Robotics: The Blog

[IMDWalrus]

Having both an excess amount of time and webspace, I decided to do something about it. Thus was born...

RoboBlog

If it wasn't obvious enough, this is a site I'm planning on using to write about my FIRST Robotics experiences. I figured this might be of interest to some of you, so I've decided to share.

Why did I do this? I just like to write, and I've been told fairly often that I'm good at it. I'm not sure I'd agree, and looking at my CD posts I can see how you'd all side with me. In any case, this is your chance to judge. By the way...I tend to ramble a lot. See the last three sentences for an example.

I apologize for the color scheme (it's a Blogger template), but it's most likely a temporary one.

I'm not sure how often I'll update this, or even if there will be any interest outside of 818. It's there, though, and I'll do my best to make it interesting.

I'll take any suggestions, comments, what have you that anyone wants to offer me.

If you do get around to reading the site...thanks. I appreciate it.

[Rickertsen2]

Interesting actually.

[Yan Wang]

I like to think of CD as everyone's blog.

It's certainly useful for getting out your ideas and getting responses quickly.

[Aignam]

Someone, or some team, should start an official FIRST weblog site, offering templates, hosting, and a small bit of webspace. What in return? You can work out a user agreement such that you can quote anything the webloggers should write and use it for team purposes, i.e. promotional videos, chairman's award entries, etc.

[IMDWalrus]

Originally Posted by Aignam

Someone, or some team, should start an official FIRST weblog site, offering templates, hosting, and a small bit of webspace. What in return? You can work out a user agreement such that you can quote anything the webloggers should write and use it for team purposes, i.e. promotional videos, chairman's award entries, etc.

If only 818 had some more money...I'd love to set something like that up, but I don't think it would work out for us at the moment. Maybe next year...

The team would definitely have to reserve the right to terminate accounts for any reason...most importantly, if one of the blog writers begins using their site to attack others or the FIRST program, even if it is only verbally.

[Aignam]

Originally Posted by IMDWalrus

If only 818 had some more money...I'd love to set something like that up, but I don't think it would work out for us at the moment. Maybe next year...

The team would definitely have to reserve the right to terminate accounts for any reason...most importantly, if one of the blog writers begins using their site to attack others or the FIRST program, even if it is only verbally.

Of course, though, from what I've seen of the FIRST community, and how well-moderated and successful sites like ChiefDelphi are, it shouldn't be all that hard to do. Time-consuming. Yes. Money-consuming. Certainly. But the idea itself is a possibility.

[BandChick]

well, your idea doesn't necessarily have to be that of ONE member. it could be a collaboration of teams and/or people. for example, myself or anthony could design templates while other members maintain the structure. things like paid accounts could be offered to do things like store images or perhaps buying icon space (much like livejournal). but all in all i think that'd be a great idea, and it would help bring the FIRST community closer together.

[J Flex 188]

thats actually a pretty great idea, and im surprised i havent seen it in other forms or anywhere else. of course that can only mean one thing, that by the time people come back from building everynight, they struggle to finish their homework and then stumble to bed without a glance at the computer

'course we all know that doenst happen

[Aignam]

home...what?

[pauluffel]

Eleven-TwentySeven might be able to give some hosting space and we've just started working on our site, so it could be built into the site fairly well. One of our members has won some awards for his site design, so I'll volunteer him to be in charge of it.

Along with private blogs like Paul's, I'd be interested in team blogs where multiple members of the same team would be allowed to post (or there would be a team account from which any member of the team could contribute) so teams could share anecdotes and experiences throughout the season in a media a little less formal than a thread on ChiefDelphi, but still publically accesable and communal.

Any services or ideas anyone can contribute? (or privately at paul@luffel.org)

[Aignam]

I was thinking more along the lines of a FIRST Blog Service, much like Livejournal or Diaryland, not so much a Blog portal. Though a costly and difficult task, it would be infinitely more useful than a blog portal. Imagine the possibilites. Everyone in FIRST has a place to share their ideas for free. What I envision, though I'm not entirely certain if this could be done, is a quick way to quote a section of an entry in a ChiefDelphi post. Like HyperRules. But...not. ::cough:: Sorry that I'm so elaborate.

[UngsFree]

Hey,
I would be interested in starting a FIRST related project for these BLOG systems. My idea would be to get some hosting, domain, etc and offer teams and team members subdomains and services like that of Live Journal and Xanga. Xanga in the sense theres a free service and a paid service, and that its created instantly on signup, fully customizable etc. If you would like this, a FIRST BLOG COMMUNITY, let me know and I'd be more than interested to start one.

Regards,
UngsFree (Mike Unger 272)

[IMDWalrus]

Originally Posted by pauluffel

Along with private blogs like Paul's, I'd be interested in team blogs where multiple members of the same team would be allowed to post (or there would be a team account from which any member of the team could contribute) so teams could share anecdotes and experiences throughout the season in a media a little less formal than a thread on ChiefDelphi, but still publically accesable and communal.

If we ever do get a blog portal off the ground, it would be nice to divide it into two sections: private (like mine) and teams. For the portal, I think paid hosting wouldn't be unreasonable as long as the price wasn't extremely high. $5 a month seems to be relatively standard, but we probably need to charge just enough to cover expenses.

I had no idea that this thread would start a conversation like this...I like it, though.

[ahmed]

Originally Posted by Aignam

Someone, or some team, should start an official FIRST weblog site, offering templates, hosting, and a small bit of webspace. What in return? You can work out a user agreement such that you can quote anything the webloggers should write and use it for team purposes, i.e. promotional videos, chairman's award entries, etc.

You guys know how Macromedia runs the MM Blog Aggregator at markme.com? We could have a similar thing going for all FIRST-themed blogs.

I have written a PHP/mySQL blog software, it's pretty customizable, and I'll be working on a second, better version soon. A friend of mine based his site around it, can be seen at xxviiinet. I'd gladly give out the software if anyone wants it, it's lightweight and installing/maintaining it is much easier than major software like MovableType. About providing the webspace thing, I'll look into that too, I guess I could handle that as well

But then again, as monsieurcoffee, these forums really are a better idea than having multiple blogs running around with stuff shattered all over the place..

oh well, you people let me know if you're interested..

[Rickertsen2]

Originally Posted by ahmed

But then again, as monsieurcoffee, these forums really are a better idea than having multiple blogs running around with stuff shattered all over the place..

We need something like a blog portal, with links to everyones "subblogs" and a latest entries etc.

If i weren't so overloaded already i would definately work on this.