[Steve W]

Here I am again. On the opposite side of the wall. Were would we be if people only used rebuilt parts? Were does the design and thought process come in to play? The inspiration comes from the mind not the field. When you build your first gearbox. When you understand why and how it works. I have seen the light in students and mentors eyes when something that they designed and built succeeded. The people in FIRST are the best. They have ideas. They can look inside and outside of the box. Why get in a habit of buying this transmission or that arm?

I understand why some people would rather buy than build. I still feel that to build what you can is better than buying everything. This has nothing to do with mentor bots or student built bots. I also understand that stand (still think your wrong Karthik but what else is new) and the pros and cons.

Inventions are not built using premade parts. People come up with new ideas, from different angles and with renewed enthusiasm. Playing the game is fun, building and designing is inspirational.

My $0.02 cdn.