman Udovichenko: I use C++ because of its speed and Python with its great module system and nice language syntax.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: C++. Just a habbit.
Q. CodeChef: What advice do you have for other competitive programmers?
Roman Udovichenko: Practice a lot.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: Try to solve problems that you did not solve early!
Q. CodeChef: What do you like the most about CodeChef? and what would you don’t like in it?
Roman Udovichenko: I like contests with prizes. I don’t like if test data for some problem is wrong..
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: SnackDown is great!
Q. CodeChef: What factors do you believe help you win?
Roman Udovichenko: My experience.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: A strong teammate.
Q. CodeChef: What motivates you to compete?
Roman Udovichenko: Prizes.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: Challenges and prizes 🙂
Q. CodeChef: Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line?
Roman Udovichenko: I think I will be a team leader of small group.
Aliaksei Tolstsikau: Ph. D. in Computer Science.
That, ladies & gentlemen is Team crteam to you. We thoroughly enjoyed their responses and hope you did too.
We will be back soon, so keep watching this space.
Regards,
Rudreshwar
Team CodeChef