Thanks for the honest feedback Michael Risser . I totally hear you.
Here's the thinking behind it: this program is sponsored. The prizes are also funded by partners who believe in growing the embedded Rust community. Referrals are a mechanism to show that growth is happening. It's what keeps the program alive and the sponsors committed. There are many ways to refer others, and it doesn't necessarily have to be face-to-face or to individuals you know.
That said, there is also the Quarterly Build Challenge, which has no referral requirement. Build a project with any XIAO board and Rust, share it publicly, and you're entered for the even larger prize pack.
We'll certainly keep monitoring the feedback and making adjustments as the program evolves.
Michael Risser
I never know what to put in these taglines
I get that you're trying to grow the community, but it sucks that you have to refer two people. I don't know one person who is even remotely interested in embedded development, let alone embedded Rust, heck I don't even know anyone interestetd in development of any kind. Am I alone in this?