Quote:
Originally Posted by trekkiencc74656
If we dont know what the rules are yet then why cant we at least write drive code and build the drive train as these are standard between years and should have no effect on the outcome of the match. I mean most teams ours included reuse code from the year before and start working on it prior to the kickoff.
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We do our best to follow the rules. This past years' rules said "no" to writing any code at all for use on the final product. If you want to write code as an exercise, go ahead--FIRST has no jurisdiction over your personal time--but do NOT use that code on the robot if it wasn't written inside build season or a fix-it window. That's just GP.
Consider for a moment the newbie team who has no robot to test with, no compiler/IDE to mess with code, and nothing until they get their KOP on the 5th. Your team would have an unfair advantage over that team if you used last year's code--that newbie team doesn't have anything. We are trying our best to keep the playing field level.
Note that it is perfectly fine to use old code as a reference, but even copying snips of it into the new code is against the 2007 rules, and likely will violate rules in 2008 also.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Anderson
The rules permit COTS assemblies to be used. That applies to hardware in an obvious way, but it can be (and has been) interpreted to let teams use prewritten software from a source like IFI or Kevin Watson.
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Aah...now I understand. IMO that interpretation is really iffy, but at least I understand where the teams were coming from. After reading through the rules again, I can understand how this was originally classified; however, because of one word (emphasis mine):
Quote:
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Originally Posted by 2007 FRC Manual
COTS – A “Commercial, Off-The-Shelf” COMPONENT or MECHANISM, in it’s unaltered, unmodified state. A COTS item must be a standard (i.e. not custom order) part commonly available from the VENDOR, available from a non-team source, and available to all teams for purchase.
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(in my eyes) the code is not legal. Take from this what you will, and if I see it pop up again in the 2008 rules, it's going directly to the Q+A.
My intent was not to lawyer, but rather to show that the rules do not support what every team has done and will continue to do. WPIlib is another package that this rule outlaws, IMO.
OK, I'm done threadjacking...
JBot