The Big Question

[archiver]

Posted by Andy Baker.

Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 7/16/99 1:15 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: The Big Question posted by Tony on 7/16/99 12:51 PM MST:



: If we do away with alliances, I feel it would
: allow teams to independently show what their team has accomplished and
: what their robot can do. I feel it's more fair this way

: --Tony

Tony,

Good to see a post from PantherTech!!!!

I agree with you about the fairness. Robots and teams should be able to show their stuff without depending on the capability of another robot and team.

BUT, I'm 100% in favor of alliances for 3 reasons:

1. This is how the real world (business) is. In engineering, you always have to depend on co-workers as teammates, and also customers a suppliers as alliances. This year's alliance setup is much like a real world situation where you HAVE to depend on another company to be successful. You cannot only count on yourself in business, and things are not always 'fair'.

2. Many teams came together this year and got real friendly with each other. Teams were much more open about their designs and strategies this year compared to years past. Since this openness was there, we've all made good friends on other teams. Students have made more contacts with other teams, opening up future employment opportunities. If students only work with and look up to the teachers and engineers on their own team, then they are really limiting themselves. I can honestly say that I've met many students on other teams who I would like to work with in the future.

3. Students can now brag openly about their robot and all that they did on it to whoever came by their pit. Tony, I'm guessing that you were comfortable with telling whoever came by 292's pit about how Sgt. Joe's control system worked, and how your software controlled the mechanisms of your 'bot. In years past, you probably wouldn't have been so open and able to discuss the things that you did, due to the nature of the competition. In the past, designs and strategies were much more secretive, and the openness that we witnessed this year was not present.

Anyway... myself and the rest of the TechnoKats will be looking forward to working with PantherTech in 2000! Keep up the good work!

Andy B.