Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

Also -- Is it legal to resell things taken off of FIRST Choice? We had some friends that were willing to buy the graphics cards off of us at a reduced price, and we were contemplating making the deal because our team is very low on pure cash (especially useful because purchase orders from our school-run bank account are especially sluggish)

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

I run Inventor fine on my 3 year old dell laptop with an ATI Mobility Radeon. I think it is likely just approved vendors / specifically tested using those cards.

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

AFAIK it's highly frowned upon, but I don't think there's an actual rule against it.

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

This? (Granted, it uses Radeons instead.)

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

Uh oh, Tristan just discovered the FIRST Pre-Kickoff Rules password cracking trick. Who knew you could buy an extra day of robot building on FIRST Choice?!

In regards to selling the video cards, I wouldn't do it myself, but it seems to me that selling robot components you own (in this case, 20 video cards) should be legal, and maybe not even frowned upon. The cards were donated to help teams, and the cash would be used to help that team as well. If this weren't the case, then selling ANY component your team received to another team should be in the same category.
As far as I know, many teams have fundraisers selling parts they own, or built using tools owned by the team. Business is a big part of FRC.

I've been trying to figure out a way to monetize the 3D printer I just bought anyway. So far, all I've done was made models for myself...

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

In addition to the dollar value, I see two other important considerations to look at:

1) Some parts are not available to purchase outside of FIRST Choice. I didn't see anything that I thought would end up being like last year's 290W Fisher Price motors, but that's the type of item that would be on top of my list if I was smart enough to identify it.

2) The more likely it is that a part will go on the robot, the more valuable that part is relative to its actual dollar cost. What's a more attractive choice: a $50 part that's 100% likely to go on your robot, or a $100 part that's 50% likely to go on the robot?

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

Well Nemo, in my experience there's been a 50/50 chance that my robot uses pneumatics in a given year. By that logic, should I never get pneumatic hardware from FIRST Choice?

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

It's based on what your doing. Inventor won't touch the GPU regardless if you are actually CADding a part. Especially for inventor, only the CPU speed matters. However the GPU matters for renderings. Inventor will touch the GPU, however the GPU is not made for renderings. The GTX cards are for video games, which require high fps(frames per second). The quadro and firepro cards are oriented towards actual renderings, which don't need high fps.

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

Were in the same situation here, we are very low and build cash and could easily double our amount by selling a few of the video cards. I can see it being frowned upon if it was for personal gain, but if the cash goes to the team for build I don't see that much of an issue. Anyone have any valid arguments against this?

Especially since the inventory bug, I'm left with 50 credits and nothing to spend them on. (Lost out on our order of batteries and talons...)

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

I call it entrepreneurial spirit and see no issues here. It's basically converting money between various forms of goods. Cash to FIRST Choice Credits to Video Cards back to cash, to purchase the things that went out of stock on FIRST Choice (assuming they're still available for sale later on). It all comes full circle. It's going to be a bit or work, but very worth it. Each team tries to gets what works best for them, and uses it to their advantage however they can creatively do so. I see it as a better option than setting them on a shelf, hanging them on my christmas tree, melting them down for raw metals, or milling them into not-very-good wheels. And who's to say the money raised from us selling video cards doesn't go straight into supporting robotics programs at elementary schools?

I'm glad to see many of you who are not quick to judge. Sometimes tensions on these boards run a little high this time of year, but I'm glad to see y'all are still thinking straight.

We either already have everything else on FIRST Choice, don't need it, or can easily purchase it later on. Once talons and classmates were out of stock, an order of 20 high-end video cards was a no-brainer.

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

If it has a 50% chance of being used, then it has less expected value than a part of equal dollar value that has a 100% chance of being used. But I don't think I implied that it had an expected value of zero.

Re: The FIRST Choice Value Coefficient
 

What about a FIRST Choice Bandit Coefficient?

FCBC = [(total $ value of goods from FC) - ($ shipping)] / [points used]

Whoever has the highest FCBC value is king of the Bandits.
I think we'd be a top contender.

Of course, a high FCBC might earn you dirty looks from fellow CD members.