[PayneTrain]

Sonic, the drive in chain, advertises itself as the Ultimate Drink Stop (or at least they did), similar to VEXpro, the ultimate FRC gearbox stop. Sonic also is in the business of selling tots. People LOVE tater tots even though they're allegedly terrible for your long term health, but that's irrelevant. VEX has been in the business of selling motor controllers for what feels like as long as this year's group of incoming high school freshmen have been alive.

Sonic, while specializing in hundreds of thousands of possible combinations for drinks, may find it difficult to predict sales of some of the niche mixes. However, the tater tots are obvious, consistent, and easy to predict sellers because of a lack of outside competition (no other chain restaurant sells tots) and little to no change in the base product.

VEXpro, while making dozens and dozens of different ways to get FRC motors to work the way teams want them to through some sweet, high-performing gearboxes, may find it hard to predict sales for some of the niche mixes. However, the motor controllers are obvious, consistent, and easy to predict sellers because of a lack of outside competition and little to no change in the base product.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm in a Sonic drive thru right now before a robotics meeting.