Proposal:
Just as you ask the CD Community for rule modifications and suggestions, perhaps, upon completing a tentative/finalized list of rule changes, you could present those rule changes in a thread?
In other words, this thread would now become "IRI Tentative Rules Changes-2012-Open Forum"
I completely understand that there is a committee of sorts in place to handle and make these rule changes to the best of their abilities, but you're not in a situation like FIRST's GDC where you have to keep everything a secret—we already know the game and we have already made our robots. Your rule changes won't, or at least shouldn't, affect our game designs. IRI is simply meant to improve the quality of the match, not the committee's subjectively desired quality in terms of robot design.
I'm not asking you to hand over the decisions to us, or to allow us to vote in a poll. I'm simply requesting you rewrite the original post like so:
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The rule changes / refinements for the 2012 IRI are pretty simple.
1. +5 pounds allowed. Honor system, unless the referees question you.
2. No Co-Op points. Ranking based on win-loss and the existing tie-breakers.
3. Alliances may balance 3 on their alliance bridge during qualifications. Three robots balanced is worth 40 points.
All other rules will be per the 2012 FRC rules as interpreted by the referee crew.
The CD Community may now proceed in a moderated, mature, and rational open forum discussion regarding the tentative rules. In no way is the GDC of IRI required to listen to or follow the suggestions/concerns posted below. However, we will do our best to rationally look through each post, and if deemed mature, rational, and well written, we will consider a discussion for further modification of the rule(s). In roughly a week, we will post a finalized rule update to IRI, which may or may not be affected by the posts on this thread. Remember, just because your rule suggestion/complaint is not adhered to, that does not mean we did not take it into consideration or discussion. We try our best to make IRI the best competition possible, and nothing less. None of our decisions are an attempt to thwart certain robots or certain teams. With this being said, please proceed to post any concerns you have.
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Just my thoughts.
-Duke