Quote:
Originally posted by Rurouni
I disagree with your logic there M. Krass. Sure, people who work for FIRST may read the CD forums, but that doesn't mean anything. I talked in depth with some people from FIRST about this in detail after UTC. CD is a great reference area for people to connect and talk about their ideas, meet other FIRSTers and so-forth. However, it is an unofficial message board. This is why it drove alot of people from FIRST nuts every year when people go to chief delphi to contest rules, or to get a clarification. It creates confusion because sometimes different teams have different interpretation of the rules for that year and confusion is spread, and with CD being used often, it only spread that confusion quicker.
I agree that complaints, grievances and questions should be sent to FIRST, not the forums. But before people do, may sure it is a legitimate claim or question.
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If by reading these forums, FIRST is made aware of certain problems, questions, or necessary clarifications, I don't understand why this isn't a good thing.
I don't expect anyone from FIRST to make an official ruling based on a topic here, but it acts as an additional resource for teams and students to sound out their ideas before presenting them in any official manner.
As such, I don't consider a lot of the 'whining' people do here on CD to be negative in any capacity. It's providing them -- particularly students who don't have access to the Team Forum -- a forum to voice their concerns. As mentors, we should be listening to what students want from their experience in FIRST, but we should also be aware of what FIRST is trying to provide. Balancing our priorities and goals between passing along FIRST's message (without cramming it down someone's throat) and keeping the students happy would be much, much harder to do if this message board didn't exist.
For that, I'm
thankful for much of the whining that people do. Even if I don't agree with what they may be whining about, it gives me another opportunity to see what the people I'm doing this for expect of me and it gives me one extra chance at doing a better job.
I like second chances.