Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Scheck
I would agree with this to a certain extent.
I definitely think that teams that have hybrid/autonomous robots that just sit there are doing so because of a lack of software understanding. However, I don't think this is the fault of the control system. I do think this is a problem with a lack of resources/tutorials that help rookie teams out. Yeah, I know there are some good ones floating around, but that isn't made public through FIRST. Most of the time the only way you come across those is here on CD, but how would a rookie team know to look here unless they were given the heads up? We based our software this year on Kevin's revamped default code. Was the default code download location even made public? I don't remember seeing an announcement anywhere.
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Links to Kevin's code and other resources are on
the FIRST docs site but you have to know what you're looking for and navigate down several levels to get to that page. So, though the info is available, I think your point is valid because a typical deer-in-the-headlights rookie programming team probably isn't going to find the right information early on.
I would like to see FIRST create a technical documentation system that addresses the needs of all teams - rookie, small, large, lots of mentors and no mentors. This sounds like a huge challenge, but a good example is right in front of most of us: the Vex manual. (Oops, sorry for using the "v" word
) Anyway, that manual makes it easy for a newbie with no technical knowledge whatsoever to build and program a robot all by themself. It also covers more advanced topics and engineering theory, but the way it's organized, the essentials are not buried in the details or program headers.
Most of the information needed for such a publication already exists for the current (IFI - oops, there's the "i" word) system, but spread across many websites and downloads. Experienced teams already know where some of it is, though most still have to do some digging to find technical info that should be readily available. To put this documentation in an easy-to-use format would still be a lot of work, but mostly in organization, rather than creation.
If FIRST handles documentation and training for the new system like they did with the old, where will we be next January? Since so much of what is now available for the old system was created by teams, we could be looking at starting from zero unless FIRST takes the bull by the horns right now and makes the effort to provide comprehensive, well-organized and accessible information and make it available before kickoff.