Re: so many questions...
 

I agree that this magazine shouldnt be too big and challenging in the sense of getting out when we first start. It should be a simple little thing that we either post on the web, send as like emails, or mail out to teams. But i think that we should have columns about regionals, a robot Q&A, and things like that. Make it a little like a news letter mixed in with a sporting magazine. it should be both fun and informational for all people in or even not in robotics to look at and read. this is also something that you could possibly give to sponsors to let them get a better feel for the FIRST program and such. let them see what they are really getting into. i think that this is a great idea, and will work if we work hard. the sooner we get this started the sooner we prolly could get feedback on how people like and it how it goes over all. i am very fired up and ready to work on this, and i hope and have a good feeling that this will turn out great. well like i said, just keep me posted, i am very into this, and would like to contribute all i can. thankx

Mike

Re: Re: so many questions...
 

Great ideas, Mike. Well, every project start with the FIRST step :P. As a 1st issue, what do you guys think will be appropiate for contents?

Few things to think about: How big do we want this to be? Just 1 e-mail with a few stories? Or a small version of a magazine with quite a bit of content?

In another word, what format do you guys want to see this have?

Magazine
 

Well Ken, i think we should think about how we wanna do this, if we want an email, or a webpage. If its an email, then we should have just a couple stories, not too many cause it could cause discouragement in alot of people to read on and on. I also think, that maybe we could send out an email giving the highlight of the stories that are on the magazine website, and have those highlight stories be links to the stories and the website it self. As for what should be in the 1st issue, I could say along with some other people that maybe the top headline would and could possibly be the move of Nats from Orlando to Houston. We could have some write something up giving a synopsus of what people think, and just things that teams could do at Houston. Basically almost up to the writters opinion. I also think that maybe we could have some Q&A's for some of the new teams as well as the verteran teams, we could possible take the questions from some of the bery recent threads here and put them in with answers, of course the answers will be much more condensed, and we would prolly combine alot of the reply threads. I also think that we should have maybe a calendar of events and things like such. also maybe we could talk about the new EDUrobot. i sure people would like to find out things on that. also some other things i know we could talk about, but cant think of them right now. but thats my thoughts for the first issue and such. what do you think, what does everyone else think. id like to hear some feedback on what other people think to my ideas. are they good? are they bad? are they doable or not doable? what does everyone think? thankx

Mike

In addition to figuring out what format we want to begin with, I think we should set up some broad content areas so that people can begin to write/submit. These areas could be:

1) "unbiased" critiques of regional competitions and venues
2) Rookies
3) Match - Play by Plays
4) People in FIRST
5) "Driving Tomorrows Technology" (Technical look at robot systems)

These are just a few I quickly thought up. Even if an article or piece of info is not used now, it may be of use later on for "the next edition.:)" Please add to this, remove stuff or tell me if you dont think this is necessary.

Having a repository of articles or just ideas for articles will allow this not only to start strong but to continue in the same fashion.
What do you think?

I would like to see it start with a small version of the mag (even one/two page(s)). It will take a bit more work to get up, but from there we can hopefully move faster.

Magazine
 

i agree with skyman9000, we need to prolly set some content areas that we want to have in our mag. i mean without this structure, we will not do so well. i have already ran into this with my new team this year. it is a rookie team, Team 1086 in Glen Allen, Va. I has had not structure from the beginning and has fallen apart, we are trying to get it back on track, and its working but very slowly. I think that we should establish some criteria and what we want to have. also, do we want to set up anything like editors, photogs (photographers), and jobs like that. I personally think that setting this up like this would help in stability of the mag, and a way for people to goto when they have problems or need questions answered for certain things. I myself would like to be an editor and/ or write articles for the mag. what does everyone else think. what would everyone else like to see????

Mike

CALLING EVERYONE
 

CALLING EVERYONE

FIRST INSIDER IS LOOKING FOR WRITERS, EDITORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, THINK TANKERS, LAY-OUT DESIGNERS, GRAPHIC ARTISTS and anyone ells who wants to get involved!

IF you are interested e-mail us and make the subject line what you want to do

Re: Magazine
 

Excellent idea, mike and skyman9000. Structure is what lacked in last year when the people tried starting something. There was a lot of "oh! oh! oh! I want to write something!" but at the end, nothing really happend because everyone got "busy".

2 things to do if we want to have a good start:

1st thing: figure out what area of contents we want to look at as skyman9000 said (by the way what's your real name?) so we can stay focus and guide writers out there who have lots of idea but don't know where to start.

Few things I especially like to see covered:

the regional competitions and championship event
technical look at robot system is definitely a great idea
award winners (like chairman award and woodie flower award) and the story behind their success (because I usually know who won what, but not why).
controversial issues in FIRST, like last year when FIRST announce the qualification for Championship event, and this year Champ. Event moving to Houston, and what people think about it.
Maybe a suggestion section for people to give constructive suggestions to FIRST and the magazine?
And some history behind teams as well.

I think Picture is a must to make this interesting.


2nd thing is figure out what kind of structure we want to work with. Its nice to have a group of people expressing their ideas, on the other hand, it would be good to have a few people in charge of the project so that they can make the decisions and take responsibilities so the writers don't have to. And there should also be a way to check up the progress of the group, to make sure things get done, and the work meet a certain level of quality.

1 more thing. Got to decide how we are publishing these to the public. E-mail? Post in the forum? Website? It would be very easy to make posts in CD when we public article, but hard to attach pictures. On the other hand, for a website we will need web space and a webmaster, but it would be easier to publish articles with lots of contents.

I really like to see something happening, guys. The last few times it got stuck at early levels, and nothing much got done…

Any comment/suggestions?

1st thing: figure out what area of contents we want to look at as skyman9000 said (by the way what's your real name?) so we can stay focus and guide writers out there who have lots of idea but don't know where to start.

My name is Jeremy Roberts (in my sig). I dont think I could be one of the people heading this up, but I am willing to work as much as possible.

After finals I will have more to contribute.

I vote for website (as long as space can be found)

I'd kind of like to see each issue have a spotlight on a team or two. Maybe with a brief history, followed by what they're doing this year? We could set it up so we have one newer team along with a veteran.

Another maybe- at the end of each season, the editors (i think one might be needed for each area/topic, +one or two editors-in-chief) could hand out awards...or on second thought, they could come up with nominees, and have the readers vote.

I'd also like to contribute.

I also vote for a website, and I think I may be able to get some web space.

Magazine
 

Hey guys, these are great ideas. I myself wouldn't mind heading it up if it was not just me. Id also like to write and be an editor. But back to the content. I think that both Jeremy and Michael have really good ideas. and that we can do this and this will be very good. I myself vote for a web-page, but like Ken said, we need web space. i know that Michael said that he could possibly get web space, so we might be off to a good start. also when we come up with how we want it. I also be that we need to think about a lay-out design. we really cant have an idea of what goes where and not have room for somethings sometimes. Also if we decide to do this. what would be the format for submission that the writers would have to send things in. this is really great, and we are off to a great start, but we still have alot of work to do. I know we can do this. So GO US!! (Dont know what to say), usually my school just says our mascot, but we are different. maybe we could say GO TEAM, lets thing about that also, something to say to keep up motivated and hyped up, what does everyone think, remember all opinions and ideas are welcome. everyone needs feedback to back this the best it ca be.

Mike

Sounds like you're starting where we have already been. I would be happy to share what Colleen, Robby and I had started. I am still interested in being part of this, I'm just a bit busy right now. I think the best thing to do right now is get articles from peaple and see where it leads. Less planning and more action. My previous calls for articles didn't produce any results. To make this thing happen there needs to be content not just organization. (didn't mean to sound negative!) keep it going, I'll help where I can!

Gene F

I leave for one day and the world goes nuts!!! :p

No, really, I'm on the mailing list for the FIRST mag and I'm interested. You can get me at school at the_mole1314@spymac.com or JWM1314@aol.com or JosephM1314@yahoo.com. My AIM is JWM1314.

I would be willing to contribut, but i'm mainly a computer sciences kinda buy in the Macintosh area mainly. I'm willing to contribut in any way possible though.
mark

Good call, Gene. Well, is there anyone who want to see something in the content other than the ones Mike, Jeremy and I suggested?

If not... Then we can start generating articles as the first step, like Gene said. A lot of you said you are willing to contribut. Please let the group know what topic you want to write, or if you still aren't sure what topic you want to do.

I can be an opinion writer. :)