Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Lim
The mediocre do the minimum, then exclaim how easy it is.
The exceptional never stop to gloat... they're too busy figuring out new ways to make it even better...
|
This sums it up extremely well. A good programmer is never done coding, and his programs are never done (at least not before the deadline, they're not). If you're complaining that things are too easy, make it harder. There's always something that your code can do to make the robot perform better and the drivers drive easier. Implement PID on a mechanism so that it functions more smoothly. Implement the dashboard so your drivers have feedback. There's always something you can do. Our robot code has exceeded 2000 lines every year for the last three years, and I'm working on custom dashboard software that will soon exceed 4000 lines. I'm saying this to brag, but just to make the point that you can always add more and make it better. Could my team use the out-of-the-box code and use a standard dashboard? Sure we could, but we want to aim higher than that.
As for mentors, our team has always believed strongly that FIRST is an organization for students. We (the students) design the robot, we build the robot, and we code the robot. The mentors are there for our assistance when we ask for it. If this isn't how your team works and the mentors make the decisions, I'd strongly suggest doing something about this. FRC is a program for students, and your team should be for the students too.