[Mark Pierce]

FIRST electronics rules have always emphasized safety and simplicity of inspection over what some consider ideal. Whatever your opinion, that's the way it is, just like the rules limiting any other aspect of the game.

I don't beleive that the smart panels are available anymore, so it's not fair for teams who have them from previous years to use them when others can't. I think they were donated by Innovation FIRST, custom made for us, like many of their products. IFI continues to donate lots of parts to us some of them much more exotic than the compact, intelligent panel. Given the choice, I'll take the newer stuff from IFI and be happy rather than complain that they can't do the same thing they did two years ago.

The new distribution terminal strip seems like a huge improvement to the heavy blocks we were given in some previous years. The parts are also reliable, standard components that the Rockwell Automation (Allen Bradley is part of Rockwell) can supply in the huge numbers required as the program grows.

For what it's worth, I talked with a representative of RA (one of the most dedicated FIRST volunteers I know) about this issue last spring. I also asked on these forums and other teams about what they would like to see RA donate to the kit of parts. As I understand it, this looks like a win-win: FIRST needed a reliable, safe, and available electrical distribution system, Rockwell wanted to support the program by donating useful items directly to teams.