A reminder before the big day

[Cow Bell Solo]

I would also like to add to the comment of getting all the sections of the manual tonight and then get the undecrypted copy after the main rush of tomorrow. I would add, check the FIRST website weekly for when they release the manual updates as they will add information that had previous questions about, or change some of the rules. This can become crucial information in your design of your robot and strategy.

Lets just say I printed off the available sections once they were released on the website. And being last year as being one of the two people on the team that read the manual and everyone said lets do this, lets do that, or can we do this, can we do that, and It got tireing after a while since we always were having to correct them because they didn't read the manual and know the rules, and eventually people starting to just plain ask us. I would tell them well it is in the manual, look in this section, it says it there, but they would only look for what they were wanting and not the rest of the manual. So I also heavely suggest that you get the entire team to read the manual to save those that read the manual lots of frustration.

[cbudrecki]

Originally Posted by Tetraman

really?

you may want to read this thread...

Another reminder that I feel should be on the Portal page: DONT' START A NEW THREAD!!! There will be one started titled something along the lines of "2009 Game name here discussion/rules/etc..." Find that thread, and post all questions to it, it'll probably right at the top of the portal list.

Originally Posted by meaubry

One major point also needs to be made -
ALL answers provided, commented on, or discussed on CD are UNOFFICIAL.

This should definitely be kept in mind. If it isn't quoted from the FRC Manual, or the FRC forums (please use "[quote]" tags!!!) than it should only be taken as speculation and NOT FACT!!!

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by tb222

you may want to read this thread...

Thanks for the link. I will remember not to add the game animation to my YT channel this year.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by Tetraman

Thanks for the link. I will remember not to add the game animation to my YT channel this year.

the important post was this one:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...3&postcount=32

you can use it on your website, just give props to Dave (or whoever does it this year)

[BenB]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Yes
No - the videos are copywrite protected.

Since when does copyright matter on youtube

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by 2166BlueBotics

Since when does copyright matter on youtube

Copyright matters no matter where it's posted. If an item has a copyright, having it posted on youtube doesn't void the owners copyright. You are voicing a large misconception of the "web 2.0" generation.

[DonRotolo]

I think he was expressing sarcasm.

Now if we could get all the newer folks to just read this thread...


sigh.

.

[usbcd36]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Copyright matters no matter where it's posted. If an item has a copyright, having it posted on youtube doesn't void the owners copyright. You are voicing a large misconception of the "web 2.0" generation.

I wonder if the rightful copyright owner(s) could be persuaded to post it on YouTube themselves. It would certainly aid in distribution, as I remember the official download being very slow, even in the off-season.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

I think he was expressing sarcasm.

Now if we could get all the newer folks to just read this thread...


sigh.

.

DOH!! I should have looked for the "mentor" tag. It's so darned hard to read tone on the web...

[Sunbun]

Originally Posted by Stalkerman69

ahhh man! time has gone by so fast since last season. Im so excited I'll need a towel. So I heard a rumor that there has been a breach at FIRST and some teams have the new game. Thats a shame; my son came home and told me and i didnt have the patience to let him be so idiotic so i hit him in the back of the head. ......... so does anyone know what the game really is? k cya everyone, thnx a bunch, from your secret lover stalkerman69.

Something tells me you're not a parent and not from Team 2669 in Israel...

Please stop.

[ATannahill]

As an observation 4 teams were recently dropped of the list of participating teams, I do not know what that indicates.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

As an observation 4 teams were recently dropped of the list of participating teams, I do not know what that indicates.

Let's get this tread back on track. Gossip and speculation won't make the situation any better.

[cbudrecki]

If you want to link to the video, or embed it to your team's site, get it from FIRST. They DO have THEIR OWN YouTube page!!!!

(why do I get the feeling this is going to need to be re-posted over the next 6 weeks???)

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Alex Dinsmoor

Great post! Somebody should sticky this as it applies to every years game.

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

Originally Posted by Tetraman

Forget making a sticky, these should be big bold words on the CD forum home page.

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

While I agree with your comments, let me add one thing. Take a look at the upper right corner of the offending post before saying, "dude, read the manual!" or "search before posting, man!" If they are new, welcome them to our little community and POLITELY point them to where they can find the answers they are looking for. Remember, your post maybe someone's first impression of the CD community specifically and the larger FIRST community in general.

Time for a little soapboxing (I think that wilsonmw04 and I agree about this.) Let's be clear. There is no harm in politely pointing someone toward the manual, the Q&A, or existing threads. Let's not chatise folks simply for doing that (i.e. for writing "You can find that information in Section X of game manual - Download it from the FRC pages of the FIRST web site and come back to ask questions if you don't understand some specific part of it.")

Politely telling someone the answer is in the manual, or suggesting that they use Search to get information that is easily obtained by investing their own time, is not a "flame". It is reminding them of what they have been told by just about every single teacher or mentor they ever had.

I feel it is far, far more of a valuable lesson than a flame. The lesson is that when you approach (in age and activities) assuming "professional" responsibilities, and begin participating in the associated attractive and rewarding activities, you have to start acting like a professional.

Some folks might disagree.

Originally Posted by tb222

... Another reminder that I feel should be on the Portal page: DONT' START A NEW THREAD!!! There will be one started titled something along the lines of "2009 Game name here discussion/rules/etc..." Find that thread, and post all questions to it, it'll probably right at the top of the portal list. ...

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

Blake

[cbudrecki]

Originally Posted by gblake

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

I like where you're going... Make it so that when you log in, it brings you to a page of "friendly reminders" about posting etiquette.