MICROSOFT OFFICE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY - WEB APPLICATION (ONENOTE & WORD ONLINE) CONTEST RULES

[Stafford Quaid]

MICROSOFT OFFICE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ON TECH COMMUNITY CONTEST #2

OFFICIAL RULES

PLEASE NOTE:  It is your sole responsibility to comply with your employer’s gift policies. If your participation violates your employer’s policies, you may be disqualified. Microsoft disclaims all liability and will not be party to any disputes or actions related to this matter. Microsoft is committed to complying with government gift and ethics rules and therefore government employees are not eligible.

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: Microsoft is committed to complying with government gift and ethics rules and therefore government employees are not eligible. 

COMMON TERMS USED IN THESE RULES:

These are the official rules that govern how the Microsoft Office International Community on Tech Community contest promotion will operate (“Contest”).

In these rules, “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Microsoft Corporation, the sponsor of this Contest.  “You” refers to an eligible Contest entrant. 

CONTEST DESCRIPTION: 

This is a skill-based Contest. The objective of this contest is to report language issues on localized versions of Microsoft Office Web Applications (OneNote & Word).

For purposes of this Contest, each contestant can enter by clicking “Start a new conversation” in the Competition space of the Office International Community on Tech Community and posting an issue they found in a localized build of Microsoft Office Web Applications (OneNote & Word) with the relevant details where applicable:

• Description of the issue encountered in a localized version of Microsoft Office Web Applications (OneNote online & Word online)
• Language affected
• Current translation
• Suggested translation and reason(s) for change
• Corresponding English Text (if known):
• Screenshot of the issue
• Steps to reproduce the issue
• Platform (Web)
• Version

This will be called an “entry.” 

All eligible entries received will be judged using the criteria described below to determine the winners of the prizes described below.

WHAT ARE THE START AND END DATES? 

This Contest starts at 12:00 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on November 13, 2017 and ends at 11:59 p.m. UTC on November 24, 2017.

CAN I ENTER?

You are eligible to enter this Contest if you meet the following requirements at time entry:

• You have joined and are a member of the Office International Community on Tech Community

• You are using localized language versions of Office applications, services or content. UK English or US English are not considered to be a language for the purposes of this contest.
• You are 18 years of age or older.

• If you are 18 of age or older, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, you should ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to submitting an entry into this Contest; and

• You are NOT a resident of any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.
• PLEASE NOTE: U.S. export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Therefore, residents of these countries/regions are not eligible to participate.

• You are NOT an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and

• You are NOT involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest; and

• You are NOT an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse/domestic partner, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest.

This Contest is void outside the geographic area described above and wherever else prohibited by law.

HOW DO I ENTER?

For purposes of this Contest, each contestant can enter by clicking “Start a new conversation” in the Competition space of the Office International Community on Tech Community and posting an issue they found in a localized build of Microsoft Office Web Applications (OneNote & Word) with the relevant details where applicable:

• Description of the issue encountered in a localized version of Microsoft Office Web Applications (OneNote online & Word online)
• Language affected
• Current translation
• Suggested translation and reason(s) for change
• Corresponding English Text (if known):
• Screenshot of the issue
• Steps to reproduce the issue
• Platform (Web)
• Version

This will be called an “entry.” 

There is no limit to the number of entries an entrant can submit as long as each entry is substantially unique and different.

We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason. We will automatically disqualify any incomplete or illegible entry;

• We reserve the right to reject any entry, in our sole and absolute discretion, that we determine does not meet the above criteria.

HOW WILL MY ENTRY BE POTENTIALLY USED?

Other than what is set forth below, we are not claiming any ownership rights to your entry.  However, by submitting your entry, you:

• are granting us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to: (i) use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this Contest; and (ii) feature your entry and all content in connection with the marketing, sale, or promotion of this Contest (including but not limited to internal and external sales meetings, conference presentations, tradeshows, and screen shots of the Contest entry in press releases) in all media (now known or later developed);

• agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above;

• understand and acknowledge that the Sponsor(s) may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your submission and you waive any claims you may have resulting from any similarities to your entry; 

• understand that we cannot control the incoming information you will disclose to our representatives in the course of entering, or what our representatives will remember about your entry. You also understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry.  By entering this Contest, you agree that use of information in our representatives’ unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law; 

• understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules.

Please note that following the end of this Contest your entry may be posted on a website selected by us for viewing by visitors to that website.  We are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your entry by visitors to this website.  While we reserve these rights, we are not obligated to use your entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry.

If you do not want to grant us these rights to your entry, please do not enter this Contest.

WINNER DETERMINATION AND PRIZES

On or around the close of the Entry Period, all eligible entries received will be reviewed by a panel of judges and three (3) winners will be selected based on the following judging criteria:

• Highest creation of new, original posts – One winner will be selected who created the most new, original posts.

• Best new, original post – One winner will be selected by the judges for what they believe to be the best post that results in changes to the Office User Interface, teaching call outs (if applicable) and or help content.

• New, original post resulting in the best cosmetic improvement to the User Interface – One winner will be selected by the judges for the post that results in the best cosmetic improvement to the User Interface

The decisions of the judges are final and binding.  If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than the number of Contest Prizes described below.

Contest Prizes

• 1^st prize for Highest creation of new, original and valid posts – Amazon voucher to the value of $100
• 1^st prize for Best new, original post with largest impact to the user interface, teaching calls out (if applicable) or help content – Amazon voucher to the value of $100
• 1^st prize New, original post resulting in the best cosmetic improvement to the User Interface – Amazon voucher to the value of $100

If you are a potential winner, we will notify you by sending a message to the e-mail address, the phone number, or mailing address (if any) provided at time of entry within seven (7) days following completion of judging.  If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award to a runner-up.

If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we will consider the potential winner to be the authorized account holder of the e-mail address used to enter the Contest. If you are a potential winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Publicity Release and a W-9 tax form or W-8 BEN tax form within 10 days of notification. If you complete a tax form, you will be issued an IRS Form 1099 the following January, for the actual value of the prize. You are advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. If you are a potential winner and you are 18 or older, but are considered a minor in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent or legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf.  If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select a runner-up.

If you are confirmed as a winner of this Contest:

• You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services.  However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value; and

• You may not designate someone else as the winner.  If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we may award it to a runner up; and

• If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes related to accepting the prize; and

• If you are otherwise eligible for this Contest, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf; and

• Unless otherwise noted, all prizes are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and / or terms and conditions. 

We will only award one (1) prize per person.

WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS AM I AGREEING TO BY ENTERING?

By entering this Contest, you agree:

• To abide by these Official Rules; and

• To release and hold harmless Microsoft and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Contest, or any prize won; and

• That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Contest; and

• That, by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Contest, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

WHAT LAWS GOVERN THE WAY THIS CONTEST IS EXECUTED AND ADMINISTRATED?

This Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Contest.  

WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CONTEST CAN’T RUN AS PLANNED?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, bot, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Contest.  This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Contest, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Contest. If you attempt or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law.  Further, we may disqualify you, and ban you from participating in any of our future Contests, so please play fairly.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHO WON?

We will post the names of winners online at Competition space of the Office International Community on Tech Community. This list will remain posted one month after winner selection.

WHO IS SPONSORING THIS CONTEST?

Microsoft Corporation

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA 98052