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Unread 08-01-2004, 22:11
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danielkitchener danielkitchener is offline
408 Computer Nerd
AKA: Daniel Kitchener
#0408 (Roboticks)
Team Role: Alumni
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: Pompano Beach, Fl
Posts: 52
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Re: The Manuall will be cracked in...

Okay...my $.02
FIRST is all about the frantic 6 weeks of building, the eager anticipation of Kickoff Day, the suprise when you find out what evil challenges Dean, Dave, and co. have planned for us, etc. I know people that are actually losing sleep about it. Now, to ruin this is not within the spirit of FIRST. It's like sneakily unwrapping Christmas presents before it's time. It ruins the feeling of suprise and excitement. To many of us, kickoff day is just like Christmas.

Now, for the obvious phrase: GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM
It is the intention of FIRST to set all teams on an even playing field with regards to the challenges. They go out of their way to make sure that no one team has an advantage over the other with regard to competability of the robot. The only thing that determines winners is the ingenuity and creativity of the team's members. For those of you who may argue funding also determines this, may I point out that FIRST offers grants to teams, and also that it is nearly impossible, if you try hard enough, not to get enough sponsors to cover the money. If a team decides to crack the encryption, this goes against the whole idea of an even playing field. Teams should not try to UNFAIRLY gain an advantage over one another. The whole point of FIRST is to educate students and inspire them. FIRST is about teams helping one another out, not teams trying to gain an unfair advantage. FIRST is about "would you like to borrow a part because one of yours broke" or "can I help you with that," and not about "haha I have the manual and you don't" or "haha I have an advantage over you."

If any of you try to break into the encrypted documents or otherwise cheat, you clearly do not belong in the FIRST program.