**FIRST EMAIL**/Looking for Beta Test Teams

[Andrew Schuetze]

Just to add a bit more clarification on the NDA, it was important that early code and libraries did not go out because many of them contained errors and bugs. During the 6 - 8 week window that we were developing code, our code was broken multiple times by updates sent to us. So the code that was working somewhat on Tuesday was non-functional on Thursday because of a needed fix to the libraries ... If all the beta test teams went about sending out libraries and code every other week, some non-beta test team might end up using that broken system for the competition and be in worse shape then if we all waited until a stable platform was released by FIRST.
As far as a leg up goes, yes we were well versed in the process for downloading firmware, code, resetting the cRIO becuase we did so way too many times during the testing.

However, we were at a disadvantage last season because we invested all our mentor and student efforts into the beta test project and did not do any new student workshops for the team, we reduced our out-reach within the community prior to traveling 2 - 3 hours to multiple out of town workshops to get veteran and rookie teams up to speed in late November and December. (Only Beta test team in Texas yields the following: SA to El Paso 600 miles, SA - Houston 180 miles, SA - Dallas 240 miles, SA - Brownsville 240 miles)

So all in all, some pluses, some minuses, and probably all washed out to some slight net positive. 1600 beta testers in not manangable by an all volunteer staff. Not all 1600 teams would have been able to help improve the process and would have slowed development down. So the line was drawn and it was what it was.

I know several non beta test teams that invested heavily in learning Labview on thier own using Lego NXT robots. So what did we know that a non-beta team didn't. Some of the hardware a bit earlier, some of the libraries a bit early but most of those changed several times and then once more after we had to return the cRIO and equipment.

Hard to be much more definative and IMHO the only course of action to take.