I feel secrecy is very important. We used to call it the "veil of secrecy"... Teams who come up with innovative designs and find loopholes in the rules (like the robot flipper) will benefit by keeping it to themselves... Some collaboration between veterans and rookies is important to help the newbie teams... but I feel details and strategies should not be shared (except quick teases to make the competition drool).
I recently spent the weekend with my old team, and it was cool to look at their designs and strategies, however I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing these with my current team. (yay Clarkson!)
Long winded opinion summed up in a phrase...
There are some things you share, and some things you don't.
I've been doing some drive designs in my notebook, and while I do wish I'd taken a closer look at CD6's drive while I was at UTC last year, I kind of enjoy figuring things out for myself. What's the fun in having all your designs handed to you?
If all teams came together and shared, we'd have several GOD-bots out there, the best of everything, combined into one.
Before kickoff I was thinking how cool it would be if FIRST completely leveled the playing field. Imagine a game in which there are no drivesystems 7 years (or more) in the making. Everyone is required to build stationary robots, that once placed before the match cannot be moved... ahh well, just an idea...
JVN
Strategy Head
Team 229 - Clarkson University