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Originally Posted by sanddrag
Each team interprets the rules in their own way and they will decide amongst themselves how closely they will or will not follow the universal interpretation and/or spirit of the rules....
So everyone who does pre-season work, regardless of whether it is legal by your interpretation of the rules, is taking a risk that all their work will be thrown out the window on January 8th.
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From the 2004 Rules(which may of course change in 2005) -
"5.2.5 Design and Build Rules
<R09> Teams must fabricate and/or assemble all custom parts and assembled mechanisms on the robot by the 2004 team after the start of the Kick-off."
From Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary -
"Fabricate - CONSTRUCT, MANUFACTURE; specifically : to construct from diverse and usually standardized parts"
What's to interpret? The answer should be pretty clear. "Teams MUST fabricate and/or assemble...AFTER the start of the kickoff". No interpretation necessary. Unless we are to be like Bill Clinton and debate what the definition of the word is is.
Besides, my interpretation or your interpretation of the rules doesn't matter. The only interpretation that matters is that which comes from FIRST. And that is clear to me anyway.
Even fabrication of spare parts after the build period was made crystal clear last year. The official FIRST response to a question posed in the Q & A said you put your tools down when the robot is shipped and pick them up again at your first competition. Not much to debate their either.