Fact sheets?

[Peter Matteson]

Can we come up with a paperless way of doing this? I hate to see all these things lying on the floor and in the trash after a competition. We create way too much waste in trying to do this sort of thing.

[Chris is me]

I guess you could put it on a large button or something, but I can't think of any other way to hand out info about a robot other than paper. Teams don't check email at competitions and I shudder at the thought of a text message campaign.

[Qbranch]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I shudder at the thought of a text message campaign.

Prompt: Please describe your robot in 160 characters or less.

1024:Landscape oriented highlighter yellow with guts resembling staircase. Was shooter, now dumper. 4'8", likes long walks on the beach and the occasional mambo

Totally would work.

But seriously, I think some kind of sms thing could work... I'm sure at least one person on each team has one or more members carrying internet-browsing cellphones and/or internet-connected laptops. So, you could sms a link to a terse web page describing your robot, simple and small enough to be viewed on a phone browser.

Services exist online (some free) to spam a bunch of numbers with an sms message. And if you can't find an online one you like, there's always the good ol Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol and a dial-up modem.

-q

[Chris is me]

I was more concerned wtih that being an annoyance rather than unviable, but I guess that's the way to do it. Now, how does one _get_ those numbers?

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I was more concerned wtih that being an annoyance rather than unviable, but I guess that's the way to do it. Now, how does one _get_ those numbers?

Oh, it is viable, but I know that if I suddenly get 347 text messages I will be giving whoever sent them a bill for $35. (This is not a joke, if you do it prepare to face my wrath, I have no need for SMS and will NOT pay for it) Frankly, I have a problem with SMS because I think it is useless but that is another discussion entirely.

I would highly suggest that this be done via website, that way you could have a picture, running record (courtesy of TBA) as well as not have to print hundreds of things and generate yet more waste. Perhaps have OPR and the like on the page as well. Yes it wouldnt be as cool as having a 67(2009) card to display* but it would be efficient and useful.



*On this topic, perhaps have the cards available from moo.com (or a similar service) as made to order packs so that people can just buy the ones they want and not generate waste.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Peter Matteson

Can we come up with a paperless way of doing this? I hate to see all these things lying on the floor and in the trash after a competition. We create way too much waste in trying to do this sort of thing.

How about a more-likely-to-be-recycled version? Offer an entry for a team shirt (or something else sufficiently worthy) when you return the sheet to your pit after alliance selection. Drawing held at the end of the quarterfinals. The returned forms go in the recycle bin.

(Back when Palm Pilots were the hot item--I still have my IIIxe somewhere--I remember seeing a bus stop in New York where an advertiser would beam you their information straight to you. Perhaps there's some equivalent that would travel well these days?)