[prezjordan]

I'm also very skeptical of how fast hackathons are growing, but let's look at the results here. We have kids who would otherwise rely on their college courses to teach them CS and prepare them for the job market. Instead we have a few showmen (include the one you quoted) who get the masses psyched up about building things. I think that's pretty cool!

Don't go to a hackathon to "win." In fact, I wish prizes were removed completely. Instead, go to hang out with like-minded folks, learn something new, and teach a newcomer. You'll get the most out of THAT as opposed to slamming a few APIs together and claiming whatever quadcopter Twilio is giving out this year.