FRC Blogged - An Early Option

[tim-tim]

This would have beem good information to know prior to making a choice on PDVs. I think this would have changed a few minds. We bounced around some ideas and then decided (among other reasons) that it wasn't worth the risk of something being back ordered or long lead time during the build season.

This is a smart move for sure. I just wish they announced it a bit earlier than this.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by tim-tim

This would have beem good information to know prior to making a choice on PDVs. I think this would have changed a few minds. We bounced around some ideas and then decided (among other reasons) that it wasn't worth the risk of something being back ordered or long lead time during the build season.

This is a smart move for sure. I just wish they announced it a bit earlier than this.

I don't get the feeling that HQ is 'holding back information' - (with the exception of game-specific info) when deals are done, they let us know. Everything is a work in progress, everything is iterative. I'm guessing the PDVs were finalized and publicized before the Is were crossed and the Ts were dotted on this initiative.

[IndySam]

It takes a lot of work and time to prep and pack up the drive kits and send them on to headquarters so they can be distributed to kick off sites in time. I thought FIRST's deadline for PDV declaration was very generous.

[tim-tim]

I'm not saying anyone was withholding information. I'm just saying that it would have been nice to know this prior to the PDV deadline.

Maybe in the next iteration (next year) it would be possible to announce this ahead of the deadline.

Just constructive feedback, sorry if I came across the wrong way.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Nemo

This is perhaps partly true, but I think the overall effect is to give teams a new choice. If you want to wait until you know more to be sure you can use the stuff you choose, you can wait until the game is released. If you want to stock up to save a bit of time during the season, you can select generally useful stuff before the season.

Given how quickly the stock of particular items depleted last year on FIRST Choice, there's not really much of a choice actually being presented here if you want any of the high-demand items. You order early or you don't get them.