“SnackDown 2016” is here with an overhauled kitchen

3 min read

It was long pending, perhaps eons by now. We received requests, suggestions, and at times, life threatening calls for it. 🙂 Finally we have been able to push it up our priority list and it’s here. And yes, SnackDown 2016 too. Oh, you thought the prelude was for SnackDown? No, it wasn’t. Why on earth would someone threaten us for SnackDown! The much awaited new look of CodeChef….Ok. Ok. SnackDown 2016 is here too. Happy? Hurray! Yes, we are that animated. Seldom do we get a chance to jump in elation twice in a day. And we want to share both these moments with you.

First things first. Let us start with something that you are keen to know more – SnackDown 2016.

Weeks after announcing the arrival of the third edition of SnackDown, the SnackDown 2016 is finally here. Among many pleasant surprises, we have a new address for it too. And we are sure you are going to like it even more this year. If it was bigger and grander last year, this year we are making it truly global. So, without further ado, it gives us immense pleasure to announce the registrations for the contest “OPEN.”

Go register your teams now: https://www.codechef.com/snackdown/2016

But before you fill in the registration form, go through all the useful information including FAQs, and rules of the contest. You will find some new developments about this year’s SnackDown. We are sure you are going to like them.

Now, let us give you a tour to our “overhauled kitchen.” Don’t worry though; we have not moved any of your favorite boxes here and there. They are all there, and you can still access all your favorite URLs just like before. If anything, we have simplified the screens and some processes for you a tad bit.

Let us take you through what all is new in CodeChef’s kitchen.

  • A tweak to the existing Sign-up page: Since a few months, we have been playing around our Sign-Up page by shortening it in a new curtailed registration form for you. However, there were still issues that the new users faced and hence, we have tweaked it a bit more by adding some new fields, and simplifying the process. Now, you no longer have to enter your location manually. More often than not, it will detect it automatically, with your permission. There still will be few more fields that are mandatory and have been included again in the first sign up form and they will require your attention.

  • New Login bar: Gone are your days of you practicing your cursor hovering skills on our login bar. We now, have a fixed, neat, and easy to locate login bar. And, your favorite social login plugins are still there in all their glory. So, no more complaining about the failed login attempts in absence of a fixed login bar. Go check it out. We are sure you will like this one.

  • New Account Verification Flow: For the new users, we have introduced a one step account verification process through a unique code, to be sent via emails. This eradicates the process requiring you to click on the verification link that we use to send at the time of registration and change your password after registration. We think it’s simpler and faster. But we will wait for your feedback on it, as a verdict.

  • New Home Page: We loved our old home page. And we know you did too. But, like every good thing, it had to give way to something better; we believe that this less colourful theme will make useful items more visible to new users. We believe this has  better legibility of texts and prompt actions on the buttons. You, go check them yourself and let us know your thoughts on even the smallest of changes that you see on the homepage. This is still work in progress and your feedback will certainly be considered.

  • All user related information in one menu: We have consolidated all your information including your teams, invites, to-do list, referrals, and your sets under one menu (under the username) for easy navigation. So, no more wandering here and there, if you ever did, for your account activities.

  • New Team Registration Flow: In our attempt to simplify the processes associated with participation in any contest, we have simplified our team registration flow as well. Selecting an existing team or using a new one, is a much simpler process now. We have tried to keep it minimalistic, whether we have succeeded or not, you should tell us. Just try registering your team for SnackDown 2016 and experience it yourself.

Those are the changes we are going ahead with for now, with many others still on the stove. We will be bringing many such changes and new features in near future, and while we do that, you try all these new changes and let us know whether you liked them or not?

And since some of the changes that we have apply to a lot of places, things may break. Though we have worked hard to test every single change, if something is missed, please let us know.

For now, we head back to our kitchen to check on few other things we have been working on. You enjoy SnackDown 2016 to the fullest and do let us know what you think of these new changes. Love them or hate them, just let us know at: [email protected].

Till next time, adios.

See you at the contests.

Regards,
Rudreshwar
Team CodeChef

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4 Replies to ““SnackDown 2016” is here with an overhauled kitchen”

  1. I appreciate your efforts for revamping the layout, but I think the impact produced is not desired(and that too only on google chrome, It’s fine with mozilla firefox). I have uploaded a few photos for you to see. It is almost impossible to login by clicking on login button ( I am using my keyboard’s tab key).
    Eager to see the new layout in its glory.

  2. @admin

    sir, codechef seems to have forgotten me altogether. i have been regularly partcipating in contests held on codechef since january of this year, and have also been performing good(if not bad) but my ratings have still not gone up. some of my friends who just started a month ago have better ratings than me 🙁 (username — rohit_136)

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