Out with the match list printouts, in with...

[Pat Fairbank]

...Then again, maybe we've got a few more years to go before we eliminate paper entirely from our way of living...

Nevertheless, Team 296 has come up with a system to complement the printout match lists we get at competitions, and we want to share it with the FIRST community.

Based on something we had last year at the Canadian Regional and in Galileo Division, the idea is that one team at an event maintains a wireless network and a webserver, and other teams can use their web browsers to access a Flash application which displays an automatically generated list of their qualification matches, no download or hunting through the printout required. The Flash application is in constant communication with the webserver, and shows a countdown to the teams next match and keeps track of field lateness, among other things (see attached screenshot).

Last year we hosted a similar service at our events, and we got quite a few requests from other teams for the software so that they could host it at events they attended. So this year, in the spirit of gracious professionalism, we're giving the system away for all to use. I've put all the software together in one easy install, and in one week (in order to catch any bugs first) I'll put it up for download on the Sundial homepage. Besides this software, all that's needed is a wireless router or access point and one or two people to maintain the database.

I've put a simulation of Sundial online at sundial.patfair.net/sundial/ which is currently simulating a small tournament of made-up teams. Please try it out and let me know what you think and if there are any bugs. Log in as any team between 1801 and 1812 to get it to work.
You can also take a look at the control panel for Sundial here. Log in as user "team0000" and with password "FIRST".

I'd love to know what you think of Sundial, and of any improvements you think I could make. Also, if any team wants to host Sundial at an event, please give me a shout and I'll update my list of events located on the Sundial homepage.

Thanks for reading.
Pat Fairbank