Possible Q&A Change

[sburro]

As a team mentor last year I posted a few important questions to the first Q&A section. While posting I noticed that there were numerous questions that I felt were not needed. Most of these questions answers told them to go to the manual. I therefore would urge the owner of their teams Q&A password to not give it out and instead post the questions for students themselves. My aim is to help the overworked FIRST volunteers. Thanks

[JVN]

Originally Posted by sburro

I therefore would urge the owner of their teams Q&A password to not give it out and instead post the questions for students themselves. My aim is to help the overworked FIRST volunteers. Thanks

A noble goal.
However you make one assumption which isn't valid.
Most of the questions posted ARE from mentors.

Should there be some sort of intelligence test, before you get a Q&A password? Maybe a reading exam?

[Steve W]

Originally Posted by JVN

A noble goal.
However you make one assumption which isn't valid.
Most of the questions posted ARE from mentors.

Should there be some sort of intelligence test, before you get a Q&A password? Maybe a reading exam?

I have always had problems with intelligence tests.

In the GTA regional website we have started an ask the experts forum. There are 2 of us (maybe I am not an expert, Oh well!!!) that will try to answer questions and try to relieve those at FIRST . If we can't find the answer then we will post with FIRST and put the question ID in our answer so that others can see. This hopefully will relieve the multiple questions on the same subject. Maybe other regionals will follow our lead.

[JVN]

Originally Posted by Steve W

I have always had problems with intelligence tests.

Just because they come back negative, doesn't mean there is a problem with the test.

[Stu Bloom]

Originally Posted by JVN

A noble goal.
However you make one assumption which isn't valid.
Most of the questions posted ARE from mentors.

Should there be some sort of intelligence test, before you get a Q&A password? Maybe a reading exam?

Agreed, but I wonder how many of those same people visit this site and will even know of your plea Joe. I suggest that the mods of the Q&A place all of "those" questions in a separate folder/location labeled "Answered in Manual" or "READ the Manual!" or something similar, AND INCLUDE the identity and team number of the person asking the question. Require a verified (automated) individual/team login in addition to the password to help control and positively identify the perpetrators .

[AmyPrib]

I would agree - IF team leaders are handing out their logins/passwords to everyone on the team, I urge that not be done. Perhaps - people can utilize CD to ask rules/strategy questions early in the process so that it may help avoid drowning down FIRST with "already answered" ones.

It would be nice if everyone read the manual very carefully prior to asking Q/A questions. This is partly why I started the Q/A thread last year in the rules/strategy forum - to answer questions that were asked more than once in different ways, as well as ones that are answered in the book. I tried to avoid interpretable ones and also tried to bring to light some of the good questions everyone should see..

Every year there's a big note "Please read the manual". I forget when Q/A opens up, but they should wait a week or so before opening it, so people are forced to search for the answers first.

It would be cool if FIRST could moderate or throw the "answered in manual" ones in a separate folder, but.. not sure they have the manpower to moderate.

Personally I would like to see the Q/A sections (where you choose what your question applies to) to be more broad than the individual 4.1, 4.1.1, etc so it's easier to search general topics like game, robot, etc. Guess we'll see how it looks this year. Not sure if there were any major improvements under way for that system or not.

Anyway, everyone, PLEASE READ THE MANUAL VERY CAREFULLY and ask around for the answers before going directly to FIRST.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by AmyPrib

It would be nice if everyone read the manual very carefully prior to asking Q/A questions. This is partly why I started the Q/A thread last year in the rules/strategy forum - to answer questions that were asked more than once in different ways, as well as ones that are answered in the book.

Agreed. In fact why not make it a team job? On my team one strategically inclided student gets the job of "Answer Man." The Answer Man's job is too keep up with the FIRST Q&A. Not ask questions, but to read questions others have asked and know the answers. We also have a seperate job called "The Rule Meister General." That Rule Meister General knows the rule book like the back of his hand and the updates. However the Q&A section has to be a different job because the Q&A gets so overwhelming so quickly.