Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

It seems that we have accrued several threads over this season that like to analyze numbers and stats. Wins/losses/possibilities. We also seem to like to analyze data that may be rumored or maybe not even analyze rumored data but analyze rumors - pick them apart.

We tend to get uglier and uglier as we move through some of these threads, each of us trying to drive home a point, sometimes in a pointless rumored discussion. We become so driven with our analyzing that we can even appear callous with regard to successful teams comprised of respected mentors and wonderful students, criticizing them and their well-earned and documented achievements. We allow our perspectives to become strong opinions in making statements about FIRST, of which many, if not all, of us are volunteer members.

ChiefDelphi is an amazing fora open to members of FIRST and visitors. It has always welcomed discussions and exchanges of information between members of the FIRST community. We seem to be taking advantage of this goodness in some ways; ways in which each one of us is accountable and responsible with how we post our opinions as well as our facts and data.

This is a time right before the Championship...the place where FIRSTers gather to compete, to celebrate, to recognize the achievements and developments of the 2008 FIRST season. That is no small thing and we should not diminish it with our own small thinking.

The proper place to ask questions regarding how FIRST conducts business is with FIRST. That will never change. Healthy, respectful discussion on CD is one thing, ugliness is another. The members of our FIRST community can recognize the difference and how it impacts short term and long term. I would like to see the ugliness cease.

Sincerely,
Jane Young

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

I think if we would take a little bit of that advice, and we could go back to the old rule of thumb about posting (If you have something to say, sleep on it before posting), I believe CD could go back to being that happy place we all came to love and enjoy. :)

-Joe

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

Agreed. Chief Delphi should be a place for open discussion, and a place to meet other FIRSTers. I have met my closest friends that I have in FIRST through CD. I hate to see us all arguing about something that none of us really have the facts to discuss reasonably (FIRST Finance, how business is conducted, etc). Like Jane said, that is something to take up with FIRST, and not in the CD community. Open discussion is important on CD but arguing is counterintuitive.

Less ugly, more respect.
Pretty please with a cherry on top.
:)

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

*standing ovation*

This is just the thing to read before I take my last sleep until Championships. Can we please make this a sticky?

Will do. :)

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

Yep... Jane's words have been stuck.

Andy B.

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

Something I'd like to add in there:

Speculation can be a good thing sometimes and a bad thing other times, but please be wise and sensible when posting such things. And please, use common sense and common courtesy. +.02

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

Oh, I love going to sleep the night before nationals on a happy note. Very well put Jane. Lets all try to be a little more kind on CD.......remember, your grandma is always watching!!!

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

Just because someone appears to be callous when they leave messages, doesn't always result in negative affect. When people post these things, it is the senior members of FIRST that need to guide them in the right direction. We should try to avoid large, sweeping statements condemning all things that are not in "The FIRST Vision". JaneYoung did an excellent job bringing about the problem and reminding us what we should be doing. But also remember that that guidance for the people who are off track can also be a great tool for shaping the future.

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

As always, Jane has wonderful words of wisdom. One thing I have noticed however, is that as nerds, supernerds, engineers, programmers etc, we are very analytical by nature. We tend to be a lot more analytical than the general world out there and gaining a balance between that and understand people, emotions, illogical things and having fun is equally as important. ::safety::

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

As always, Jane has wonderful words of wisdom. One thing I have noticed however, is that as nerds, supernerds, engineers, programmers etc, we are very analytical by nature. We tend to be a lot more analytical than the general world out there and gaining a balance between that and understand people, emotions, illogical things and having fun is equally as important.Just because someone appears to be callous when they leave messages, doesn't always result in negative affect. When people post these things, it is the senior members of FIRST that need to guide them in the right direction. We should try to avoid large, sweeping statements condemning all things that are not in "The FIRST Vision". JaneYoung did an excellent job bringing about the problem and reminding us what we should be doing. But also remember that that guidance for the people who are off track can also be a great tool for shaping the future.

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

This is very wise.
On this note, I would like to apologize for a disgruntled member of FIRST Robotics team #2115.
Back in February, 2011, he posted a nasty message about team #2115, and in general about some students (including team #1525, though neither teams are mentioned) and as senior member, I would like to apologize on his behalf. He is no longer part of the FIRST Robotics Competition, and has since been trolling through this site's forums. Please beware this student. His user-name is "Suburbot," modeled after his name for our team.

Our apologies, FIRST Robotics Team #2115, The NightMares

Re: Healthy Respect For The Balance
 

How much spam can 1 thread hold? Perhaps it is time to go ahead and lock this thread while your at it.

Jason