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Renaming the FIRST Robotics Competition
After 5 years involved with FIRST thus far, I think FIRST ought to consider finding a nice catchy name other than "The FIRST Robotics Competition" or "The FIRST Competition". I know that the game is named each year, but I think it would be beneficial to have a name that would last year after year... other than FIRST. There is no reason the robotics competition has to have the name of the non-profit organization (FIRST) that sponsors it. In addition to being -- in my opinion -- a pretty lame acronym (what is first supposed to mean???), what it stands for is equally cryptic:
The For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics Competition.
Why not something like "The High School Robotics Challenge" that will actually make some reading the name understand what it is.
For example, 2003 game could be titled:
The High School Robotics Challege: Stack Attack
Somebody can probably come up with a much better title than I can. In summary, FIRST is really cryptic, and it takes me approximately a minute or more to explain to someone that it is an acronym, what it stands for, and then by that point they've stopped listening anyway because it's gone over their head. And then if I have to explain the rules... well that's another headache. A better title would solve the first (no pun intended) problem.
So let's hear your opinion! (and any names if you can think of them)
- Patrick
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Systems Engineer - Kiva Systems, Woburn MA
Alumni, Former Mechanical Team Leader - Cornell University Robocup - 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 World Champions
Founder - Team 639 - Ithaca High School / Cornell University
Alumni - Team 190 - Mass Academy / WPI
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