On the quality and complexity of software within FRC

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Pault

All of the threads are something like either "What programming language should I use?", "Where do I go to learn how to code in X language?", "Why does this code not work?", "What is a PID?", etc. I think it could really benefit the teams on here if there was more in depth conversation.

Caution: "Not a Programmer" Talking in Programming Thread.

I'm going to take the above as kind of a "trigger point". Mainly because, it's what got my attention.

Who is asking those questions?

No, seriously, who is asking those questions? And, just for grins, why?

Think about it.


Now that you've thought about it, from what I've seen an awful lot of those threads are your first-time programmers. Not 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year programmers, but first-timers. The exception is the "why is this not working", which can come from anybody who is trying something new, or just wants a code review.

The other factor is that many teams don't give their programmers a robot until Week 5.75 if the programmers are lucky. Then they expect the robot to work in the first match on the field. See: hotfix the code and pray it works. Then fix some other bug. Repeat.


1197 does have a good programming team--but I know enough not to ask questions. (I leave that to the programming mentors.)