Internet at Competitions

[techhelpbb]

Originally Posted by rsegrest

If you want to do this use your 3/4G devices all day long (we use laptops and USB drives for simplicity) but please do not expect/ask the volunteers for another thing to setup, configure, troubleshoot for every team that is having problems, and then breakdown. Their jobs and time are already busy enough with all the other duties they are asked to perform. If you think you are tired at the end of an event put yourself in their shoes, they are the first in the doors in the morning, the last out the doors at night, and spend several days before teams arrive getting everything ready for us and then cleaning up after we leave.

Thank you to all those who have volunteered at an event, you guys do a great job!

As a guy that's helped set up the fields and the pits I appreciate that.
However I'd like to say that - planned - installation of say a wired network would just be another task and if enabled to do it I would do it.

On the other hand - unplanned - having to chase teams with WiFi that know better around I do not welcome. It invites a confrontation that is just not necessary and being unplanned it is unwelcome.

In point of fact I believe the vast majority of 'confrontations' I've seen are from small but important things that can be addressed and removed with adequate communications. Sure someone might be better or worse off for resolution but no one is better for letting that fester.

Originally Posted by rsegrest

What happened:
Random guy found a way to use Wifi to cause interference in robot communication that affected the outcome of Einstien matches

Not quite what happened.
He found a hole and after they refused to address it he exploited it again.

Finding the problem: not the problem.
Bringing the problem to someone's attention (could have been done in a more polite and responsible manner): sort of a problem.

Opening the door to becoming an interloper on the field < entirely unacceptable.

Once he knew it was a problem and was asked to stop it was time to comply.
So the message here: if they ask you to stop - you stop.

Watch carefully - when Al says don't use hot glue on electronic motor controls I do not.
It does not matter if I agree - do not turn a simple disagreement into a war that has far reaching consequences.
On the other side of that: if someone tells FIRST respectfully there's a problem - they need to listen (usually they do).
FIRST did investigate the problem at great expense so obviously they are listening to this now.

(Keep in mind the goal is to evolve - mistakes happen - let's try to keep the disasters to a minimum.)