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Unread 22-09-2008, 15:16
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Re: Nearly Officially Official: cRIO Control System To Be Reused

Quote:
Originally Posted by GeorgeTheEng View Post
There's a point that I haven't seen raised in this thread. (or I missed in which case I apologize)

In the last few years we've seen the economy take a significant downturn. (I'm starting to lose count of the banks and mortgage firms needing "bail outs") Costs of most consumer items have gotten higher. (most of us pay double or triple what we did for gas just 2 or 3 years ago) In some sectors, corporate profits have declined. Through all this, FIRST has managed to keep the entry fee/ KOP fee constant. Even while growing and asking suppliers for more and more items.

It is entirely possible that FIRST is being faced with a simple choice... Reuse the control system or raise the KOP fees in 2010 and beyond. If that is the case, then I support reuse. Keep more teams in the game. Let the "rich teams" buy additional controlers. Or maybe get a few teams together to share the cost and have one that can be passed around for demos and such (of course then your electronics need to be designed to be easily accessible and the wiring well documented).

There is always a design to question change and worry about it's implications. Personally I think like would be boring if everything stayed static. Enjoy the change, learn something new, adapt.
I don't think the economy has anything to do with it. If it did, FIRST would have been incredibly foolish to switch to a new, substantially more expensive system.
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