Posted by S. Krussell at 12/30/2000 6:48 AM EST
Coach on team #349, Robahamas, from International Academy and Ford Motor Co..
In Reply to: Re: 8 days before we know....Where's all the speculation!?
Posted by Peter Krumdieck on 12/30/2000 12:06 AM EST:
What an excellent idea, Pete, although the teams that rely on the default program probably wouldn't think so. What makes it a good idea is that it would drag many teams (albeit kicking and screaming!) up to the 'next level' of competition.
My kids have been working really hard on programming for this year (gee, no wonder I like your idea

)and it has added a whole new dimension to this competition for those kids.
What we have learned is: 1) that the pbasic program is very do-able for high school kids and
2) there are MANY levels of understanding and sophistication to programming. (We ourselves are still programming rookies)
Therefore, this is a perfect aspect of the competition to concentrate on, to build on, and even to emphasize. Programming the robot is not merely a finishing touch; it is more of a thread of continuity that weaves through the process and makes the design and construction of the robot shine through.
The veterans among us know that programming is a very exciting element of the competition. Veterans also know that if winning or doing well is a goal, then programming cannot be ignored.