Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeForce
I'm very glad about this update. I've had to debate with several people (mostly programmers) trying to loophole and lawyer the "4 commands" rule.
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I would submit that most people are not psychic, and therefore, the rule as originally written was vague enough to warrant the kind of follow-up treatment provided by the GDC "t
o provide some insight into the rules, what the members of the GDC were thinking
when they were written, and how they will be interpreted." You can only seek to "loophole and lawyer" what you already understand to be true. The uncertainty surrounding this topic prior to Team Update #3 absolves most everyone of trying to skirt a rule whose true intent was shifting around like a ghost in the mist. I myself thought a "jump to next autonomous step" action was a perfectly legal and constant action to apply to a single button press. I now know that the GDC's intent is for that to be a prohibited action. In fact, I would almost bet that that specific clarification exists precisely because I and perhaps others suggested it in these forums in the first place, much like I am also certain the new requirement for the drive team to be behind the line before trackballs are placed in G20 was inserted precisely because I suggested people use the somewhat common feature of operator station-based autonomous select controls to tell the robot where on the field the trackballs were after they were placed on the overpass. Perhaps in the future I should simply keep my mouth shut instead of offering such suggestions of previously legal strategies to the FIRST community as a whole? 
I would also submit that many programmers are not so much trying to bend the rules as they are extremely eager in their natural desire to creatively squeeze as much functionality out of this new tool as possible. Having received the needed clarification, they will proceed accordingly, although many will continue to be disappointed by what they feel is an exceedingly restrictive slant on the application of this new technology.