[gblake]

A different viewpoint - I endeavor to keep my feelings aligned with the rules of the event(s) in which I participate. In earlier messages I clearly outlined strategies that can be used to continually improve any FVC robot that has been placed in full public view during a competition.

As for a design used in a competition, exhibition or other public forum; the definition of "public" means that the cat is out of the bag, either for a select few who see it but collaborate to keep the "secret" to themselves (and perhaps gain an advantage over the wider population) or for the entire community.

Regardless "public" means, among other things, "not secret". There is no FVC rule that says designs will, should be, might be, could be, ought to be, etc. kept secret from folks who were not present at any particular public event.

In my opinion, attempting to squelch publicity of a public robot amounts to attempting to create and enforce a rule that simply does not exist. In fact the rules and tournament guidelines strongly imply quite the opposite. They say that robots compete in the light of day, that publicity is encouraged, and that anyone can make any change to any robot any time before putting it on the field for any match.

Therefore, I assert that there is a very strong case to be made for this statement: There is nothing wrong with posting a snapshot, description, scale drawing, movie or other rendering, obtained without subterfuge, of a robot that has been put on public display.

Remember the definition of PUBLIC....

Being ethical generally includes sticking to the rules and applying them equally in all equal circumstances. It generally does not include making up new rules and attempting to use peer pressure to deny someone else a freedom granted by the actual rules.

I shall feel no guilt if I am asked about a robot I have seen in public and I supply all the information I gathered in a public setting when that robot was present or operating. The robot was in PUBLIC.

Folks may wish they could have their cake and eat it too (compete in a PUBLIC tournament, but not reveal their current design); but I afraid that is a pretty much a physical impossibility. I strongly feel that they should not pressure others to conform to a "rule" that does not exist and is expressly at odds with the real rules.

To do so would hardly seem a gracious act.

Blake