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

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Madison

Teams can best choose how to disseminate information to those in their area -- whether that be blogs, mailing lists, or face-to-face meetings.

All of this does not help a rookie team that has no idea where these resources are located.

Originally Posted by Madison

There are teams in this area that we can communicate with via mailing list very quickly, but they are not plugged-in to this community or to communications from FIRST the same way that we are.

Even to rookie teams that they do not yet know about?

Originally Posted by Madison

Beyond that -- even for folks who're tuned in to everything FIRST does -- I think there are significantly better ways of sharing and indexing information than in a blog.

Agreed. But at least an official central repository can be e-mailed to any team that signs up for FIRST.

Originally Posted by Madison

I just think this is an instance where freedom to address the concerns and needs of the community you're serving outweigh the need for uniformity or control. Maybe that freedom will be available to teams. I'm just sayin' -- I hope FIRST agrees. They usually don't, though; at least not with me.

Ensuring that all teams get all the same information is critical. Teams should not need to be plugged into the good ole' boys network to get the information that they need, it should be provided to everyone on an equal basis.

FIRST has done right by creating a central repository for work and requiring all teams to post their findings there first.

JM $.02