While doing virtual contests, why is it designed such that the server runs the "MAIN TESTS" instead of "PRETESTS" for the submissions? Thing is we come to know whether our solution will pass the main tests there itself and it gives the competitor undue advantage. I feel it should run Pretests first if you are participating virtually to give you a better feel of the contest.
yeah thats a nice point ,, I too feel like that and I think if there are pretests then we will learn more. :)
and add virtual rating
I don't see this as a good option to take.
Point being that the problems and the editorials of which are already openly available. It would be way too easy to cheat on this virtual rating system.
Even without this system, we already have quite a few silly users who do that copy-and-paste stuff. Adding this would only create more incentives for them.
Well theoretically you can also add a cheater-catching system for this issue, but at this point it would be pretty much impractical for Codeforces to do so.
Also I feel that if they opened any problem or "standings" page earlier, they should not be able to participate in that contest virtually. In this case virtual contest will be more like a real contest. Thing is many are plagiarizing because this is not there.