Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

Sounds good
Done

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

Once there's something to discuss, don't you all think that FIRST will provide a medium for that discussion/exposition to take place? Perhaps a moderated section of their forum, or maybe they'll set up a new blog.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

I hope that FIRST will recognize that the teams themselves know the best way of communicating with those around them and that limiting a beta test team's avenues of discussion to only official, censored channels will impede discussion among teams that do not have a significant presence on the internet.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

yes there will be a forum as mentioned on bills blog, also there will be demos and open meetings at the team's locationfor anyone that wants to visit. this is blanket across all beta teams.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

And having blogs (or other such undocumented medium) on team websites would be better for those without a significant presence on the internet? or for those that are newer and have little information as it is?

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

Teams can best choose how to disseminate information to those in their area -- whether that be blogs, mailing lists, or face-to-face meetings.

There are teams in this area that we can communicate with via mailing list very quickly, but they are not plugged-in to this community or to communications from FIRST the same way that we are.

Beyond that -- even for folks who're tuned in to everything FIRST does -- I think there are significantly better ways of sharing and indexing information than in a blog.

I just think this is an instance where freedom to address the concerns and needs of the community you're serving outweigh the need for uniformity or control. Maybe that freedom will be available to teams. I'm just sayin' -- I hope FIRST agrees. They usually don't, though; at least not with me. :)

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

Can someone help define what is meant by "area"?
Thanks.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

Well, given the number of teams with access to the control system, in this case I think "area" might be defined as "your own state and each one bordering it." :)

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

It’s very clear that there are a very limited number of control systems available to beta test and that this isn’t the perfect solution to this particular problem. However, there will be teams kicking the tires - testing this system, and sharing what they discover/learn. That's a good thing.

I choose to trust the committee that chose the teams who made the decision to go through the selection process and who are ready to deal with this challenge. I have also found it very interesting and exciting that some teams in some of these areas are working together and that all of the teams are committed to getting helpful information out to the FRC community in the best way possible.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

I suggest that the definition of a team's "area" is up to that team.

By the way, I'm thinking more of the teams that are not part of the beta. They're the ones who would decide where to travel if necessary in order to attend a beta test team presentation.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

This is from Bill's Blog,
Apparently there is going to be a private and a public Beta Testing Forum sections.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

So why would I want to know what HOT Team is doing, and not know what GRR or BeachBots are doing? (I think those are all beta-test teams). Having a central repository - as it appears FIRST is planning to do - would let me learn about discoveries made by teams in all areas of the country.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

Yep -- but having only a central repository and limiting the teams' discussions to that repository is less useful. That's all.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

The beta teams received an email today detailing how things will work. We can all post information in any location we please, we just have to post it on the central FIRST repository as well.

Re: **FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System
 

This is excellent news.

Today we are living in the information age. If we want an answer, we just Google it, text ChaCha, or go to ChiefDelphi. It's a hard habit to break.

FIRST has time to do this correctly, the best way they can. We just need to have some patience in this case, and wait a few days (or a week or so) until we get some answers. I am not only excited to see what these Beta Test teams come up with, but also how they communicate to the masses.

Have fun,
Andy B.