2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

I've noticed that the 2014 encrypted competition manual is not yet up at http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/. I know it's probably a bit early to look a full 10 days before kickoff, but when is the encrypted manual expected to appear?

Thanks,

Rick
FRC 3008 mentor

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

The last three years (at least), it's been posted on the Wednesday before kickoff. Since the Wednesday is a holiday this year, I would expect it sometime that week, probably no earlier then Monday the 30th and no later then Thursday the 2nd.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

Thank you! There's a lot of anticipation this year in Hawaii with my new team. I'll look for it then.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

I think they might release it tomorrow, as a Christmas Present :D

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

Something tells me they're still making changes to the manual.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

They've had to adjust for everyone in the game hint thread figuring everything out... :rolleyes:

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

Usually, when the GDC is confident that the password can't be brute forced within the remaining time until kickoff. :cool:

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

I thought the consensus was that they released a random hint and built a game around the funniest proposals in the game hint thread. :rolleyes:

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

I can't wait till they give the manual and then the password on kickoff so I can unlock the file and find out about the game (on kickoff). By the way, is the file a locked PDF or a locked ZIP folder containing the files, or a zip folder containing the PDFs, each locked, maybe with their own passwords?!?

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

The file has always been one big PDF encrypted with a single password. This lets you put the PDF on a tablet, iPad, etc. in advance of Kickoff and punch in the password when you get there.

Expect it next week, not today.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

In previous years they gave out an encrypted PDF file. I always wonder why they bother with the test file before. It seems to me that most FRC people have a computer with adobe acrobat, and that the FIRST people are good enough to encrypt a PDF file.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

There are way, way more devices and programs that read PDFs than computers running Windows with Adobe Acrobat installed. The decryption test lets you verify that your Linux or Mac computer, your Android tablet, your iPhone or iPad, or whatever you'll be using on Kickoff day definitely works. At least for me it's very much appreciated.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

As a linux user without an iPhone/iPad/Android tablet, I never thought about it that way, and I now see how it's useful.

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

Lol:Here

Re: 2014 Encrypted Competition Manual
 

Sorry, but you're a year off, and that manual happens to be available without encryption, and with a full set of updates and Q&A here. You'll just have to wait another week or so for the 2014 one.