[EricH]

Originally Posted by Pault

Yes, I completely realize that. I never said it was a bad thing that those threads exist. I was just pointing out how few threads actually provoke deeper conversations about coding than that. Imagine if nearly every thread about mechanical topics were "What CAD software should we use?", "Where can I learn to use X CAD software?", "Will this tank drive design function without breaking?", "How do gear ratios work?", etc. The technical side of CD would get boring really fast.

I did touch on some of that--later in the post.

Really simply, most teams' programmers get the robot really late in the season--and most teams' programmers are then trying to get the robot running under pressure from mechanical who wants drive time. Ugly code that works is of far, far greater value to the team than really nice, standards-compliant, reusable year-after-year code. That is the perception, at least. And it is very difficult to break out of that without a determined effort by one or more programmers to force the issue.

And then there's another problem. 4 years. Every 4 years, there is a complete turnover. (I intentionally exclude mentors from this.) Given that many teams have limited programmers in the first place (and, given some of those threads, it's tough to get a programmer to step up to replace a lone programmer who is moving on), there isn't really a good progression... so even if you do get a programmer or two who are starting to force the team towards high quality, or do more complex things, right about the time they hit that point they're gone, and someone else is starting from near-zero. You can argue that if they were doing it right that wouldn't be an issue, but getting to the point of doing it right can take YEARS.



As far as complexity...Let's just say that some mechanical mentors aren't willing to trust the programmers with more than basic sensors, and have to be poked, prodded, and otherwise convinced to (allow the programmers to) use the more advanced items. (I'm not one of them--but I prefer the simpler ways of doing things over the more complex ways.) OTOH, when the complex stuff works right, they suddenly want a lot more... Just got to get them there--again, that usually takes a programmer who insists on it until... oops, graduated another one, time to start over.