Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Please note, I just got one of the cheap zipits over the web and now notice it has a mini-sd card slot.
Mini cards are plentiful and cheap to order over the web, but you might want to have one in-hand if you are wanting to start Linux development right away. (or you could use an adapter from micro to mini, as micros are easier to find)

We thought a simple Linux spreadsheet or database application would be good for scouting data input and saving to the mini-SD cards for transfer or collection. You could pop a micro sd into a phone to send the data to someone with a laptop tied to their smartphone.

Possibly, application development can all be on a Linux laptop and port to the zipits for testing. I think we have a couple of students who prefer to use Linux. We are getting to the point we need some students who know LabView, some on C++ and now a few on Linux.

Thanks for suggestions, RayG

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Whatever happened to the good ol' Paper and Pencil?

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Paper scouting sheets have the advantage of being simple to use and not running out of power. What they lack is the ability to input data quickly. If I'm in the pit, I have to wait for scouters in the stands to put match data into a database for me to access it.

With an electronic input device you also minimize the risk of misleading data. With paper, you might have someone write a team number where a 2 looks like a 5. If that gets misinterpreted by the person entering the data into the database then your entire database can be compromised.

There's also the issue of using hundreds of sheets of paper, but of course that's completely dependent on how your organize your sheet.

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

A well managed paper system will have the paper based data entered into the computer based database within ~2 mins after the match is over (well before the start of the next match). This is certainly sufficient for any scouting team. It also greatly simplifies your hardware requirements.

As for misreading numbers, that is a disadvantage, but you should really have people trained well enough to avoid such issues.

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Adam is right. Paper data should be entered into an electronic system before the start of the next match. Last year we had 6 scouts scouting with paper and then one scout doing data entry. Our data was usually entered by the start of the next match.

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Why not have a public scouting database online? Or is there already such thing? From the looks of it, our team did not actually take scouting seriously.

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Scouting is done at events, so a scouting database online wouldnt be of much use, especially since most venues do not allow wireless Internet or networking.

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Then in the name of Gracious Professionalism, a team can set up a server at the event and the teams can input data into that server's database and that data can be accessed by anyone at the competition. Now that would simplify everything.

Re: Low cost Netbooks for scouting
 

Not exactly.

Who's to say Team X's scouts are accurate?

Who's to say that everyone is counting the same metrics? Some teams last year counted passes, other teams only counted shots and misses.

How can a scout subjectively comment on a team in a public forum?

How would any teams be able to connect to a single wired server?