Media Advisory: World's Elite Software Developers Face-Off in Las Vegas for 2008 TopCoder Open

120 finalists from 30 countries match skills May 12-15, competing for global recognition, top honors and $260,000 in prize money.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) May 12, 2008 -- With skilled software developers in high demand around the globe, the world's top organizations are closely monitoring this week's TopCoder Open, which has emerged as the premier worldwide tournament testing software developers' skill. The competition has become a true competitive sport featuring the world's elite talent. Months of online competition has narrowed down many thousands of competitors to a bracket of 120 finalists, with the best competitors descending upon Las Vegas from every corner of the Earth.

What: 2008 TopCoder Open -- The most grueling, comprehensive test of skill in the field of competitive programming -- five competitions match competitors' skills in traditional algorithm, development and design tracks, as well as TopCoder Studio graphic design and Marathon Match events.

The TopCoder Software Symposium, also held onsite at the TopCoder Open, features a series of seminars just for developers, with special guests on hand as keynote speakers.

When: The live rounds of final competition are scheduled for May 12th - May 15th, concluding with an awards ceremony crowning the 2008 TopCoder Champions on Thursday, May 15 at 2:00 p.m.

Where: The Mirage Resort in Las Vegas.

Finalists will jockey for their share of more than a quarter million dollars in prize money ($260,000), and the bragging rights that come with recognition as the world's top coders. As the major-league event for programmers, the TopCoder Open also draws the world's top recruiters to the live competition -- sponsors and patrons including Eli Lilly, BT, AOL, VeriSign, Betfair and the U.S. National Security Agency.

"The power of competition drives development to new levels, and the TopCoder Open is an exciting event where the top competitors from our community of 150,000 software developers unite to challenge themselves and each other in arguably the most prestigious gathering of high tech talent ever assembled," said Rob Hughes, president and COO of TopCoder, Inc.

Additional information is available online, including a comprehensive program featuring all of the finalists, as well as event schedules, rules and guidelines, and more, at: http://www.topcoder.com/tco08 . Or for an inside look at the live action of the TopCoder Open, watch last year's video trailer at: http://www.topcoder.com/tc?module=Static&d1=tournaments&d2=tco07&d3=movies
   
With more than 150,000 members worldwide, the TopCoder online community represents a visionary model for transforming software development and the way work is done. Visit TopCoder at: http://www.topcoder.com .

*Editor's Note: B-roll and live interviews available upon request

TopCoder is a registered trademark of TopCoder, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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