View Single Post
  #49   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 25-03-2009, 18:39
Lil' Lavery Lil' Lavery is online now
TSIMFD
AKA: Sean Lavery
FRC #1712 (DAWGMA)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 6,592
Lil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond reputeLil' Lavery has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Lil' Lavery
Re: Discrepancy at Chesapeake, Israel, Waterloo?

This thread was somewhat painful to read. Teams are pointing at FMS/Volunteers, Volunteers are pointing at Teams/FMS, FMS is pointing at teams, etc.

I know some posters have been more forthright and accepted responsibility, but in general people are making much more sweeping generalizations than they should (including my intro).

Like most difficult problems, this one is multi-headed and problems exist in each area.

Teams:
Ultimately the ball is in your court to make sure your robot is ready. I know about and I feel the pain of having a knew control system, long labview downloads, and having another series of items to have to worry about each match. And I wish every event had the time and crew that would allow for the event to be streamlined and fair. But the simplest way to make that happen is to take care of stuff on your end.
Write a pre-flight checklist. Run through it before each and every match. Find ways that work to make sure your robot can sync with the field quickly and flawlessly. Help out your alliance partners (and preferably each and every team in FIRST) to do so as well.

Field Reset/FTA/Volunteers:
Your job is not only to help the event run in a timely manor, but to also help the teams get the most out of the event (though that applies both ways, nobody like events that run 4 hours over). I know this is hyperbole, but you could run 80 matches in 3 hours if you allowed 0 minutes for teams to get on the field in between matches. Yet nobody would be happy with that. Running on time is great, but so is having teams running.
Try to help teams ensure they're ready to go by the time they're setting their robot on the field. Queuers and reset volunteers can ask the teams who are in queue if their radios, DS, and batteries are plugged in. You can post signs by the entrance to the field to help remind teams of the same thing.

FMS/FIRST/Other affiliated Parties:
Yes this is a new system. Yes we all expect it to have its kinks. Yes, it can run well when everything goes right and the teams do everything right.
But this is the real world. Not everything will go right, and the system needs to be designed to incorporate that.
We need ways to help fix and diagnose connection issues and controls issues (both from the field and robot perspective) quickly and efficiently. Whatever of these can be implemented DURING the season (once properly tested), should be. We shouldn't wait until next year.
We need to find ways for the robots and field to connect faster/cRio boot faster.
We need to find ways for the field to be reset faster so the teams can start booting and connecting their robots sooner.
We need to make this whole process more team friendly, and find better ways for teams to fix whatever issues they can BEFORE they get on the field.


Pointing fingers isn't going to solve anything, and neither is getting your feelings hurt. Determining solutions and being pro-active is required, but so is determining what isn't working currently. No party should be happy with the current situation, or any situation like it. Every party involved should be working to make the process better, pick up their end of the bargain, and work WITH the other parties instead of against them.
__________________
Being correct doesn't mean you don't have to explain yourself.
Reply With Quote