Just another note to many of you who think FIRST is running from IFI.
Have any of you noticed that FIRST and Microsoft are partnering for the 2008 season(1)(2)? BUT if many of you didn't know Microsoft has its own little robotics program called Microsoft Robotics Studio(3)? Now I don't know if I'm crazy or doing some math wrong but, Microsoft is HUGE and has the potential to invest a TON of money into the FIRST programs. Now for me, FIRST + Microsoft = A new tree of ideas, parts, and people = Smaller companies (IFI) will be kicked out.
If my math is correct, FIRST would have a lot to gain from this new partnership and would have more access to more resources as well as more engineers who spend their lives on robotics programs/applications/etc helping out and mentoring. For participants of FIRST, this could mean everybody would have to learn new things, and try out a system that has yet to be proved effective, efficient, and reliable. For the smaller people it could mean that they are "too small" for FIRST even though they are adapting and growing enough to meet many teams' needs.
Think about that!
(1)
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...oft_FINAL2.pdf
(2)
http://www.microsoft.com/indonesia/n...oboticsPR.aspx
(3)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/robotics/default.aspx