Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page? [Archive]

basicxman

02-02-2011, 10:13

http://usfirst.org has a new splash page featuring will.i.am and an introductory video for the public eye.

Frankly I can't say I'm a fan. While the video might be appealing, a giant phrase across the top saying "You guys are cool" is not very catchy. First of all, we've always been cool - why is it a surprise now? (:D)

It seems the only way to get to the regular website is to click the FIRST logo which is really unintuitive.

I love that will.i.am has come and promoted FIRST, but they're really over doing it here.

Your two cents?

EDIT: I could actually see this splash page increasing the bounce rate, not decreasing it :(
EDIT 2: Just saw the video with sound, they really need to take that down. Wow.

thefro526

02-02-2011, 10:20

MrForbes

02-02-2011, 10:21

hmmm....my toolbar bookmarks for the 452 page and the 430 page are about all I usually see. Although I need to find the QA page again sometime soon.

Your descrption of the splash page is good enough for me, I don't need to go look at it :p

rsisk

02-02-2011, 10:39

I have to agree with you, not sure I like the new landing page. The older one seemed more substantive and professional, the new one seems disjointed, especially the way the top banner image blends into the black background, it really unbalances the page.

The FIRST_PROMO.MOV that you go to when you click on "What is FIRST/Watch" is way better at describing FIRST then the "FIRST is Cool" video, but the FIRST_PROMO.MOV shouldn't be launching on the YouTube page, it should at least run embedded. The "FIRST is Cool" video image change much too fast to be able to absorb what I am seeing. It may be more appealing to a younger generation because of will.i.am being on it, but that is not the only audience that goes to the FIRST website.

Alan Anderson

02-02-2011, 10:43

hmmm....my toolbar bookmarks for the 452 page and the 430 page are about all I usually see.

You mean http://www.usfirst.org/frc/competitionmanual and http://www.usfirst.org/frc/regionalevents? :)

I wonder if there is a list of such "memorable" URLs anywhere. Even though the first alias has been in the manual from the beginning, I only really noticed it when Team Update #7 came out. The second one was a total shot in the dark this morning that surprised me greatly when it worked.

The other one I know of is http://www.usfirst.org/frc/kitofparts.

MrForbes

02-02-2011, 10:50

Why am I not surprised that Alan figured that out? :rolleyes:

Vermeulen

02-02-2011, 10:50

I definitely liked the old page better. The new page is too busy, and it looks cramped. Plus, the whole "you guys are cool" quote in giant letters is really cheesy. It looks from the page that the biggest praise FIRST has ever received in 20 years is a musician calling it cool, which is totally untrue.

Alan Anderson

02-02-2011, 11:03

GGCO

02-02-2011, 11:08

So I decided to check out the new page.

Wham! I'm immediately scolded for trying to access YouTube and Facebook, two sites which are blocked by the firewall at my workplace.

Thanks a lot, FIRST. The usfirst.org domain is probably now on the "watch list" of sites to check to see if they should be blocked as well.

This really isn't FIRST's fault. It's your work's for not trusting their employees to manage their time effectively.

Overall, the page looks like it was thrown together by an amateur and doesn't represent FIRST very well. For example, I don't immediately see anything regarding technology or science, so it's kind of confusing. It might generate a lot of clicks for new visitors, but once they land on the main site they'll be as confused as ever.

rsisk

02-02-2011, 11:11

You mean http://www.usfirst.org/frc/competitionmanual and http://www.usfirst.org/frc/regionalevents? :)

I wonder if there is a list of such "memorable" URLs anywhere. Even though the first alias has been in the manual from the beginning, I only really noticed it when Team Update #7 came out. The second one was a total shot in the dark this morning that surprised me greatly when it worked.

The other one I know of is http://www.usfirst.org/frc/kitofparts.

Sounds like a handy new feature for FRCLINKS... "calling Pat Fairbanks, come in Pat"

Karibou

02-02-2011, 11:13

I think that the new splash page is a little confusing. I do see that "read" takes me back to the old About Us page, but that's not clear. As GGCO said, it doesn't say much about science and technology either. I would rather point a sponsor to the About Us page than the splash.

basicxman

02-02-2011, 11:14

Overall, the page looks like it was thrown together by an amateur and doesn't represent FIRST very well. For example, I don't immediately see anything regarding technology or science, so it's kind of confusing. It might generate a lot of clicks for new visitors, but once they land on the main site they'll be as confused as ever.

It breaches a lot of FIRST's own guidelines in their website award doc :rolleyes:

More contradicting than the GDC :(

Come on FIRST, get your head in the game.

rsisk

02-02-2011, 11:15

It might generate a lot of clicks for new visitors, but once they land on the main site they'll be as confused as ever.

If this was the goal, then maybe make some improvements to this page and then put together another URL for us old timers, something like: http://direct.usfirst.org that takes you right to the old landing page...

or even better frc.usfirst.org ftc.usfirst.org fll.usfirst.org that takes you right to the landing page for that program.

JesseK

02-02-2011, 11:19

Hi, we are a rookie team this year, and came to the website in order to figure out some answers to our questions. I went to www.usfirst.org but can't find a link to where the rules are?

#1 FAQ, guaranteed. Great aesthetics, terrible utility.

IndySam

02-02-2011, 11:21

Tom Line

02-02-2011, 11:24

That front page is a huge step backwards from what was there before. Messy, far less professional looking, hard to understand, and actually a bit tacky too. Yikes.

mwtidd

02-02-2011, 11:24

This page isn't for people who are already in the program, it seems to be created for the uniformed masses that FIRST is trying to draw in. I imagine that using Will.i.am and his quote should catch some people's attention, but the page is a bit too busy for me... It would be nice to have a large "Already Involved" button some where on the page so that we could bypass it without much thought.

Personally, I'm a bit tired of seeing FIRST use Will.i.am's appearance as an advertising tool to tell us that what many of us have been doing for years is a cool thing. FIRST was and will always be cool.

Oh, and FIRST could probably use a new introductory video since the previous one was made in 2004. Then again, any shot from that game is usually awesome so maybe it should stay.

I don't mind them using will.i.am I just wished they would use him right. If they asked just a few people, they would have realized that this dubbing of his words and this song is not cool. The beat is awful and outdated, and the mixing of his words is broken and not smooth. All the cred FIRST gets from will is destroyed if you represent him poorly. Will.i.ams music is cool and composed.

FIRST is trying to, and should be trying to, rebrand themselves to the general public. I think the thought behind it is right on, and this video could have been really cool, but they should have listened to some of will.i.am's music before publishing this. Will's music is dancable, this is not. I want something I can jam to, that'll get me more excited than strange 90's beats.

TheOtherGuy

02-02-2011, 11:25

I thought the FIRST site was cluttered enough as it was.

Biggest problem is it screams "Will.i.am" instead of "FIRST".
Second problem is the difficulty in finding the actual website.
Third issue is subpar graphics and embedded youtube video*.

Whole thing seems a little fishy...

Great aesthetics, terrible utility.
Bad aesthetics too, actually.

* The title of video is THE WORST! "will.i.am says FIRST is Cool!"

nighterfighter

02-02-2011, 11:26

Cool beans, my school blocks it because of the video.

*thumbsdown*

BrendanB

02-02-2011, 11:37

I really, really dislike the new layout. The page is very cluttered, too much happening, and just getting to the real website must be a pain for people who have never gone before. If they wanted to add something about Will.I.Am, add it to the current home page.

Will.I.Am is not FIRST.

Alpha Beta

02-02-2011, 11:37

We have been told for years that we should celebrate scientist and engineers instead of athletes and entertainers then we get an entertainer interested and FIRST goes completely nuts over him.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Amen!

FIRST is cool because it has the power to change the world and make it a better place, not because an entertainer says so. That being said I'm glad an entertainer like will.I.am can see that big picture. Perhaps our opinion of what matters to those in the entertainment world has been too narrow.

Alan Anderson

02-02-2011, 11:39

Wham! I'm immediately scolded for trying to access YouTube and Facebook, two sites which are blocked by the firewall at my workplace.

This really isn't FIRST's fault. It's your work's for not trusting their employees to manage their time effectively.

Most schools also block such sites, you know. I don't see anything good coming from this change.

Karibou

02-02-2011, 11:44

or even better frc.usfirst.org ftc.usfirst.org fll.usfirst.org that takes you right to the landing page for that program.

Those already exist:

usfirst.org/fll
usfirst.org/ftc
usfirst.org/frc

Additionally, usfirst.org/default.aspx is the old landing page, but that's not as easy as it should be.

JaneYoung

02-02-2011, 12:00

* The title of video is THE WORST! "will.i.am says FIRST is Cool!"

I thought he said FIRST is dope.

Jane

Alpha Beta

02-02-2011, 12:02

I thought he said FIRST is dope.

Jane

Say no to drugs kids. Dope isn't cool. :yikes:

Mr_I

02-02-2011, 12:09

Well, on the one hand, I don't like the new splash page, because Team 811 is no longer highlighted :( (We were at kick-off, and were on photo #2, along with Dean and Will.i.am. You can still see it here (http://www.usfirst.org/Default.aspx), until this goes away again.)

Personal feelings aside, I found the apparent contradiction of the kick-off message unsettling: Woodie Flowers admonishes us that we need to beware "irrational passion", and then seeing everyone (adults as well as teens) fawning over a music star. And now to see that the irrational passion is carrying forward is also a little confusing. YES, I know we need to use the influence of Will.i.am to reach out to the millions of teens who don't know FIRST, but I wonder if this is this the right way to go about it.

basicxman

02-02-2011, 12:12

YES, I know we need to use the influence of Will.i.am to reach out to the millions of teens who don't know FIRST, but I wonder if this is this the right way to go about it.

will.i.am should be evangelizing FIRST, not vise-versa.

Mr_I

02-02-2011, 12:19

will.i.am should be evangelizing FIRST, not vise-versa.

Ooo, I like that. Concise and to the point.

Mark McLeod

02-02-2011, 12:58

Cool beans, my school blocks it because of the video.

Wham! I'm immediately scolded for trying to access YouTube and Facebook, two sites which are blocked by the firewall at my workplace.

It's unusable for me too.

dlavery

02-02-2011, 12:59

We have been told for years that we should celebrate scientist and engineers instead of athletes and entertainers then we get an entertainer interested and FIRST goes completely nuts over him.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Will.i.am says "You guys are cool!"

We have always known that.

It is nice that the rest of the world is beginning to catch up with us.

It is admirable that a large, visible celebrity like Will.i.am sought out Dean and FIRST and asked "how can I get involved and help?" (and it is important to note that he came to FIRST, FIRST did not seek him out), and he can help put a very visible light on what we are doing. However, in the process FIRST has to be careful that the fundamental message of the organization - celebrating science and technology and the practitioners thereof - is not lost in the glare of the limelight. Unfortunately, this new web page starts off in that direction.

-dave

.

JaneYoung

02-02-2011, 13:05

Some of the questions/thoughts/concerns that I'm having:

How does this help the teams introduce others (schools, parents, sponsors) to FIRST?
a. the actual website isn't easy to locate so just sending the link makes me nervous.
b. is everything we, as mentors, have been promoting no longer cool because of the newest trend that's been dreamed up? Now, the trend is more status quo so does that mean that I want to promote status quo? Or, does it mean, oh - this is just the hook, pay it no mind, here's what we are really all about? Which leads to...
c. my elevator speech stinks so all this manipulation isn't going to help me be more succinct or genuine.
d. another day or two and I'll have used up the alphabet and then what?

Jane

Alpha Beta

02-02-2011, 13:07

-dave

.

I just got more chills knowing that Dave is still reading Chief Delphi than I did seeing Will.i.am at kick-off. :cool:

We have all kinds of kids involved in FIRST. Some are science and technology heroes and others provide the music that we like to work to. I'm glad we have super stars of all types to help remind us that what we are doing here is important.

pfreivald

02-02-2011, 13:17

GGCO

02-02-2011, 13:23

They really should have written some use cases before they threw this out. Here's something they really need to consider.

Let's say a FRC student is talking with a teacher, Mr. Smith, about the FRC and after 5 minutes of conversion before class gives the teacher the URL to usfirst.org. During Mr. Smith's prep hour, he visits the site to find out more about FIRST. Right now the only thing Mr. Smith knows about FIRST is that it deals with science and technology and that high schoolers work with engineers to build robots.

Ok stop. Let's say he sees the current splash page.

He's probably thinking, "Wait, what? What does a rapper have to do with this? Did I get the wrong address? This is confusing."

I'm sure he'd figure it out, but the first impression of FIRST definitely wasn't a good one. The melodramatic tag line, "THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING THING! YOU GUYS ARE COOL!" is ridiculous. Now add the shoddy look and feel of the site, and FIRST's image just tanks.

Sorry, but this entire landing page is a huge leap backwards for FIRST. Maybe they should spend more time organizing and redesigning their current (main) site. That's a mess too.

GGCO

02-02-2011, 13:27

As a person with several family members and friends in the intelligence community, and who has a security clearance himself (for work in quantum cryptography funded by the DoD, thank you very much), all I really think when I see will.i.am is *black rage*.

This is a man who equated the CIA with the KKK, the Bloods, and the Crips.

That he is affiliated with FIRST at all is irritating. That his approval of what we do is being trumpeted as if it matters even a little is aggravating.

It's great that will.i.am thinks FIRST is dope. It really is, because perhaps some kids will take a second look at FIRST and decide to become a part of it. One hopes that Paris Hilton would look at FIRST and say "That's Hot," to similar result.

But there is something terribly wrong with this organization, of all organizations, using an entertainer's approval as validation for its coolness.

If FIRST's "Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" depends on borrowing "cool" from entertainers, then it's never going to be successful at changing the culture.

Wow, I didn't remember him ever saying these things. But I think you bring up some good points. What I've always wondered is why does FIRST always feel a need to pander to people who already aren't interested in becoming engineers? Are all of will.i.am's fans suddenly going to join your FIRST Robotics team? Do we want that? People who don't care about solving problems joining FIRST because their favorite artist endorses them?

I'm fine with will.i.am promoting FIRST, but having him be the face of the sport seems like it might backfire.

Madison

02-02-2011, 13:29

Will.i.am says "You guys are cool!"

We have always known that.

It is nice that the rest of the world is beginning to catch up with us.

It is admirable that a large, visible celebrity like Will.i.am sought out Dean and FIRST and asked "how can I get involved and help?" (and it is important to note that he came to FIRST, FIRST did not seek him out), and he can help put a very visible light on what we are doing. However, in the process FIRST has to be careful that the fundamental message of the organization - celebrating science and technology and the practitioners thereof - is not lost in the glare of the limelight. Unfortunately, this new web page starts off in that direction.

-dave

.

It is encouraging, at least, to know that will.i.am came to FIRST.

As a person with several family members and friends in the intelligence community, and who has a security clearance himself (for work in quantum cryptography funded by the DoD, thank you very much), all I really think when I see will.i.am is *black rage*.

Whoa. :/

pfreivald

02-02-2011, 13:36

Wow, I didn't remember him ever saying these things.

"Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK"

--Where is the Love (The Black Eyed Peas)

Source: Lyrics.com, or every freaking radio in the country.

mwtidd

02-02-2011, 13:42

I see a reoccurring theme of individuals treating FIRST as though it is a Final Club for the STEM community, in which members look condescendingly down on non STEM individuals. The FIRST movement to attract non STEM members is an honorable one. If it wasn't for the business people most innovations would never be realized. The people who bring the innovations to light are just as important as those who develop them.

As to Will.I.Am, anyone who gives away full college scholarships to multiple FIRST members should be praised. This contribution was not laughable but incredible. Many would invest their money in other places, but he gave to FIRST. I think that we should appreciate what the man is doing for our community.

In the words of Max Bemis:
"When you walk by a group of quote-unquote normal people
You chuckle to yourself patting yourself on the back as you scoff
It's the same superiority complex
Shared by the high school jocks who made your life a living hell"

JaneYoung

02-02-2011, 13:44

Dean said at Kick Off that members of the entertainment industry can shine a spotlight on FIRST. That's great if used wisely. Light can be reflected and that is the part that I'm concerned about.

There are several languages involved in communicating about FIRST:
1. the FIRST lingo/speak
2. the technical language that plays a key role
3. the language of the rules for the game and the awards

Those are 3 that I can think of quickly and those are enough to make a visitor's eye glaze over without trying to interpret the light that is being shone on the program by the entertainment industry or the politicians.

There has to be a filter of some sort and I don't want to be it. There's enough to filter without having to explain what dope means in this trend. If FIRST has decided to use this entertainer as a face of the program, then help us out with how that is going to impact and what we are supposed to do with it. It's easy to make a connection to Mythbusters and to President Obama's commentary about recognizing science and technology. This one is a little harder. If FIRST wants to highlight entertainers so they can spotlight FIRST - that's FIRST's job. Find a way for the teams to work around that or with it in a positive manner without creating a mess or a breakdown in communication.

Jane

gblake

02-02-2011, 13:50

And - The thing that makes me wryly grin the most while reading this discussion, is that I have absolutely no clue who Will-I-Am is or what his music/rapping sounds like.

To me he was just an oddly quiet and oddly dressed part of kick-off.

If Albert Einstein were part of an FRC kick-off, I suspect that he too would have been oddly quiet and oddly dressed, but I would have recognized him (and been able to admire his accomplishments).

Then again, I'm already one of the converted; no need to preach to me, except to do a little maintenance now and then.

Either I need to start looking forward to getting that Senior citizen's discount in another 13 years, or Will-I-Am isn't all that famous. I'll bet he hasn't even been featured in a Glee episode yet. ;)

Time to get back to work now.

Blake

Karthik

02-02-2011, 13:51

Ian Curtis

02-02-2011, 14:00

Perhaps FIRST has once again gotten frustrated with the pace of change. I wasn't around, but didn't FIRST go through a similar celebrity phase in the early 2000s? When I was a rookie (2004), it was "every FRC graduate should start a team at their college", then we moved into getting government officials involved around 2008 (?) and know we seem to be back at celebrities.

I don't like the splash page, but I didn't like the new logo or the new website when they arrived either. I'm no graphics guy, but to me it doesn't mesh well with the rest of the FIRST site. I think it looks rather "gimmicky" as compared to the rest of the very professional FIRST website.

Dave brings up a very good point. I think it's hard to find celebrities that are mainstream enough to get the kind of widespread "currently non-FIRST" attention that HQ wants while retaining that FIRST "celebrate technology" vibe. In my humble opinion, we don't want celebrities that say "what you kids do blows my mind!", we want people that say "what you guys do is awesome!" Any movie stars with engineering degrees out there? We've already had the Google guys, but why not use the Mythbusters, astronauts, or someone like Elon Musk?

At some point, you've got to pick a target audience. It's not possible to appeal to everyone, so can we start with the kids who like cool stuff (cars, planes, etc.) and convert them first?

GGCO

02-02-2011, 14:03

The reason FIRST "panders" to people who aren't interested in engineering is because there is a massive shortage of engineers in North America. Even more concerning, is that there is an even larger shortage of people who want to be engineers. To solve this problem we need to excite as many people about engineering very quickly. Having someone with as much mainstream appeal as will.i.am is a great strategy to draw large amounts of attention to a program that has been relatively hidden to the masses.

I don't know if I'd agree with that statement. As I've looked over the statistics of how many engineers there are in North America, it looks like the number has remained relatively consistent. Also, the numbers of engineers in other countries like China and India are skewed and inaccurate. I've seen FIRST officials throw these around, so maybe that's where you're getting your information from.

Now we may need more tech-savvy workers in the (near) future, but you need to realize that engineers are an odd breed. Really we are. We work with other people to solve really challenging problems. That's pretty amazing when you think about it.

My concern is that we get a bunch of people interested in engineering, sell them on the idea that engineering is a glamorous and fantastic career, and then they end up hating it and instead of quitting become a terrible engineer. This kind of thinking gets us in trouble in other areas down the road.

For example, when people say, "We need more [INSERT MINORITY HERE] to be engineers!" I always ask, "Why? Don't we just need good engineers? I could care less what their skin color, gender, or sexual preference happens to be."

JohnBoucher

02-02-2011, 14:10

I had to play the video a few times to make sure I saw Woodie. I am still looking for Dave.

The video tells me nothing about FIRST. I don't understand the focus, or perhaps I can't bring myself to understand the focus of the video.

FIRST is not a party. It is the most important activity a high school age student can do. It can be a lot of fun, but it's a serious undertaking. I find the message in the video off-topic. Perhaps the message has changed and no one told us.

basicxman

02-02-2011, 14:12

The video tells me nothing about FIRST. I don't understand the focus, or perhaps I can't bring myself to understand the focus of the video.

This is what really needs to be kept in mind, perhaps we should send a letter to FIRST. (email about to be sent)

GGCO

02-02-2011, 14:15

This is what really needs to be kept in mind, perhaps we should send a letter to FIRST. (email about to be sent)

This is a really good idea. I'd love to put my name on an open letter to FIRST regarding this topic.

XaulZan11

02-02-2011, 14:17

It is admirable that a large, visible celebrity like Will.i.am sought out Dean and FIRST and asked "how can I get involved and help?" (and it is important to note that he came to FIRST, FIRST did not seek him out), and he can help put a very visible light on what we are doing. However, in the process FIRST has to be careful that the fundamental message of the organization - celebrating science and technology and the practitioners thereof - is not lost in the glare of the limelight. Unfortunately, this new web page starts off in that direction.
.

Thanks for confirming my suggestion that Will.i.am found FIRST and not the other way around. A part of me feels that Will.i.am is 'using' FIRST to rebrand himself as a technological innovator type person more so than wanting to help FIRST out. I don't think it is a coincidence that Will.i.am very recently joined Intel as "Director of Creative Innovation" (http://newsroom.intel.com/community/intel_newsroom/blog/2011/01/25/intel-teams-with-william-black-eyed-peas-front-man?cid=cim:ggl|william_us_will|irC961|s). (I have a sneaky suspicion that this new position is a glorified spokesmen or advertisment for both parties).

IKE

02-02-2011, 14:18

What I've always wondered is why does FIRST always feel a need to pander to people who already aren't interested in becoming engineers? Are all of will.i.am's fans suddenly going to join your FIRST Robotics team? Do we want that? People who don't care about solving problems joining FIRST because their favorite artist endorses them?

I'm fine with will.i.am promoting FIRST, but having him be the face of the sport seems like it might backfire.

While they may not join the team, they might go to see an event. How cool would that be if the stands were full of spectators watching what is going on, just like the football and basketball games. You might even be able to someday charge $1 for admission which could then offset regional event costs which would help sustain teams.

Technical people are often really good at solving technical problems. How do I make this do that. Frequentlly though in the world, there are non-technical problems that require solving before the technical solution can be implemented. How many researchers are really good at getting people to give them money to support them to do research? Once they have found a cure for XYZ, sometimes it is difficult to get people to take it. Just the other night I saw a really good interview about how one of Bill Gate's charities is trying to eradicate polio. The vaccine has been around for 50+ years, but not everyone will take it.

If your really listen to the speeches Dean gives, it is more than the robots, it is more than the kids, it is more than the events. The goal is to change the culture. Having an artist, musician, or athlete actively seek out and ask how they can help proves culture change is happening. Don't loose sight of that goal.

perlgerl

02-02-2011, 14:21

Splash pages are a sure sign of bad Web design (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530_comments.html) - Jakob Nielson (http://www.useit.com/jakob/) ("the king of useability")

Looks like FIRST needs some mentoring.

JaneYoung

02-02-2011, 14:24

If your really listen to the speeches Dean gives, it is more than the robots, it is more than the kids, it is more than the events. The goal is to change the culture. Having an artist, musician, or athlete actively seek out and ask how they can help proves culture change is happening. Don't loose sight of that goal.

The goal has to be clear to the messenger. Very clear. Especially if the messenger is the draw to the program. Otherwise, confusion occurs.

Jane

IKE

02-02-2011, 14:37

The goal has to be clear to the messenger. Very clear. Especially if the messenger is the draw to the program. Otherwise, confusion occurs.

Jane

Agreed. Though which messenger would you be referring to?

JaneYoung

02-02-2011, 14:40

Agreed. Though which messenger would you be referring to?

- That - would be my point.

Jane

Chris27

02-02-2011, 14:45

Frankly, the new look looks very unprofessional. I think in trying to look cool/trendy, FIRST is undermining the P part in GP. I know that FIRST want's to spread its message around but what is the point if the message is wrong (or perceived wrong)? I don't think the point of FIRST is to be "cool" but to change the perception of science/technology to being "cool." To me, the splash page comes across as more of a promotion of will.i.am then of science and technology. For instance, I wold not put "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," FIRST's slogan below the fold of the page...

Katie_UPS

02-02-2011, 15:14

You know when your grandma/mom/dad/history teacher other awkward adult tries to act "hip"...?
Yeah, thats the embarrassment I get from this page. Its the same way I felt about the FIRST "rap".

I'm sure someone somewhere worked really hard on this and I congratulate them for the attempt. Unfortunately, its one of those things that should be taken down and recorded in the company journal as a bad idea.

Alex Cormier

02-02-2011, 15:17

I'm sure someone somewhere worked really hard on this and I congratulate them for the attempt. Unfortunately, its one of those things that should be taken down and recorded in the company journal as a bad idea.

I would think Akamai (http://www.akamai.com/) was the company who was asked/paid to produce the page. As they are in the lower right corner.

sanddrag

02-02-2011, 15:22

We have been told for years that we should celebrate scientist and engineers instead of athletes and entertainers then we get an entertainer interested and FIRST goes completely nuts over him.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. My thoughts exactly as I watched the kickoff. For years Dean has tols us that we need to look beyond our silly aspirations of becoming famous musicians and sports stars, and get serious about more important goals. Now this? I don't get it.

Katie_UPS

02-02-2011, 15:25

I would think Akamai (http://www.akamai.com/) was the company who was asked/paid to produce the page. As they are in the lower right corner.

Then I'm sure someone from there worked really hard on it.
That might also explain why the page isn't the best representation of FIRST.

Madison

02-02-2011, 15:26

I would think Akamai (http://www.akamai.com/) was the company who was asked/paid to produce the page. As they are in the lower right corner.

Akamai does not produce content, they only deliver it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamai_Technologies

pfreivald

02-02-2011, 15:31

You know when your grandma/mom/dad/history teacher other awkward adult tries to act "hip"...?

I am smelling what you are cooking.
Indeed, I am picking up what it is that you are putting down.

In the parlance of the modern vulgate, one could say that I am indeed jiggy with it. Verily and forsooth.

Alan Anderson

02-02-2011, 15:35

I am smelling what you are cooking.
Indeed, I am picking up what it is that you are putting down.

In the parlance of the modern vulgate, one could say that I am indeed jiggy with it. Verily and forsooth.

Ten-four.

artdutra04

02-02-2011, 16:21

The 1990s called, they want their splash page back.

Nawaid Ladak

02-02-2011, 16:33

I'm not a big fan of the new splash page. I could see myself getting used to it...eventually. The page doesn't provide a lot of information unless you click on the FIRST logo in the lower left to advance to the "old" splash page. The page does indeed look unprofessional. Maybe they should get the website award winners to redesign it for them...

As for the whole Will.I.Am and Engineering argument. there are A LOT of kids who haven't even HEARD of FIRST. This is more than just your typical STEM program. It inspires students to chase their dreams. The lessons you learn from the program help you through life. Look at the non-engineering activities Chairmans Award winning teams do and then come back to me and tell me this is just a STEM program. Will.I.Am is just a way to get these kids knowing about FIRST, getting involved, and seeking the true benefits of the program. Whether that be the STEM end of the program, or the Inspiration, it's in the student's hands to decide.

It's great that Will.I.Am has decided to give FIRST some publicity. But i don't think FIRST is taking full advantage of this by putting out a poor quality webpage.

Rich Kressly

02-02-2011, 16:56

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

basicxman

02-02-2011, 17:03

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

Indeed, when I give a [potential] sponsor the link to usfirst.org as an intention for them to find out more details - this is not a page I'd want them to see.

Andrew Schreiber

02-02-2011, 17:04

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

You sure none of that got in their HTML?

I didn't realize FIRST was the new Myspace.

basicxman

02-02-2011, 17:05

I didn't realize FIRST was the new Myspace.

Woah, woah, let's not get too carried away here. Remember that this is mostly not Akamai's fault - they were generous to have supplied services. Content was FIRST's choice.

Andrew Schreiber

02-02-2011, 17:13

Woah, woah, let's not get too carried away here. Remember that this is mostly not Akamai's fault - they were generous to have supplied services. Content was FIRST's choice.

Who blamed Akamai?

Rich Kressly

02-02-2011, 17:13

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

I don't want to discount the assistance a celebrity can give FIRST for helping to raise awareness, but ... just so I have this straight .... will.i.am gets page 1 and the president of the United Stated talking to "our kids" about their work gets page 2 ... and will.i.am has two spots on page 2 as well ... hmmm..... seems like that's a shift in the wind ...

Since the folks I depend on for support in the multiple communities I serve the mission in might not be thoroughly thrilled here, I think I need to have some website links changed from usfirst.org to http://www.usfirst.org/default.aspx

basicxman

02-02-2011, 17:18

Who blamed Akamai?

You sure none of that got in their HTML?

I assume Akamai was responsible for HTML.

Chris27

02-02-2011, 17:23

basicxman

02-02-2011, 17:25

JohnBoucher

02-02-2011, 17:33

I do believe that they are way off message here, but being involved in it we forget how hard the message is to convey.

The video under the >Watch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdDGu39hpQE) link is a great video, very much on message but way too long. Somehow they need to develop the "elevator version".

So lets write this for FIRST. Here are a few tag lines that work for me.

"The Super Bowl Of Smarts"
"Like the WWE, but for smart people"
"Hardest Fun Ever"

Add your own Lets see what we can come up with.

mwtidd

02-02-2011, 17:45

For all those who don't like video, its on youTube. youtube unlike facebook has a dislike button ;)

Rick TYler

02-02-2011, 18:10

They really should have written some use cases before they threw this out.

My exact first response. You are unusually thoughtful and perceptive. This is why I don't like content-free splash pages -- the only user who appreciates it is one who had no particular reason for coming to a Website. (At least it's not a Flash site...)

OZ_341

02-02-2011, 20:07

Just a few thoughts:

1- From a functional point of view, I am not even sure what I am looking at when I open this splash page. I don't think I would send a potential sponsor to view this page.

2- Having unrelated celebrities like Will-i-am is OK in concept but FIRST needs to present a better case for the young people that may view this page. "Screaming" that FIRST is really cool will have a reverse effect and is a little embarrassing, as was previously mentioned. On the other hand, "Showing" that FIRST is cool is the way to do it. (See video link below)

3- Also its a bad idea to have your video end with an open page to Youtube. It is not properly embedded. This means that almost any type of video could pop up as the next video on that page. I really don't think that FIRST wants that potential disaster. They need to fix this ASAP.

4- And finally I think FIRST should be taking the high road in presenting how cool Science and Engineering can be. The video linked below does exactly that. I am not just saying this because we are in it. Listen to the words of Mykala Nelson, the Myth Busters, or the President himself in this video. This
video make science "cool" in the way that it should be presented. Just watch it and you will understand.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2010/10/27/first-ever-white-house-science-fair

RoboMom

02-02-2011, 20:08

Akamai acts as a CDN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamai_Technologies

I'm pretty sure they had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of the splash page. They just deliver the content to your browser faster than FIRST's servers could.

Akamai sponsored some teams attending the Boston Regional a few years ago. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to give the company leadership a tour.
They were very engaging folks and amazed at what was happening at the event, especially in the pits.

ps. I do kinda miss the photo of the president on the home page. It is a great photo.

DCA Fan

02-02-2011, 20:11

Ugh I just threw up a little. If this is the direction they want to go to promote FIRST, I'm sorry to say I will not be backing it.

Triapod

02-02-2011, 20:19

There is nothing wrong with: http://usfirst.org/default.aspx I mean it even has a link to the splash page on the bottom left. More impressive are the pictures of the teams with robot and also the president

I'd rather a video of the real action with the bustling of the pits and the cheering in the seating areas over this any day. How about featuring the video about the origin of the first logo instead?
Also nice black theme when going to white website.

Ian Curtis

02-02-2011, 20:27

You know what that video is missing? The old FIRST theme songs! :p

1st Theme One (http://www.team228.org/media/The-Real-FIRST.mp3)
2nd Theme Two (http://www2.usfirst.org/videos/FirstTwo.mp3)

I actually like the video clips they use... I think they do a good job of visually showing many different kinds of FIRST competitions. The audio is bad though, and the splash page is worse. I think it would be much nicer if they just had that box down in the lower corner, so people could view it if they wanted.

pfreivald

02-02-2011, 20:47

Erm, in response to a private message I received, I would like to clarify something:

When I used the term "black rage" earlier, all I meant was "really, really mad" (to put it politely). The term as I used it had nothing whatsoever to do with race.

In thinking about where the term came from, I realize that I borrowed it from a game -- and in searching around for usage I've found that there is often a racial connotation with the phrase that I was completely unaware of (and is not present in the game).

I apologize if anyone was offended. I won't be using the term from now on.

KC1AJT

02-02-2011, 20:56

I've been watching this thread all day so ill throw in a little bit:
-I was completely lost when i wanted to get the mission statement so we could post a similar one on our site
-it took me 5 minutes to get over the idiocy in the design
-they aren't following their our website quidelines
-why a musician? musicians usually aren't great role models, lets get people like the mythbusters or the guys from "howe and howe tech" they would be able to relate much closer to our experiences in this program
-i messaged my lead mentor when i saw it and this is what he said:
"WillIAm says FIRST IS COOL!
HOLY COW
I WANT TO BE COOL, TOO
I'M GOING TO JOIN FIRST!
then people will like me"
Isn't this the image we are avoiding in FIRST?

EricH

02-02-2011, 20:59

I've seen the page.

I. Don't. Like. It.

The default page is much more manageable and better for finding things.

The "Read" link for more information goes to the "About Us" page... which makes sense, except for somebody who's looking for something specific like, oh, I don't know, the nearest competition to them so they can see what's being hyped. Or someone wanting to look at the rules. Or something of that nature.

Looks: Decent, I suppose. Content management, I haven't seen the videos, but the rest would probably get about a 3 out of 10.

Boydean

02-02-2011, 21:44

I don't like the new page. At all. But...

After looking at it from a point view of someone who doesn't know anything about FIRST, but just heard of it through will.i.am this might actually be a good splash page for them. Granted not the design, but the content. Its a "I heard it from will.i.am, and now he is greeting me on this site" kind of thing.

With that being said FIRST might be preparing for a massive volume of traffic from will.i.am....super ball anyone? That would also make since why Akamai is hosting it -- a company that specializes in large amounts of web load.

just trying to justify why FIRST would make such a radical change to their front web page

Akash Rastogi

02-02-2011, 21:47

Agreed with the whole "I don't like it" "unprofessional" posts.

But what annoys me the most is the Will.I.Am quote that was picked is SO corny and it makes it seem like they're trying to tell people that kids in FIRST aren't losers or something.

"YOU GUYS ARE COOL!" Is this really needed? Sounds like something you'd say when you're reassuring a little kid about something.

Not exactly sure how to put in words why it bugs me so much though, but here goes...

It's like when the big nerd at school gets a hi five from a random jock, but then the nerd becomes obsessed with the jock and thinks they're best pals now. Turns out the nerd was perceived as an average kid by the jock anyway.

External perception will always reflect internal perception. If FIRST still views itself as an oasis for nerds...then I don't know what they're accomplishing with this page.

JaneYoung

02-02-2011, 21:57

Not exactly sure how to put in words why it bugs me so much though.

False praise. Young people, including small children, hate false praise.

It could be helpful to put entertainers through a type of boot camp with some teams. Not just a show and tell demo but a boot camp. The appreciation would grow as well the understanding/comprehension. Doing the math is a little different than having someone else do the math for you.

Jane

Grim Tuesday

02-02-2011, 21:59

FIRST doesnt seem to realize that, as a nerd, I care nothing about Will.I.Am, or what he says.

Boydean

02-02-2011, 22:00

I would also add to my previous post that this new page has large amounts of meta data in the site's source code related to the super ball. Meta data being keywords that search engines can relate a website to.

Meta Data
STEM,

middle school and high school robotics,

science & technology,

robotics competition,

will.i.am science,

will.i.am Dean Kamen,

will.i.am robot,

will.i.am arm band,

will.i.am armband,

will.i.am logo,

will.i.am superbowl,

will.i.am super bowl,

will.i.am technology,

will.i.am charity,

will.i.am non-profit,

Circle triangle Square,

Black eyed peas arm band,

Black eyed peas armband,

Black eyed peas cause,

Black eyed peas super bowl,

Black eyed peas superbowl,

Black eyed peas halftime

Grim Tuesday

02-02-2011, 22:03

I would also add to my previous post that this new page has large amounts of meta data related to the super ball. Meta data being keywords that search engines can relate a website to.

Meta Data
<snip>

Took a bit of reading to realize what you were getting at.

Interesting, though. Couldn't they have added that to the old page? And isnt it a bit depressing that there are more keywords about will.i.am than about robotics?

KC1AJT

02-02-2011, 22:04

I would also add to my previous post that this new page has large amounts of meta data related to the super ball. Meta data being keywords that search engines can relate a website to.

Meta Data
STEM,

middle school and high school robotics,

science & technology,

robotics competition,

will.i.am science,

will.i.am Dean Kamen,

will.i.am robot,

will.i.am arm band,

will.i.am armband,

will.i.am logo,

will.i.am superbowl,

will.i.am super bowl,

will.i.am technology,

will.i.am charity,

will.i.am non-profit,

Circle triangle Square,

Black eyed peas arm band,

Black eyed peas armband,

Black eyed peas cause,

Black eyed peas super bowl,

Black eyed peas superbowl,

Black eyed peas halftime
I think just paying a few million to get a superbowl ad would be much more effective and have a wider exceptance with FIRST members and volunteers

sanddrag

02-02-2011, 22:05

I've noticed another thing that no one mentioned. The frame from the video that shows before you play has really nothing to due with anything.

If I was some member of the community, and someone told me to go to this website to check out the competition that their team participates in, and I went home and did, I'd think "What the heck is this? Did I type it in wrong?"

Akash Rastogi

02-02-2011, 22:06

FIRST doesnt seem to realize that, as a nerd, I care nothing about Will.I.Am, or what he says.

Except that this is totally not the point either...

Its the same mentality that was found in the thread about Snoop Dogg maybe coming to Atlanta..

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showpost.php?p=952516&postcount=40

Nevermind. I am bad at explaining things.

Grim Tuesday

02-02-2011, 22:15

Except that this is totally not the point either...

Its the same mentality that was found in the thread about Snoop Dogg maybe coming to Atlanta..

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showpost.php?p=952516&postcount=40

Nevermind. I am bad at explaining things.

I get your point, but I think a better way of exciting me would be for Gabe Newell to tell us that everyone on FIRST gets beta keys for Portal 2.

/nerd

FIRST is trying to choose between if it wants to be a niche sport, or become mainstream. I feel that they are attempting to mainstream it, which is nice for the exposure, but I think that they are doing it in completely the wrong way. Make people want to watch the game for the game, not because will.i.am thinks they should (and I have my doubts about how sincere he is)

Karthik

02-02-2011, 22:22

I would also add to my previous post that this new page has large amounts of meta data related to the super ball. Meta data being keywords that search engines can relate a website to.

It seems like FIRST is ramping up the website expecting a deluge of hits on Superbowl Sunday. Maybe the rumour about will.i.am promoting FIRST during his performance is true. I've heard of many companies with websites that weren't prepared for the huge spike in traffic because of Super Bowl ads. Considering how terrible FIRST's website has been with traffic spikes in the past, any sort of prep in this direction is a good thing.

FIRST doesnt seem to realize that, as a nerd, I care nothing about Will.I.Am, or what he says.

FIRST isn't trying to appeal to you. You're already in the program. They're trying to draw new people in. The question is whether they can do this with will.i.am without alienating their existing customers. This thread is making me think no. However, the ChiefDelphi population is definitely not a random sample of the FIRST population.

Interesting, though. Couldn't they have added that to the old page? And isnt it a bit depressing that there are more keywords about will.i.am than about robotics?

I don't see it that way. Looks to me their trying to capture the traffic generated by the Super Bowl exposure, to get people to notice robotics. If will.i.am is really going to be drawing attention to FIRST at the Super Bowl, people will be jumping to Google right away to search for it. Now if you think it's sad on a philosophical level, that's another story.

I think just paying a few million to get a superbowl ad would be much more effective and have a wider acceptance with FIRST members and volunteers

Absolutely not. When given the choice of millions of dollars worth of free exposure versus paying millions of dollars for exposure, I think the choice is obvious.

As much as I think the new splash page is hideous and looks like a will.i.am commercial, I'm willing to cut FIRST some slack on this one. This could be a once in a lifetime chance in terms of gaining widespread exposure. It's probably worth putting some eggs in this basket. I totally understand the criticisms of this webpage, but the irrational fear of going mainstream puzzles me.

klmx30302

02-02-2011, 22:23

I get your point, but I think a better way of exciting me would be for Gabe Newell to tell us that everyone on FIRST gets beta keys for Portal 2.

Yes, this would definitely get most (if not all) people in FIRST excited and also cause half (or more) of everyone on steam to sign up for FIRST. But the problem with that is that quite a few of them would leave after the season because they were just interested in the key, but some may actually like it and stay just not a lot of them.

KC1AJT

02-02-2011, 22:39

Yes, this would definitely get most (if not all) people in FIRST excited and also cause half (or more) of everyone on steam to sign up for FIRST. But the problem with that is that quite a few of them would leave after the season because they were just interested in the key, but some may actually like it and stay just not a lot of them.
Steam also doesnt have the most stable servers...they crash a ton could you imagine an overload after all FIRST members register a new game let alone a simple software update

Joe Schornak

02-02-2011, 23:55

Clearly FIRST is planning on Will.I.Am mentioning FIRST during his Superbowl performance. The splash page is designed for an uninformed, non-nerd individual who is checking out FIRST based on what they've heard from their favorite artist during a halftime show. Thus, Will.I.Am's high visibility serves to confirm that this particular sort of individual has indeed found the right website, since they'll be thinking Will.I.Am first, non-profit educational organization second.

This page ultimately helps FIRST, simply by helping to get its name into the mainstream. Even if this means that FIRST will be featured in thousands of tweets, statuses, and blog posts titled "OMG WILL.I.AM!!!!11", I can rest assured that a significant number of people now know more about FIRST than I knew about Will.I.Am before Kickoff.

I do not particularly take issue with the overall message of the page. Most of the people visiting will not need an inspiring mission statement with an educational message as the first thing they see upon reaching the site; "FIRST is Cool!" is enough for now. They'll find the real message of FIRST once they start clicking links.

There is no need for the new splash page to hinder the activities of those even marginally involved in FIRST. We all know how to get to the "real" main page. We can make our team pages link to this page, and use its URL in letters and emails to potential sponsors and interested parties. I personally do not plan on returning to the new splash page; there is nothing there for me, as it was not designed for me.

Chris is me

03-02-2011, 00:20

Steam also doesnt have the most stable servers...they crash a ton could you imagine an overload after all FIRST members register a new game let alone a simple software update

FIRST has a lot of students, but not THAT many students. 2000 teams with 20 students each on average would be only 40,000 people.

Meredith Novak

03-02-2011, 01:31

I just went to the usfirst website to review some information for a little FLL tournament we are holding this weekend. I thought someone had hacked the thing. YouTube videos? Some apparently famous guy who doesn't have a real name?

Of course, I was "working" and looking for professional content to assist me in a position of responsibility for a tournament. Obviously I am not the target audience.

I am also in the process of communicating with some very serious people about expanding FIRST in Arkansas. I just hope they all looked at the website link I sent them before this happened.

Hopefully, it is a misguided PR pre-Super Bowl move and will become a bad memory very soon.

Perhaps I should not be so critical, but I work VERY HARD (as does my entire team and organization) to portray FIRST as a professional, serious program.

rsisk

03-02-2011, 02:36

I think several of the posters in this thread have divined the real reason for the new splash page.

The hosting group Akamai is there to handle a large spike in traffic, all the keywords in the meta data designed for people who see will.i.am at the super bowl and head straight for Google, and the apparent target audience (i.e., not us).

FIRST must be gearing up for some special attention during the super bowl and all will probably return to normal soon after.

Libby K

03-02-2011, 12:59

FIRST must be gearing up for some special attention during the super bowl and all will probably return to normal soon after.

Bill's Blog just posted something similar.

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011/02/build-season-week-four-part-2.html

We have a new landing page on the FIRST website celebrating Will.i.am’s visit to Kickoff and anticipating his performance during halftime at the Super Bowl. To access our 'original' homepage, click on the FIRST logo in the lower left corner of the screen. The splash page is not permanent. We will return to the ‘traditional’ homepage sometime next week.

We may not all love it, but it seems like it'll be gone soon enough.

Joe Ross

03-02-2011, 13:33

I would also add to my previous post that this new page has large amounts of meta data in the site's source code related to the super ball. Meta data being keywords that search engines can relate a website to.

Meta Data

will.i.am science,
will.i.am Dean Kamen,
will.i.am robot,
will.i.am arm band,
will.i.am armband,
will.i.am logo,
will.i.am superbowl,
will.i.am super bowl,
will.i.am technology,
will.i.am charity,
will.i.am non-profit,
Circle triangle Square,

Of those, only "will.i.am Dean Kamen" gets a google results anywhere close to FIRST. Hopefully FIRST has more plans then just people trying to figure out what was on will.i.am's armband.

JaneYoung

03-02-2011, 13:51

Of those, only "will.i.am Dean Kamen" gets a google results anywhere close to FIRST. Hopefully FIRST has more plans then just people trying to figure out what was on will.i.am's armband.

All I know is that anyone knows that the really cool nerds (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/28969) wear post-it notes attached to their foreheads. Maybe will.i.am could up the coolness factor.

Taylor

03-02-2011, 13:54

All I know is that anyone knows that the really cool nerds wear post-it notes attached to their foreheads.

In will.i.am's case, would the post-it note be off to one side?

I think it would be cool to see him wear a manpurse covered in team buttons. I know a couple girls who could let him borrow one ...

Back to my point at hand, my wife checked out the usfirst.org website the other day, unprompted. She was trying to find out when championship weekend is. She said that she felt her intelligence insulted by the splash page, and it took her four tries before she found her way back to the :real: site.
She's not a rabid FIRST fan - she does see the inspiration that comes from the program, but she also sees a game that takes her husband and son's father away for many evenings throughout the year. A robotics widow - unwilling, but understanding. The splash page did nothing to make FIRST more appealing in her eyes.

JaneYoung

03-02-2011, 13:58

I think it would be cool to see him wear a manpurse covered in team buttons. I know a couple girls who could let him borrow one ...

If his manpurse were to look anything like this (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/35834), he will have added a super cool factor.

TD912

03-02-2011, 14:30

I'm lazy and didn't read through the entire 7+ pages of this thread, but here's my take on the new splash page.

I think it could be done a bit better, but it gets the job done. I think it has to do something with the Super Bowl possibly? Maybe FIRST is expecting a mass influx of users to their site, as Akamai is known for internet content hosting.

The video is... meh. Random scenes with will.i.am's quotes being repeated over and over on top of cheesy music...

The "See robots in action" could have been linked to something else other than a PDF, though.

Meredith Novak

03-02-2011, 15:17

I just sent the following in an email to my FLL Partner Services Manager:

"Please don’t label me one of the complainers, but would you please pass on my concern with the new flash page at usfirst.org? It features a music personality whose music is not allowed at our events.

I have an FLL team going on television to promote FLL Saturday. I have just instructed them to avoid mentioning the site and direct interested people to our Arkansas FLL site. This is a Christian home school team (as are a lot of ours here) and I know the parents would not be thrilled with this personality as a role model.

We are having a small tournament Saturday at a science museum to promote FLL and I am appearing before a group of 400 home schoolers as well as the Education Committee of the Arkansas State Senate in the next few days. The current website portal would not be a positive thing for any of these audiences and I am in the position of having to avoid using the site altogether or offering some sort of explanation.

I was in Manchester and thought Will.I.Am appearing at kick-off was fun for the older kids and exciting to some, I guess. But my audience is corporate CEOs, government officials, school superintendents and parents in a conservative state.

I can still use a link to the information sections of the website in my emails, but all of my cards, documentation, etc. have the usfirst address on them."

If this was really about changing the culture, FIRST would be on Will.I.Am's website.

JohnBoucher

03-02-2011, 15:47

It features a music personality whose music is not allowed at our events.

So who did not get the memo?????

TD912

03-02-2011, 15:54

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc

will.i.am in the Black Eyed Peas in "Where is the Love?"

In any case, the lyrics to most of his songs are pretty tame.

nitneylion452

03-02-2011, 16:14

Did a quick search and didn't see this, but if you type http://www.usfirst.org/default.aspx, it will take you directly to the old homepage.

XaulZan11

03-02-2011, 16:14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc

will.i.am in the Black Eyed Peas in "Where is the Love?"

In any case, the lyrics to most of his songs are pretty tame.

But what if a FIRST student (FLL, FTC, FRC) sees the page, wants to learn more about Will.i.am and comes across some of his or the Black Eyed Peas inaproprait songs (which there are certainy some)? I don't want to think what a middle school FLL student would think of some of those songs, let alone their parents.

Meredith Novak

03-02-2011, 16:19

Did a quick search and didn't see this, but if you type http://www.usfirst.org/default.aspx, it will take you directly to the old homepage.

I can find the "real" information. But saying, "go to usfirst dot org and click on the FLL button" to a crowd is a bit easier than "go to usfirst dot org slash default dot aspx." :)

nitneylion452

03-02-2011, 16:27

I can find the "real" information. But saying, "go to usfirst dot org and click on the FLL button" to a crowd is a bit easier than "go to usfirst dot org slash default dot aspx." :)

I don't doubt your ability to find the information you need, but I do believe that you are not a very big fan of the new page. This is just a way to avoid ever having to see it.

P.S. This link could also be useful for the next week in emails to those who you want to see FIRST as a professional organization. Just a thought

JaneYoung

03-02-2011, 16:33

But what if a FIRST student (FLL, FTC, FRC) sees the page, wants to learn more about Will.i.am and comes across some of his or the Black Eyed Peas inaproprait songs (which there are certainy some)? I don't want to think what a middle school FLL student would think of some of those songs, let alone their parents.

Maybe it doesn't matter to the folks who have made this decision and put it in motion.

*shrugs*

I'm thinking about the part of Dr. Flowers speech at Kick Off with the arrows.

Popular Culture had an arrow pointing down and FIRST Culture had an arrow pointing up. I'll be sticking w/Dr. Flowers arrows and not getting lost in the confusion of spinning arrows, even 'temporarily'.

Jane

P.S. Meredith's point about a FIRST link being on will.i.am's website is spot on.

Meredith Novak

03-02-2011, 16:50

I don't doubt your ability to find the information you need, but I do believe that you are not a very big fan of the new page. This is just a way to avoid ever having to see it.

P.S. This link could also be useful for the next week in emails to those who you want to see FIRST as a professional organization. Just a thought

Sorry to sound snippy. I am not squemish about the page; I am not in need of having my sensibilities protected. I am squemish about including it in the presentation I am currently preparing for a group of senators.

It is just flat-out not professional.

Karibou

03-02-2011, 21:11

If his manpurse were to look anything like this (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/35834), he will have added a super cool factor.
I would totally loan it to him. Find someone to get him to email me a mailing address, and it will be packaged for overnight shipping in a heartbeat.

pfreivald

03-02-2011, 21:44

If this was really about changing the culture, FIRST would be on Will.I.Am's website.

Brilliant! Well said.

maltz1881

03-02-2011, 22:44

I think the splash page is just up for the people who will see Will.i.am wear the FIRST hat and wonder what it is all about. They will see the "splashy video" when they check it out. I read somewhere it is just for the weekend, I think in Bill's Blog. That is just my 2 cents!!

BrendanB

03-02-2011, 22:58

Meredith Novak

04-02-2011, 17:08

Included in a message from FIRST Marketing: "The site will go back to its original homepage sometime next week."

Marc P.

04-02-2011, 17:54

My feelings on the splash page have been adequately summed up by virtually everyone else in the thread. It does seem contradictory to FIRST's mission to change the culture away from one that values entertainment over scientific merit.

However, consider the timing of the change. The splash page shows up earlier this week, and from what Meredith said, it sounds like it'll be reverted at some point next week. What major event involving will.i.am is occurring soon that could leverage his involvement with FIRST to reach hundreds of millions of people...

It may be wishful thinking, but if he does plan to namedrop FIRST at some point during the Super Bowl half time show, having something as the splash page temporarily to highlight his involvement may not be a bad thing. Of course, the key word there is temporarily.

Edit: Just read Karthik's post on the previous page. Don't know how I missed that, but he explains it well.

pfreivald

04-02-2011, 22:34

It may be wishful thinking, but if he does plan to namedrop FIRST at some point during the Super Bowl half time show

On the radio this morning, they were mentioning that will.i.am will be tweeting "during the performance"... One wonders if FIRST will show up in his tweets, and that is what has been arranged.

As much as I dislike him for his defamation of the intelligence community, it would be pretty sweet if he actually mentioned FIRST during the performance (as opposed to just tweeting about it.)

My other objections still stand -- this appears to be bass-ackwards as far as changing the culture goes -- but at the same time it is an opportunity for publicity that is probably too good to pass up despite the baggage it entails.