Q&A Forum available at Regional and Championship event

[dhitchco]

Good response.

Yes, it's always advisable to have the "good book" at your side during events. That includes a download of the entire rules manual onto a laptop PC as well as hardcopy. You can do the same to the Q&A forum with a bit of work.

BUT.....more importantly, your question asked:

Do we have to bring the Q&A Forum all printed out? Would this be considered as "legal proof" to argue/discuss the issue?

I sincerely doubt that you will have time to pose a lengthy argument after any given match with the judges. Just be sure your robot has been "blessed" prior to your matches. Ask the judges at the weigh-in/size-station if there's anything particularly quirky that you think might be in violation. Just because it's answered on the Q&A doesn't mean that it created an offical rules change either....

Hey, remember that first racing sailboat with the "winged keel" that created such a ruckus? Now they're as common as McBurgers.....

[sanddrag]

They are not judges; they ard inspectors and referees. There is a significant difference.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Don,
I am not speaking for every inspector, but I had a file (Thanks to Dave F) that listed all of the Q&A responses that were answered up to the start of the event with me, at the inspection table. We were able to answer most questions with the revised rulebook (revised with higlighted changes of the rules affected by the Q&A) which was also on my laptop at the inspection table. If a team had made a design choice or mod based on the Q&A we could find it for them or they could produce a written copy of the question and answer that prompted their decision. Without that documentation, there are other avenues to check including First reps at events. The Q&A is meant to be official answers from First and/or the GDC.

[Daniel]

Ditto to what Al S. said. As a lead inspector at Great Lakes and Atlanta I carry the pertinent part of the Q&As. Any disputes can be settled by finding the Q&A revision.

If you even suspect that you might have an issue or a gray spot with a rule... come to the competition prepared with your evidence! Also, disclose, disclose and disclose. If an inspector looks at it and makes a note on the inspection form that a specific item was OKed which later comes into question you will have evidence of disclosure and approval. Insist that the inspector make special notes on the inspection form including the justification for approval. This can save you a lot of grief.

[Don Wright]

Thanks you to everyone who has responded.

First, let me clarify... I did mean inspectors, not judges. Apologize for the mis-statement.

What everyone has been saying backs up what I was thinking as well. So, I'm happy about that. I just didn't know if there was an official statement from FIRST that says something like, "The inspectors will have access to the Q&A forum should something arise. Whether that access is on-line or in paper form is up to the venue. The Q&A forum answers supercede the latest release of the game manual".

Thanks again.

Don