Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

My team calls it "Chick Scouting" :)

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

I call it a working strategy :yikes:

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Water Game (n.) - An event exhibiting sheer improbability by impracticality (like flying cars).
Team Queuing (n.) - Those folks who keep dropping screws and zip ties off of your cart.
Programming Mentor (n.) - A masochist whose particular form of self-inflicted torture involves watching inexperienced programmers write code and being unable to do it over by him- or herself.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Unless they scout keeps coming back to the pit to talk to said pretty girl, and seeing more and more of the robot and it's problems. Or if the scouts are aware of the concept, and therefore look at the robot even more critically than they would otherwise.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Im assuming thats why you were head scout?

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Chuck Norris (n): The name of the worst robot at any given event

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Pool noodles (n) the only way your team can outscore an opposing alliance with 3 more robots than yours (33-4)

West coast drivetrain (n) what freshman tell pit scouters that your drivetrain is just because you are a west coast team and they dont know what a west coast drive is

Freshman (n) see also: manual labor subteam. See also monwell laboro

Totes (n) the only way to take your tools to champs if you're not driving a truck.

1114/900's harpoons the most effective way of lowering your volunteer team out of fear.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Class C Defenses: They make better doors than windows. Although their functionality as doors are largely ignored.

High Goal: A task that is ridiculously easy in every season and at every event except for where your team currently is.

Judge: The person who gets blamed when it's really the referee's fault

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Goal Chains: Sadistic, twisted little devils intended to help shots stay in the goal, but consistently do the opposite year after year.

(no but seriously, why does the GDC keep thinking these things help teams?)

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Low Bar Curtains: Break away for awesome reveal videos

Boulders: The real 10th defense. Draws fouls left and right for running over them.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Driver Station (noun) A piece of technology used to control robots. Lack of Velcro may result in falling.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Stronghold (v): an action that destroys field elements, robots, and field reset volunteers.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Velcro (noun): Better foot protection for drive teams than closed-toe shoes.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Tortuga (n): An award that recognizes the culmination of 6 weeks of preparation in strategy, design, and build of an FRC robot to play the 2016 game, only to fail in execution. Where design theory meets the real world.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Design Theory (n): knowledge that doesn't work.

Real World (n): things work, but you don't have the knowledge as to why.

FRC (n): Combining design theory with the real world. Things don't work, and you don't know why.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

To be fair for 2016, the goal chains, from what I saw from the driver station, helped our shots stay in the goal by redirecting them into the top of the goal rather than the back of the goal and back out. I will say that they did not help at all in 2013.

Loch Ness Monster: Triple balancing in 2012, 2 ball auto in 2016.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

At our week one event, 1501 shot a high goal from the left high goal and it exited the center high goal. Go chains!

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

I've seen one, but unfortunately, it's a bench grinder :/

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...BOU0N2blZWSDZ3

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Alt defintion for Judge: Cat in a blue polo. Seriously, STAY WHERE I PUT YOU GOSH DANGIT! It's opening ceremonies, I just need you to behave for 30 minutes. Please? I'll give you candy!


This is the number one cause of judges hopped up on sugar after opening ceremonies. If you see any of them enter a sugar coma please contact your local JA. Do not attempt to feed the Judges.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Bench Grinder (n): Known to autonomously score 2 boulders on a practice field.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Rough Terrain (n.) The defense that mysteriously vanished after Week 1.

Scouting (v.) (2016) An excuse to ask the opposing alliance what defenses they can't do right before choosing said defenses.

Field Connectivity Problem (n.) A unexplainable issue resulting in a drive team standing around looking confused for a few minutes. The FRC rule book states that the field crew must blame said problem on the team and the team must blame it on the field crew. Even powerhouse teams are not immune.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

CAD model (n.) A pretty looking file that gets updated after you've built your robot.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Referee: The fall guy (or gal) for teams not making it obvious to themselves--and possibly others--that they did not, in fact, meet the conditions to score points.

Referee (alt): Member of the strange two-legged zebra herd. Generally found in the near vicinity of the FRC field. May be surprised elsewhere on occasion.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Minnesota (n) A place that everybody wants to move to districts except the people actually living there.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Low Bar Fabric (n): During Weeks 0, 0.5, 1, and some 2, were designed to break apart when robots attempt to go through them, commonly when at speeds above 5 feet per second. See Bumper Fabric

Referee (n): 1) The person always blamed for denying video evidence, thus the bane of all teams existence. See Video Review Needs To Happen Now
2) The 2016 scapegoat, previously Programmer.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Minnesota? I want Wisconsin to move to districts (or just have more teams). Having WI teams be able to play in the UP would let us host in our home town (cutting travel costs) and we'd be able to have out-of-district third plays within about 3 hours driving.

And if Ewen and Paradise and Mackinac Island and Beaver Island can have FRC teams, I continue to be dumbfounded as to why there are none in Superior and Ashland and Rhinelander.

Upper Michigan (n): The really rural part of the juggernaut (pun intended) district with a team per capita ratio 10 times greater than Wisconsin.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Wow.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

If you could tell us, why? I mean, districts are great! You get up to 3x as many plays (24 vs 8) in qualifications for the same initial cost! Also, if you want a third event play, it only costs $500. You also save money by having closer events due to the lowered cost of having an event meaning that more venues host them. Another thing is that it makes it easier for good teams to qualify for champs with the points system, which admittedly has its flaws, but its better than "if you don't win an event or are finalist at an event where the winners have X amount of teams that have already qualified, you better win CA or EI".

But that's just me. I'm interested in hearing why you wouldn't like districts.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Some areas just aren't ready.

Or some people may have a misguided view of what teams want in their areas.

BTW, file CA under MN's definition as well, with a slight rewrite to "SOME people living there".

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

This isn't really the point of this thread so I won't get into it here.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Thank you! +30 thread re-railment points

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

I think that rewrite applies to MN as well. Let's get this thread back on track though.

Derail a CD thread (v): To mention one or all of the topics: districts vs regionals, 2 champs, student vs mentor drive coaches, student vs mentor-built robots, robot in 3 days or equivalents, proliferation of COTS parts, bag day, east-coast bias, cheesecake, corndogs, mecanum wheels vs any other drive train, validitiy of OPR, referees, sandbagging into #1 pick, validity of CD polls, meaning of gracious professionalism, shouting robot, importance of safety glasses, strategic breaking of rules, referee/judge/inspector/MC bias, java/c++ versus labview, 2 champs, rivets vs bolts, field fault, low bar flaps, minibots, Lunacy, canburglars, robots tipping over, add ones I am missing here, video replay, lying in Chairman's submissions, powerhouse teams, coopertition, FMS, field connection issues, dangerous auto modes, swerve vs tank drive, etc...

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

...In any thread that is NOT already about the item that is mentioned. If a thread is created specifically to address that mentioned item, the definition becomes Derail CD (v).

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Sledgehammer (n.): A precision tool used to meticulously coax your robot hardware back into proper working form

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Fixed that for you.

... I should never be allowed to mentor. :o

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

:ahh:


Code Deletion (n.): A method by which freshmen programmers debug or upgrade robot software

Half link (n.): A mandatory robot chain component for which failing to use one results in utter drivetrain destruction

Vision System (n.): A complex array of cameras, raspberry pis, and blinding LED lights that serve no purpose other than to tell judges that a robot has one but doesn't work

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Fixed that for you.

Even number of links (n.): A design philosophy for chain drive systems that sorts out who is thinking "not an odd number" from the half-wits who think "an integer number" by condemning these half-successful designs half the time to half-links.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Successfully programming the radio at a competition the first time(V.): A rare occurrence I have never personally seen.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

...then I guess you haven't seen it either :p. Edit/Addition: "Programming" does not necessarily mean "flashing firmware".

FIRST STRONGHOLD (n):

1. The most effective detector of loose connections in several years.
2. A three way competition in which two alliances of three robots, and a 27x54' arena all violently attack each other.
3. The first FIRST competition featuring hundreds of flying robots.
4. A game in which the engineering challenges of creating something to simulate the defenses exceed those required to build the robot.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Mid-Atlantic District (n.) -

1. A FIRST District where defense is played as crazily as possible.

Radio (n.) -

1. The main cause of ROBOTS not moving in the 2016 season.
2. The device that takes a long time to boot in recent years.
3. That box with the loose power jack.

Pit (n.) -

1. That place to put as many banners and pins as possible. Occasionally holds a robot.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Fixed that for you, and way too true.

Practice field (n.): Where the robot is usually found when it's not on the competition field.

Competition field (n.): The place queuing is trying to get you to go to with your robot five minutes ago!

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

practice day (n.) the day before the qualification matches which most teams test their robots and prepare for the qual rounds, while other teams take a chassis and a little bit of GP Magic to turn their robot into a competitive machine.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

rookie (n.) See: Chicken with it's head cut off, running

Playoff pit (n.): A test by Championship organizers to see how many people, robots, and tools each alliance can cram into a 10'x20' space.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Queuing team member (n.): see: Rookie


(or at least that's how the job feels to me :P )

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Uh, no. See: Koko Ed. Also see: Cat herder. Also also see: gopher.

Gopher (n.): designated retriever of just about anything. Gets name from the typical holler of "Hey, you! Go fer ____!"

Koko Ed (n.): Highly experienced queuer and lead queuer who is known to plan his vacation time around FRC competitions.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Pneumatic Programming Wrench (n)- A method for keeping freshmen busy.

Left-Handed Metric Ratcheting Adjustable Pneumatic Programming Wrench (n)- A method for keeping pit admin busy.

Day 1 of a Regional (n)- The time that you are supposed to be practicing. See also Debugging.

Schrödinger's Cat (n)- The method for determining whether the NavX will return values between -180 and 180 or between 0 and 360.

PID Tuning (v)- The period of time in which the robot spins around until the Space Bar is pressed. This mythical creature has driven many sailors programmers insane.

Space Bar (n)- 1. The button that requires the robot to be turned off and on again. Seriously? You couldn't have just disabled it? 2. The result of programming on the same computer that runs the driver station.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Enter (n)- 1. A button that only disables the robot. Not known by all but praised by a lot. Good replacement for Spacebar
2. A good way to stop the robot during a demonstration. Especially if children are driving and you wan't to make them believe the battery is dead.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Don't we all do that???

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

You've been spying on my team?? :ahh:

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

SSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

And... No. I just happen to take vacation around the time of events. (Actually, that's only true for one event, that I wasn't planning on attending in the first place but ended up going to with no warning.)

Denial (n.): State that many FRC folks are in with respect to the fact that they can't quit easily, and with respect to how much time they actually spend doing this.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Don't forget 2 champs...

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Next person who posts gets to post the 254th post. You're welcome.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

You mean the 254th reply. You took the 254th post.

Also, isn't that a bit off topic for this thread?

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Off-topic (adj.): a state eventually reached by all CD threads. See Water Game Jokes. See Godwin's Law.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Ya know, I don't think we've had to invoke Godwin's Law yet. And hopefully we don't have to.

Parkinson's Law, on the other hand...

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Exit strategy (n): Something which does not exist for FIRST.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Exit strategy (n): See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me6U_NBAf6g

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

Einstein Finals 3 (n.): The longest, most intense, and most high-energy two and a half minutes of your year.

Re: The FIRST Devil's Dictionary
 

This is an old publication. Here is the corrected version: The longest, most intense, and most high-energy tie breaker of your year.