**FIRST EMAIL**/Invitation to Beta test the New Control System

[Kims Robot]

I can see how the newer teams might be worried about the advantages here, but I think if the judges do their jobs correctly, teams that already have a history of working with other teams will be chosen. For example, for the last two months, we have been running labview seminars for all of the local teams every other week. It started as an idea that we were in a panic over the new control system and wanted to train our kids over the summer, but then we realized we could just as easily invite all the other teams in the area to show up too. We also post it on our forum (you have to be logged in to see & download files) so that everyone can access it, especially if they miss a class.

Think about it, if you are going into your second year of FIRST and struggled to just barely program your robot last year, you may have even gotten some help from local teams... would you like to be selected and struggle your way through fighting out the bugs of the new control system? or be able to tag along with a more experienced team that might be able to move past the stages of troubleshooting bugs and actually be able to show you how to use the system? I think some people are underestimating the potential for major bugs in this system. Nothing against NI - we are VERY excited for this control system, but any engineer can tell you at the very first stages of development and Beta test, there are going to be a ton of bugs to work through. Beta teams will use the controller in ways the designers never thought of, and this is going to end up as MUCH more of a testing and troubleshooting environment than it is going to be "learning and gaining advantage over teams that dont have it". But we are thrilled that they are going to try and get as much hands on testing with this system before they actually send it out in the kit of parts... to be honest, we were scared that teams wouldnt get to touch the first model until kickoff... FIRST is doing us and themselves a HUGE service by putting out this program now... I see very little need to argue about the advantages & disadvantages. My suggestion? If you dont win it but wanted to... find your closest team that did win, or even set up online with another team to see how you can help them, to see what you can learn from them on a day to day basis rather than just sulking and reading the blogs...

I am glad to see that FIRST is going to require teams to open up all of the code that they develop, as I think it might usher in a new age of teams sharing. I know the Rochester teams have a great history of helping eachother with everything from preseason training to build season sharing of resources & mentors, I'm hoping that this will get more regions to do the same.