**FIRST EMAIL**/FRC Competition Manual Encrypted Sections Now Available for Download!

[Rosiebotboss]

Greetings Teams:

The 2008 Kickoff has finally arrived! FRC has been extremely busy preparing for this event and the entire 2008 season. We are very excited to welcome you to the season and introduce the 2008 game.

In order to prepare teams we want to inform you of a few items:

Encrypted Sections of Manual Now Available
The encrypted sections of the 2008 FRC Competition Manual (sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) are now available for download at http://www.usfirst.org/frc/2008/manual
To download, right-click on the pdf file and select "Save Link/Target As...".
The password for accessing these documents will be available at the end of the Kickoff broadcast on Saturday, January 5th, 2008.

Prior to Saturday please make sure your computer has the proper software by following the instructions for the 2008 Decryption Test found here, http://www.usfirst.org/frc_documents

Consent and Release Forms
If you are attending the Manchester or a Local Kickoff please note that all team members (students and adult contacts) are required to have a signed Consent and Release form. These forms will be collected at the registration area prior to the Kickoff broadcast. You can download and print copies from http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc/content.aspx?id=960

KOP Dimensions
Please make sure you have enough space available in your vehicle to accommodate the Kit of Parts. Dimensions and weight are listed below:

2 plastic totes (grey and black)
27" x 17" x 12" each
About 65 - 70lbs each

2 cardboard boxes
36" x 4" x 9"
12" x 16"

Have an exciting and inspirational season!

Go Teams!

[11Mort11]

i cant wait

[Branden Ghena]

Are two cardboard boxes normal? I know we always get a box with electronics in it, but what about the other one?:confused:

[Gamer930]

Are two cardboard boxes normal? I know we always get a box with electronics in it, but what about the other one?:confused:

Kit Bot Frame (most likely)

[Branden Ghena]

Oh, duh
Thanks :D

[Pavan Dave]

Would it be against the spirit of FIRST or the rules (that we don't know yet) to find out the rules? ... If.... IF somebody correctly identified the "code" for the manual would it be wrong to post it on CD?

Just wondering...
Pavan

EDIT: I am being facetious in this post....Few people got it.

[boy_scout72688]

First of all,

If you were to hack that code, you need to be working for the government and things of that nature. Second of all, yes, it would be very wrong to post those type of things on CD not to mention FIRST could come after you too! I would recommend that if you know the rules before they are legally released, just keep your mouth shut and enjoy.

Second of all,

Good luck and hope everyone has a great season. I can't wait to see the rules and the game.

[Madison]

Would it be against the spirit of FIRST or the rules (that we don't know yet) to find out the rules? ... If.... IF somebody correctly identified the "code" for the manual would it be wrong to post it on CD?

Just wondering...
Pavan

Unequivocally.

[losedemnoodles]

I'm way tooooooooo excitedddddddddd!! Yikessss!!!

[GaryVoshol]

Would it be against the spirit of FIRST or the rules (that we don't know yet) to find out the rules? ... If.... IF somebody correctly identified the "code" for the manual would it be wrong to post it on CD?

Just wondering...
Pavan

Can you say "Gracious Professionalism"?

[hipsterjr]

I couldn't get it to show up here, but here is the code for the countdown clock


<msprm name="movie" value="08_count.swf">
<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="never" allowNetworking="internal" height="40" width="250" data="http://vthsrobotics.org/08_count.swf">
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" />
<param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" />
<param name="movie" value="http://vthsrobotics.org/08_count.swf" />
</object>

[nparikh]

Good luck trying to figure out the code in the first place. I'm pretty sure one of the reasons they don't release the files until just now because there isn't enough time to try and crack it even with the fastest computers.

[lukevanoort]

Good luck trying to figure out the code in the first place. I'm pretty sure one of the reasons they don't release the files until just now because there isn't enough time to try and crack it even with the fastest computers. You are quite right, people will (most likely) not be able to crack the manual. If they are in fact using AES encryption, they could have released the manuals many years ago and it would still be safe to call them 'secure.' That is the encryption the NSA uses folks, it's not your granddad's Navajo code-talking, or Enigma ciphers. To crack it, you are talking years (probably more than a decade) on the fastest computers in the world. If someone can crack it in one day I would be amazed and very much surprised. In fact, I wish attempters luck, because while cracking the FIRST manual is not GP, it is better to have a vulnerability in AES revealed by some teenager cracking a rulebook for an educational robotics competition than a black-hat cracker finding the same vulnerability and exploiting it to acquire plans for nuclear weapons, details of the US military secrets, and all the data the NSA has collected through their domestic spying programs.

[StephLee]

They're right THERE, but I can't GET them! I always hate the decrypted documents, but I download them anyway...

Not long now!

[KathieK]

Half the fun is in the waiting.

[EricH]

To be quite honest, I only grabbed 2 sections (the Game and the Robot). I'll get the rest after Kickoff. I only grabbed those two because they are "must know now!" items, especially for strategizing. I can wait. (Now how long it it until Saturday? 1 day, 13 hours, 48 minutes? What's the latest hint discussion?):D

[nparikh]

Half the fun is in the waiting.

Very, very true. The anticipation and anxiety make the actual kickoff so much more fun!

[Dillon Compton]

Interesting that FIRST is distributing a two-dimensional box to us this year...


KOP Dimensions
....
2 cardboard boxes
36" x 4" x 9"
12" x 16"
....

[fimmel]

Interesting that FIRST is distributing a two-dimensional box to us this year...i think that is the fedex envelope we have received in the past. but i may be wrong.

...forest

[EricH]

i think that is the fedex envelope we have received in the past. but i may be wrong.

...forest
If it isn't that, they forgot to measure the electronics box. That's odd, though--the electronics box isn't really listed, unless it is that 2D "box" and they forgot to add the 6" depth dimension. They might have put that one in the totes this year, though--but they never have before...

Ironically, I noticed this spotlight as I made this post:... Imagine NOT being able to count on certain things to stay the same from year to year... It makes you wonder what sort of sick, twisted mind would do such a thing to all those innocent teams out there... - dlavery

[ChuckDickerson]

It is probably just a typo or something but the 36" x 4" x 9" box would be about 2" too short for the KitBot as we have had in the past. The uncut length of the KitBot "bumper" has been 37.375" long in the past. Either the 36" box length is a typo and should be 38" or the KitBot has changed from the past. Maybe the robot dimensions will not be 28"x38" this year? Maybe a 36" long limit?

Hmm...

[EricH]

It is probably just a typo or something but the 36" x 4" x 9" box would be about 2" too short for the KitBot as we have had in the past. The uncut length of the KitBot "bumper" has been 37.375" long in the past. Either the 36" box length is a typo and should be 38" or the KitBot has changed from the past. Maybe the robot dimensions will not be 28"x38" this year? Maybe a 36" long limit?

Hmm...My dad thought the same thing. Size change seems to be imminent.

[chaoticprout]

Wow, I can't wait.

[AndyB]

My dad thought the same thing. Size change seems to be imminent.

Or a new kit frame... who knows.

[Richard McClellan]

I'm way tooooooooo excitedddddddddd!! Yikessss!!!
Me too! I can't wait any longer!!!!! 15 hours, 21 minutes, 3 seconds to go!!

[Farrett40]

The code is:
Drive!Straight?turn!LEFT!?

[Nin_estarSaerah]

and after ever anagram i tried, i never thought of punctuation