FIRST Website

[ChuckDickerson]

I really hate to sound so negative and be critical of FIRST but after trying the website out for a couple of weeks now I really have to say I don't like it. It seems like we have taken many more than two steps back rather than a step forward. As far as I can tell, there is much less content and I simply can't find anything. There seems to be no way to look up information about teams, the results of previous years competitions, or any information about the rules, etc. from previous years. It would seem to me that a good starting point for rookie scouting would be to look at how the teams that they will be competing against did in previous years. What awards they won, how they placed, etc. As far as I can tell all of that valuable historical data is now gone. I can't even find a page that lists my own team or what our motto is or even our robot name. The links just immediately redirect you to the individual team websites (if they have one). I have given myself time to get used to the new website but I just don't find it even 1% as useful as the old one. I really think the saying "just because its new, doesn't mean its better" really applies here. What really bothers me is the total lack of response from FIRST when specific problems and requests were brought to their attention. As far as I can tell they either glossed over the issue or at best said they would "consider it". With only a few weeks to go until kickoff I really hope the website drastically improves in content. I could care less about the colors and the fonts and the pretty pictures and menus.

Sorry for the rant. I'll get off my soap box now.