Opinion Poll: Proliferation of Prefbricated Parts

[techhelpbb]

Originally Posted by RonnyV

Don't know what the real problem is here. Having a variety of COTS products (for less resourced teams that don't have machining capabilities) or having a grumpy 40 year old putting together a COTS kit with all the parts needed in two days and rush on.

The problem is that COTS can remove a motivator to understand how the parts are made. In fairness, in the other related topic, I voted for allowing COTS at every level.

This opportunity to motivate can be just as well served by offering award or reward to the teams that take the time to spin up their shops as it can by requiring it to compete. Requiring it to compete does on the other hand keep some people out.

Both approaches can coexist until the level of play gets so high that only professionally designed COTS parts are able to play - then it's a problem. Other than a shortage of tires and treads we haven't seen that yet.