-groans inwardly- my expectations for this weekend have shifted radically.
Everyone has had vailid points, from both sides of the issue. Now, let me just say that I am in no way trying to say "FIRST is horrible" and I'm sure that we'll hear more about this update... but these are just my thoughts for now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cody Carey
...Rule after rule this year (and a little last year) seems to have been made solely for the purpose of making a rule. ... This, and many others are only there as a restriction. It is the same thing with the spirit shown at the Championship Q&A session last year... FIRST seems to think that if they said something, no matter if problems are pointed out... that is the way it goes. Not because it is right, but because they said it. Teams don't even seem to be considered any more when it comes to the hard decisions.
Overall, I don't know what I think about FIRST anymore... I mean, I LOVE it, because without it, I wouldn't be who I am; I just think that maybe it is going the same directions as most things, and becoming less and less concerned with its members, and more concerned with being a Corporation-mimicking non-profit organization.
WE have been in countless situations when the kindness of another team letting us use their machines has saved out robot. It will be a shame when that can't happen.
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I must say that I sincerely sympathize and agree with you. This will be my fourth and final year in robotics as a team member, and boy have I noticed the changes over the years. It makes me sad. Things aren't the same, I can say that for a fact. I still love FIRST robotics because of the amazing impact its had on my life--I wouldnt be who I am today without it--but... ugh. Some things are just so frustrating. I'm so sad that this had to be the turning point for so many wonderful mentors, not just Paul, because I know he's not the only one.
I was there last year at the Championship Q&A; that was rediculous. I remember being so mad about the fact that rules were becoming so illogical, so circular and even seemingly pointless... and there was nothing we could do about it! No matter how many people talked and pointed out the contradictions, in the end, nothing changed. So we just had to make do, and we all survived, in spite of it all.
Clearly, it is true that FIRST teaches life lessons. Its just that today's lesson seems to be:
Life is not fair. They just throw a new obstacle in our way, seemingly without regard to what those affected by it have to say, and just expect us to deal with it. And as much as we complain about it and try to offer solutions and this and that and everything else... until someone explains the reasoning behind this (there HAS to be some sort of reason they put up that new rule...) or until someone with some influence takes notice and helps us make a difference, it appears like we're just going to have to deal with it.
But from my experience, I have been in several frustrating situations where the higher-ups don't consuly those directly affected by their decrees beforehand. It is extremely frustrating. All they would have to do is contact a few well-known, trusted, experienced mentors/students/FIRSTers and run the idea by them before it becomes official. "hey we're considering this and this and that. what do you think about that?" I'm sure their feedback would be priceless. It's input from a credible source, giving a secondary opinion from a point of view that you may not have considered beforehand. Is it so hard to take two seconds to see what someone else has to say?