[sanddrag]

It looks like I've started quite the debate here, and I think until I get an IQ kit in my hands, I may not truly find the answer I'm after. I do appreciate all the good information from both sides though. Let me mention the current state of things in our district.

We have 20 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 5 high schools. Between the 5 high schools, we have 2 FRC teams, Vex (metal) used in three engineering/robotics class sections, 20 NXT kits used in one Java programming class section, and one VRC team starting in the fall.

At the middle school level, we have in the neighborhood of 60 NXT kits used across two campuses in classes, and two campuses as extracurricular teams. Only one campus has an FLL team.

At the elementary school level, there are perhaps 40 NXT kits used across 10 campuses to run after school robotics programs, but most are not part of any competitive organization such as FLL. These programs typically are one hour once per week. I believe only two campuses have actual FLL teams, and I don't see that number as likely to increase.

The elementary school teams compete in an annual school district competition, using the Deep Space Terra-formers game each year.

So, I'm left with two high schools without any robotics whatsoever, and about 10 elementary schools with no robotics at all. For the two high schools without robotics, Vex (metal) is a no brainer for me. It would definitely be preferred over FRC, for the reason of teacher, facilities, and cost required to run it.

For the 10 elementary schools, it would make sense to do Lego EV3 to join them into our annual DST competition, but other than that, I'm not particularly attached to Lego, and there's no reason we couldn't run an IQ competition side by side, in the same venue, on the same date. With exactly half of the elementary schools having "bought" into robotics, and only two FLL teams, we're not so far invested in Lego that we can't branch out and add Vex IQ. Now may be the time.

I like that for $300 ($291 in quantity), I get 4 motors, all the sensors, and I can drive it with a remote control. It seems like your money goes a little further with Vex IQ. For example, $100,000 would purchase enough hardware to get 670 students simultaneously involved in Vex IQ, with a ratio of 2 students per kit. With Lego, that same amount of funding would reach 560 students. Not a huge difference, but still notable.

I absolutely hate that Modkit is web-based. How are teams supposed to program at competition if they are not online? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen. They really need to release a standalone desktop version. With how much Vex has invested in their IQ hardware platform, it's baffling as to why they have not more heavily invested in the software side of it.