>I was just at a big companies web site. What is being advertised in a "lottery" not a "contest". Lotteries involve luck, contest are based on skill. Excluding participants from a lottery, does not invalidate the winners. Excluding participants in a contenst does.

Way to go.

>>Yes, that is also a good opinion. However, big things are involved for people participating in that contest and also about the finalist, winners, etc. That contest is the biggest in its domain so far. It needed to be well prepared. The facts involved are really big. The future of the components involved may also be affected.
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>The only thing that is at stake is cash. Not reputations.

Yes, I agree partially with this. However, for some, there might be more involved. I don't know if you have looked at all the benefits of being winners. On another point, it would also be frustrated to receive a comment like this: "Well, how come you didn't even participate?" :)

>All that said, if we are talking about the same "lottery" and the same big company, it is unfair the exclude people from it.

We all agree on this.