Every time I open a problem, I spend the first minute decoding the character names instead of understanding the problem.
Some of these names are so confusing that they're hard to read, let alone remember while solving.
Please, just use Alice and Bob.
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Come on that defeats the whole fun of the questions (not as a problem writer ofc but as a solver / contestant).
What I will say is that it may help a lot with game questions where in which it is basically standard to use Alice and Bob since order is what matters and A&B just makes sense. I do feel like "Alex and Bessie" or something would make sense as well though (yes Bessie the GOAT/Cow-GOAT from USACO).
nah not Bessie its messi
I think it's pretty fun when a problem has a character from a series i know.
I got distracted trying to remember character's faces on reirugan's contest
ya and story part for the ques is okay but too long is so confusing and irritating ig
Not to be ze guy but fun names r cool dude (not that I have solved any questions to pass any judgement)
i do agree but when the names are hard to spell or unfamiliar, they can create unnecessary confusion. Sometimes I have to stop and figure out whether a word refers to a person, a city, or something else.
Different people are familiar with different names. A name that is common or well-known in one region or community may be completely unfamiliar to someone from another part of the world.
weird names aren't the problem the problem is when the statement is a whole paragraph of story followed by a formal definition. like ok cool story about how alice and bob used to play together in the playground when they were kids and because bob has a crush on alice he bought her a gift. the gift is in a box that is locked. to open the box solve this formal problem statement:
yeah i agree i never found issue in the name of characters but moreso deciphering the problem itself
Finally someone said.
No.
absolutely all fun from making problems is making statements about people & situations that authors know. so no, they absolutely won't stop :3
I don't see what the issue is when names are completely irrelevant to the problem, at most printing something different instead of Alice/Bob
I mean in most cases there are just like two names, althouth with few properties but still you can call them whatever you like if you find it hard to remember.
Unpopular Opinion, they should also stop writing a long story in problem statements, it's the second thing that irritates me apart from damn cheaters.
I think it's also a skill to select out the main statement of the problem, Although I don't like it too much but it's ok I think!?
I think the problems on codeforces are concise enough.You can see that many Chinese problems have long backgrounds.Maybe they can enhance our interets.
e.g.:https://www.luogu.com.cn/problem/P11831
Meanwhile,luogu.com.cn is also a good OJ.You can create an account and enjoy it.
My English is too poor.Don't laugh at me please! : )
Even if you dont use Alice and Bob please make the character names start with A and B.