[mrnoble]

The easy answer to the problem of having a venue close to or in your fabrication shop: don't use it. Bag and tag and withholding allowance are, until it becomes necessary to have an intervention, on the honor system. Our main venue is less than 2 miles away from our school. If we forgot a tool, we will drive back and get it (and we'll do the same for other teams that don't have this advantage). There is a hardware store nearby; if we need some screws, we'll go get them. But we won't go back to the shop and pull non-COTS parts out as necessary. I recommend everyone take this approach.

"Judging" and "spirit" are loaded words on CD. Usually, when "spirit" is invoked (and when people are criticized for invoking it), we are debating things like inspiration and mentor involvement. This is categorically different: it is the implication and application of a rule that has existed in some variant for many years, and which was reiterated for this year's competition. As such, pointing out that violating a rule is not the way FRC should be played is not the same as criticizing a team for having a culture that falls within the rainbow of styles that teams have.

And in this case, "judging" is not the personal feelings of me or anyone else on CD; it is the ruling of the GDC and the actual judges who, if they knew teams were allowing themselves free access to any part they wanted, would certainly "judge".