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

[Jon236]

Since the Beta Test Teams will have a copy of the beta template including sub-vi's, I hope this will be posted so that all of us can become familiar with the code.

[Joe Ross]

I put together a quick map of all the beta test teams.

I think the closest teams geographically are 340 and 1114, but there is that pesky thing called a border between them. Other then that, there seems to be at least around 300 miles between beta test teams.

[ATannahill]

YEAH TEAM KRUNCH!!!

sorry for the teams that didnt get them

[Arefin Bari]

I am glad to see that at least one team from Florida will be receiving this beta system. I hope team 79 can give us a demo at Mission Mayhem and TNT.

[ATannahill]

we plan to demo at TNT, Mission Mayhem and Robot Rodeo

[weinbergmath]

Congratulations to all the teams selected!

I want to make a request of those teams selected. Testing the system at the sophisticated end of applications will certainly help work the bugs out of the system (which is the point of a beta test.) Our proposal was based on creating a scripting language similar to what Robolab provides teams in FLL so that the less experienced teams would have less of a curve, and could piece together an autonomous program as FLL teams currently do.

While there are a number of reasons I feel this is necessary, one was to dissolve some of the mystery surrounding an effective autonomous that seems to limit many NYC teams from even attempting it.

I know that the selected teams have a lot of work ahead of them. I also don't know if teams have already planned to do what I propose (in which case, would certainly explain why they were selected!) If this is the case, I apologize for being redundant.

If teams have not proposed this, I ask that in the course of creating a detailed test plan for the 15th, the selected teams also include a plan for development of some additional tool that will directly benefit rookies, along with documentation that will help them use it during the 2009 season.

Just a suggestion - I can't wait to hear about how the playing is going!

Congrats again,

Evan

[garyk]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

we plan to demo at TNT, Mission Mayhem and Robot Rodeo

We (668, Apes of Wrath) will be showing the beta system at CalGames, Oct. 25, 2008 at Archbishop Mitty High School, San Jose Calif.

The West Coast got three Beta Test systems:

330 BeachBot, Hermosa Beach, CA (Los Angeles area)
1425 Error Code Xero, Wilsonville, OR (Portland area)
668 The Apes of Wrath, San Jose, CA (Silicon Valley), about halfway between 330 and 1425.

Thanks to Joe at 330 for the quick map!

Gary

[ttldomination]

Uh, yeah, 1848 in our area, SOUP!.

Does anyone have their website?

[ATannahill]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

Uh, yeah, 1848 in our area, SOUP!.

Does anyone have their website?

i do not have SOUP's website, Team 79's website is Krunch79.com, although we have no info on there about the Beta yet.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

i do not have SOAP's website, Team 79's website is Krunch79.com, although we have no info on there about the Beta yet.

SOUP not SOAP

SOUP does not have a website on TBA.

[ATannahill]

Originally Posted by lilstogi11

SOUP not SOAP

SOUP does not have a website on TBA.

fixed

[garyk]

Originally Posted by garyk

We (668, Apes of Wrath) will be showing the beta system at CalGames, Oct. 25, 2008 at Archbishop Mitty High School, San Jose Calif.

The West Coast got three Beta Test systems:

330 BeachBot, Hermosa Beach, CA (Los Angeles area)
1425 Error Code Xero, Wilsonville, OR (Portland area)
668 The Apes of Wrath, San Jose, CA (Silicon Valley), about halfway between 330 and 1425.

Thanks to Joe at 330 for the quick map!

Gary

And I was remiss in not naming our partners, 100 (Woodside) and 254 (Bellarmine), both award-winning teams; my apologies. We've got plenty of work for all three of us!

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

Other then that, there seems to be at least around 300 miles between beta test teams.

Originally Posted by rftgnow

we plan to demo at TNT, Mission Mayhem and Robot Rodeo

Originally Posted by garyk

We (668, Apes of Wrath) will be showing the beta system at CalGames, Oct. 25, 2008 at Archbishop Mitty High School, San Jose Calif.

I mentioned this before, but now that the teams have been announced, I think it bears repeating.

My apologies if this is already a part of beta tester plans, but well, I don't know that yet. I expect the beta testers will soon share their plans to deploy information to the rest of us.

I'm sure this is obvious, but the vast majority of FRC teams will not be able to attend local offseason events or any demos or seminars beta test teams may hold at their facilities. Posting videos online, and enabling online access to your most beneficial informational sessions (via live webcast or videoconference, if resources permit; additionally, via video or voice archiving after the fact) would serve the greater community at large.

Joe's map illustrates the large gaps that exist within the beta tester net (all of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio is one such gap). Such gaps are inevitable given the limited number of control systems available. As beta test teams are out of physical reach of most of the FRC community, I encourage you to use Internet multimedia to bring remote teams closer to you and make the online learning experience almost as good as being there.

Of course, substance is much more important than style, and time is of the essence, so I will forgive y'all if the presentation of the online resources is a bit rough around the edges, as long as the core content is meaningful. You can always "make it pretty" later.

Good luck, and thanks to all who are taking up this challenge for the betterment of all.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by BrianT103

Team 103 is honored to be selected as one of the beta testing teams. Over the coming weeks we will be posting updates, on a separate thread as to what types of meetings and seminars we will be hosting to educate the surrounding teams.

In this case, the people making the decision have chosen wisely.

From my point of view, all it means is that I'll have to drive a bit further to visit. Please be sure to post somewhere a list of when you'll be meeting, and where, as you should expect frequent visitors. Matter of fact, all the beta teams really need to do this.

Some teams won't be able to visit, so beta teams, please post videos, photos, words, whatever - let's stretch communication technology a little here! - so the rest of us can see just how good you really are...

Don

[ATannahill]

We will post information online, including our software (labview). Other useful information like guides and probably media will be posted. From all 18 teams most resources and topics will be covered.