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Originally Posted by davidthefat
But will that experience help in the world of super low level programming?
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Your statement above is akin to joining the football team, and being disappointed that you didn't end the season a basketball star. There are many different subsections in computer science; FRC focuses on robotic manipulation, computer sensing, and HCI. All of these are rich fields that I have found are able to be explored through my experience working with the bot.
I'm confused on why you think because FIRST uses proprietary software for its control system you feel restricted in your ability to learn about OS architecture and compilers. There are plenty of books, journals, and online resources available to explore these topics. Use them! Write your own compiler for fun! FIRST isn't stopping you, and neither is its lack of open source software. Plus, if you really want to get into those subjects, poke around in the lower level workings of vxWorks. Mess with multithreading and optimization! FIRST hasn't supplied some dumbed down OS designed just for the competition. Interested in compilers? Windriver compiles using gcc, the most widely used completely open source C compiler out there. In fact,
here's the link to the source! Poke around to your heart's content!
I'm with you. My interests don't exactly align with what FIRST offers. When I enter college next year, I hope to focus on computational theory and artificial intelligence. These subjects are why CS appeals to me. But I've found that FIRST teaches way more than simply a programming-based skillset. I've learned way more about working with a team and under extreme pressure than I have about CS, per se. And along the way, I've learned tons about robotics that I would not have had the opportunity to explore otherwise, and have enjoyed some of the greatest experiences of my life.
This isn't a open source/closed source argument. I just think you're missing the point.