[EricH]

Guys, this thread is off-topic (I think.) What Paul was originally asking was, A. What is your interpretation and what does the rule mean? and B. What is a violation (of letter or spirit) and what violations are acceptable? The thread has now gone from answers to the questions to "This is my analogy and why the rule shouldn't apply" and "You're wrong, this analogy is better and why" and "You're both wrong", and generally being a big confusing mess. (At least, confusing to a non-programmer who doesn't know much about programming and isn't sure he wants to know.)

Now, to answer:
A. The rule is that you can't re-use unaltered modules from year to year, but algorithms and designs may be re-used. Also, the specific lines must be new. Now, what this means (to me) is that you must alter the modules every time you use them. If you have changed a hardware drive module for a different encoder/wheel/gearing, you practically have to change the software module, right? So, seeing as the robots are different each year, there shouldn't be too much of a problem for most teams.

B. The letter is as Paul quoted. The spirit is that you must change the code between years. For me, a violation is when a team used the exact code that they used the year before. Doesn't matter if they retyped it or not (and that discussion was over a rule that applied to Fix-it windows and similar things, if I remember correctly.) What violations are acceptable? For me personally, none. I prefer not to do anything that might be perceived as against the rules.

There is another point that I wish to bring up, however. This rendering of <R71> is from last year's manual. We don't know what the corresponding rule in this year's manual will be, or even if there will be one. So this whole discussion could be a moot point on January 6th.