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Re: Has FIRST Crossed the Chasm?
Interesting points on all accounts. IMO, its a very fine line to walk. FIRST has to change enough to attract and retain the mainstream, but then has to effectively change the mainstream to meet its visions.
I think Shawn makes a good point that FIRST is constantly improving, it often seems that we complain, and the next year the problem is fixed or at least improved (remember when checking off the KOP was just from a list?? no photos??) They are doing what they can to make it easier for the average user, perhaps the teams that dont have engineers or experienced FIRSTers to help them out. But I think they are still doing what they can to uphold GP and the "means to the end" philosophy. We all, even us "visionaries" have our complaints day to day, and often rightfully so. As long as we all accept FIRST as a growing business, and do what we can to help rather than just complaining, I think the program will succeed.
I personally would not want to see FIRST grow so much that entire teams may not understand Gracious Professionalism. In my mind, FIRST is just too big then. What makes FIRST different and what makes it so amazing is how it brings teams together for a competition setting, but is not battelbots and is not football. Teams help eachother, they want to have fun, they want to play fair. But it is true that as we bring in the mainstream, it becomes harder and harder to get that message accross. Its more work to understand and present GP, its more work to keep teams from the attitude of hiding things or spying on eachother, its harder and harder to discourage aggressive play.
But so far, they seem to be moving forward. As most rookie teams have mentors or are brought into being by FIRSTers, so far we are succeeding. But in my opinion, I would rather see a FIRST team in 40% of the high schools if it meant we could uphold GP and all of the aspects of FIRST throughout nearly every team than have 100% of the schools have FIRST teams, and only have 40% of them understand GP and the FIRST ideals. To me, thats not success, it will eventually bring FIRST into the mainstream, not the mainstream into FIRST. I think the second is what we need to keep pushing for, and am hoping that is what FIRST is aiming for... bring the mainstream into FIRST and keep walking that ever thinning line...
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