pic: First Robotics Google Trend

[SteveGarward]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

I'm also interested/worried/confused about the fact that searches for FIRST have declined over time (even if it is just a percentage of volume). Shouldn't more teams and students equal more searches?

I think this could easily come from a number of factors (apart from acronyms)

• People are doing more specific searches
• FIRST is putting out more useful information, leading to less need to search for it
• More teams helping other teams
• People come to Chief Delphi or other teams websites more for their info
• Teams are struggling more than we know
• With more COTS parts and a largely pre-packaged 'just hook it up' control system, less need to dig deeper for custom work (certainly it doesn't require the term FIRST robotics...)

Are people less interested, or are we doing a better job as a community?