Thread: Update #16
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Unread 07-03-2007, 15:29
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Re: Update #16

Let me say thank you to First for doing what they have done. Through promotion of First they've allowed many people to have opportunities to do things they have never thought of doing before.

Unfortunately, like many of you, I think First may be falling victim to their own success. The instruction books, rules, limitations, and general beauracracy have grown each year that I've been involved. I understand from conversations with other rookies teams that they spent a great majority of their time trying to learn all the various rules, regulations, etc.

Every minute spent reading rules, regulations, etc is time spent not driving a robot. Every minute spent waiting in long lines for a machine shop that may or may not do what you want them too results in frustration.

A "good" experience is generally one you can walk away from knowing that you did your best. When, however, there are so many impediments to doing your best that you walk away with a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach, that's when people begin to think about other options. Keep it simple. Simple to enter. Simple to organize. Simple, simple, simple. For instance: why are there limitations on the brands of cylinders when so many others would work just fine, and may be stock on your sponser's shelf? I can speak from experience on this one - we lost DAYS waiting for things to ship when we had parts on the shelf that would have worked just fine.

Now we don't know the "inside" story on these decisions, unfortunately. This may be an action that is being forced not by first - but by their venues. Much like the vendors who provide replacement electronics insist they be wired a very specific way, the venues may be forcing First's hand.

That said, I think there needs to be some push-back. I think everyone should understand the basic tenant of innovation - innovation is thought without limits. Innovation is freedom. Restriction or limitation of that freedom simply inhibits innovation. Being told "you can't" is a great way to kill innovation. As many people here pointed out - how many robots this year may be denied participation in matches, or even making it to Alanta, because something broke and they no longer have the ability to fix it? How do you promote innovation within a framework that limits it?

First needs to make a concentrated effort to remove the restrictions they've placed on innovation. They need to simplify the rules, requirements, regulations, and everything else that goes along with First - other than the game itself. That's something that won't happen over night. But I'm sure that if people let First know what they want, First will deliver.

Last edited by Tom Line : 07-03-2007 at 15:33.
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