Add a Contests section here (like Custom Projects)

[KT Walrus]

As I've been playing on the IPS4 preview site now for a few days, it appears to me that not all the features I had hoped would be implemented made it into the suite. I would like to encourage third party developers to implement my desired features, but I really don't have the budget to post a Custom Project and pay for the whole implementation.

So, I was thinking that if IPS had a Contests section here, that I could run a Contest and get some developers to compete for implementing the hook/module/app for a lower price than doing a Custom Project. The rules of the Contest could be that all Contests have at least 1 prize ($100 minimum) and that all hooks/modules/apps submitted be able to be sold by the developers in the marketplace. And, that the Contest holder get a royalty-free copyright-free perpetual license for the Contest winning mod to use on their site.

For example, if I would like a Reviews forum type (that works a bit like the Questions forum type in IPS4, only for Reviews with Ratings), I would post a $250 Contest and describe the feature I want implemented. Various developers who think it is worth an afternoon or so to implement their take on the feature and submit their completed work to the Contest. Only the Contest holder would be able to download and test these developer submissions. The Contest would be kept open for maybe up to 30 days at which time, if the Contest holder hasn't picked a winner, IPS would. To make sure that winners get their winnings, IPS could require the Contest holder to pay the winning prize money to IPS before opening the contest and IPS would handle paying the winner when one is picked. The prize money would be refundable to the Contest holder only if the Contest holder or IPS don't think any developer has submitted a solution that is acceptable.

I'm willing to bet that there are lots of us IPS4 customers out here that would love to sponsor various Contests for their favorite missing features of IPS4. Developers will be incentivized to work on lots of different add on products by entering the Contests that feature a high enough prize for them to spend the effort to win the Contest even though the likelihood is that they might not win the prize. And, all Developers, regardless of whether they won the prize, can try to sell their submission in the MarketPlace. This might really jump start the MarketPlace with higher quality third party add ons than the current MarketPlace.