Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

I've heard that more than a few times in my life. :) It's no big deal. We'll get to spend out 150 points sooner or later.

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

Agreed. So do I.

We have worked on many things today, and have the full attention of our web services provider. We are conducting one last test, while we have a chance:

If folks are able to poke around the FIRST Choice site tomorrow (Sunday) at 11am Eastern time to try to overload the site, it will help us determine if our findings today are correct. So, if you wish to kick the tires some more with us, please visit the site for a few minutes at 11am.

Thanks,
Andy

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

Perhaps, but according to the Andy Baker thread, Andy himself can handle 38,000 simultaneous connections. I heard that when they realized the server failed, they put Andy in front of a computer to handle all the orders manually...but the keyboard melted...

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

It's not free, and it's not guaranteed. But it's interesting to observe how framing it like a bonus changes (some) people's expectations.

As part of your registration, you paid for the chance to receive certain things. Treat it like the mandatory purchase of lottery ticket: from the entrant's perspective, it's not particularly deterministic. If you come in with that (modest) expectation, it's hard to feel cheated. (As a corollary, it's hard to be particularly excited about it either.)

Having said that, I suspect that making it transparently deterministic (except for breaking ties) would be a good idea. There are a limited number of items, and a limited number of teams, so doing the computations in several instant rounds is no big deal. Teams could select items, quantities and preferences (e.g. as preference points expressed as decimal fractions summing to 1). When it's time for the first round, it attempts to allocate teams' highest preferences (in order of most preference points expended). If there are teams who don't get their first preference, the teams' remaining preferences are normalized to fractions summing to 1. (So if you miss out in the first round, your preferences are strengthened in subsequent rounds.) Then the next round instantly takes place, and so on. I haven't thought this through in detail, but it seems to me that even if there are edge cases, they can mostly be rectified by offering teams variable-value PDVs and/or less-than-par fee rebates (proportional to the amount of unfulfilled preference at the end of all allocations). After all, even if you get no parts, it's harder to complain about a discount.

(I haven't reviewed the FIRST Choice allocation algorithm lately, so perhaps some of this is in place this year.)

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

I feel like I have to apologize for my earlier post in this thread. I posted it after I though our team would be cheated out of a fair chance for parts for two years in a row. However, I now feel like a total idiot to all of the people I just insulted. I do realize that things can happen that are completely out of the control of FIRST and AndyMark, like what did happen, and I really think that FIRST did an awesome job of responding. Any previous orders were canceled, and all teams get to have a fresh start.

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

Actually it is not hard at all. In fact doing that is a small part of my day job and I'm only 1 guy. I routinely architect and design systems that go from ZERO to sustained millions of transactions lasting over a 4 hour window. It's a piece of cake if it's well thought out, well planned out, and well architect-ed and you know what to expect more or less.

I can't mention by name for professional/confidentiality reasons, but many years ago I was one of the lead architects for one of those sites you listed.

Now, I'm not about to give FIRST or AndyMark any grief over this. I have no facts, no details, no specifications what so ever of their design and architecture.

They have all done the best they were able within the time and resources that they had to work with.
It's certainly disappointing that it didn't fly on day one, but that happens to even the best planned, best designed sites.

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

As an additional economic refinement, maybe we could offer teams (but not mandate) the option to designate substitute goods for each preference. If you just want any solenoid valve from FIRST Choice, allocate your preference to your favourite one, and then choose decimal fractions between 0 and 1, inclusive, indicating how much you'd like each other solenoid valve (or each other available item, if you'd like) as a substitute for the favourite one. If you don't get your preferred item, you get the initial preference allocation times this substitute factor, and are re-ranked within the same round.¹

In other words, the preference matrix is an n × n matrix with the i = j cells being the preference for the items themselves, and the rest of the cells being the substitutability of item j for item i.

The UI for this should be considered in some detail, to make it easy for teams to choose to designate no substitutes, and to understand the form in a clear way.

Also, this is just brainstorming at this point; I haven't analyzed this to see if it works.

¹ This substitution would seem to put some ugly upper bounds on the computation time of the algorithm...but despite that, I think it could still work for our small set of teams and items.

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

As someone who works in the healthcare industry, OUCH. :P


Seriously, do you ever STOP being a role model?

Guys, you realize here is a guy who is being beat to heck about the FC stuff and he's still being respectful. I mean, there's a reason to look up to him. Thanks Andy.

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

Plus One this

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

At the end of all this fun, it would be nice to have AndyMark publish a summary of the problems they encountered and the solutions they took to correct them. Since we have so many talented software engineers and web designers I think it would be a good "teachable moment" for the students.

These are the problems professional engineers solve.

-matto-

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

aren't you glad it's in December and not January 4th? :-)

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

Well, yeah Mr. Andy Baker deserves the GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM AWARD! I think its time this and sister threads on this topic are closed once for all! Got tired of hearing the complaints, almost everyone went through the same waiting, refreshing browser, checking CD etc. All mentors should set a good example to their as well as other teams. CD is visited by students too, you don't want to be role model for nasty post, do you?

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

as a mechanical mind, I don't understand how people complain, computers aren't even real! They are magic that runs on household dust and soymilk!!

If folks want to complain about this magical system having problems, maybe there should be an option to submit by a postcard!! Just write on the back what parts you desire and then AM will send them to you via Turkey vulture.

tracking is a breeze as well!!:
paw-ca paw-ca(your package is in Pennsylvania)

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

win? I think so!

Re: FIRST Choice- Why do we have this problem?
 

Plus 1? Plus a bunch. Thanks Andy!

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