[Kris Verdeyen]

Let me start by saying that I hate "slippery slope" arguments. I think that it's the acme of foolishness to say that "If we allow (thing we're arguing about) x, we won't be able to prevent (thing everyone knows is wrong) y". If x, whether it's a ban on assualt weapons, double parking in the quad for less than 15 minutes, or pushing back against the strictest and most important rules in FIRST, isn't noxious enough to be struck down on its own vices, then we ought to let it happen.

That said, what we have here is a clear case of the slippery slope in action. For the past few years, we have seen an increase in the way we as a community are allowing ourselves to build parts. While the rules explicity address some of these ways(such as the addition of suppliers other than Small Parts), others, such as AM.biz, extreme collaboration, and the bringing of practice / spare parts robots to competitions are not, and have been driven largely by the FIRST community itself.

This cavalier attitude towards the building rules has now slipped and slided to the point that people are trying to justify cutting metal on their robot before the season begins. Don't. It's cheating. If you cut a piece of metal to use on your robot before the kickoff, you are a cheater.