Whatever Happened to the Old Chief Delphi?

[Wayne C.]

Originally Posted by JVN

Maybe more and more people have stopped giving the "powers-that-be" the benefit of the doubt and are now treating news with a more critical eye than before?

Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fool me multiple times over multiple years?

Ditto to that. You can only stand in front of that fan so long before you need to change your clothes...

I like change. I can buy my lunch with it. Unfortunately these days change may be all we have left.....

WC

[Travis Hoffman]

Given the recent postings, I don't think there is a topic to be off, so......

Perhaps no one is posting drivetrain designs because of the curve ball Lunacy threw at them - everyone is afraid of being required to use jello mold wheels on playing field surfaces covered in empty peanut shells.

[Andrew Schuetze]

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

Perhaps no one is posting drivetrain designs because of the curve ball Lunacy threw at them - everyone is afraid of being required to use jello mold wheels on playing field surfaces covered in empty peanut shells.

Interesting take and has not been broached on this thread. I also have to wonder if a lot of the traditional design work has been published on here many times over. Used to see a lot of shifting transmissions and (NBD) DeWalt was breakthrough but now you can purchase several flavors from AndyMark.biz & Trossen Robotics & BaneBot. Add that to IFI, AndyMark, and even FRC teams selling kit chassis material and designs along with the latest craze of swerve-drive units.

I am for all of the above. My post asks the following: What are the veteran teams with design and machining support cooking up in their shops this off-season? Provided they aren't a beta test team.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

...
I am for all of the above. My post asks the following: What are the veteran teams with design and machining support cooking up in their shops this off-season? Provided they aren't a beta test team.

Originally Posted by rsisk

You gotta love this thread, long soul searching posts about the content of CD twisted in with posts of Mayan calendars and the end of the world.

Now that NASA has knocked the moon out of its old orbit, the Moon might crash back into the Earth on Dec 21, 2012. I recommend completing any prototyping experiments in time for the 2010 or 2011 seasons.

Blake

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

I am for all of the above. My post asks the following: What are the veteran teams with design and machining support cooking up in their shops this off-season? Provided they aren't a beta test team

1189 is going to see if we can put together a workable swerve drive. Apparently we've been trying to do it for years, but we've finally come up with a concept we are confidant we can make work.
*Shrug*
Should be fun.

Originally Posted by Artdutra04

Last time "they" said nothing would happen for Y2K, and the whole world changed. Suddenly, websites built with frames and animated GIFs weren't cool anymore, everyone forgot what Tamigotchis were, Doug and The Angry Beavers were canceled, "Help I've fallen and can't get up", Razor scooters replaced skateboards, Furbies tried to take over the world, and then a really crappy version of Windows called ME came out. The worst part? Still no monorails and flying cars.

Wow, I'd never really thought of it that way.
Still, to think that the world would end...the only thing out of the ordinary at my house was the toilet breaking.
Maybe I'll get a sequel for 2012.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

I am for all of the above. My post asks the following: What are the veteran teams with design and machining support cooking up in their shops this off-season? Provided they aren't a beta test team.

I hope I'm not going too far in saying this: a lot of students are afraid to post designs here on CD (and even some adults) because of the lack of discretion others give while posting comments/suggestions/feedback about a design. I know I personally would rather only hear comments from people like JVN, Adam Heard, etc. than from other students but that's just me. I used to (and still do) have the dumbest design ideas in my head and would totally brush aside a suggestion or comment from someone but then look back at it and realize how big of an idiot I was in not initially taking the person's advice. There's a vast community of designers in FRC who only share their designs and ask for feedback from certain people via things like facebook and whatnot. There's also people who I think got tired of hearing the same exact crap from students about their designs when they were kind enough to post models of their amazing gearboxes/innovations (people like Andy Baker used to post some amazing stuff.) There's a reason why a lot of engineers don't post CAD or designs on here anymore, and its not because they love being secretive. Its just the type of attitude people give off in their comments, and the type of attitude comments are taken with (in my case).

Me being a thick headed student

Me still making some dumb designs

Starting off with not-so-smart designs

What happens after you learn from Adam Heard, Andy B, Pink, Poofs, etc..

I love being able to get feedback from engineers and experienced students, but not on a public forum where sometimes I'd rather not have another inexperienced student post about a design. There's a bunch of design sharing that goes on outside of CD and I really love the people who've help me learn about the stupidity of my designs and how to start making practical things: Adam Heard, Sean Cantrell, Andrew Schreiber, Brandon Holley, JVN, Ed Venator, etc..

P.S- These are all things RC and I have experienced together and learned from the same people.

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Me being a thick headed student

Me still making some dumb designs

Starting off with not-so-smart designs

What happens after you learn from Adam Heard, Andy B, Pink, Poofs, etc..

Great showing of progression, this brings back memories. CD has really helped me learn a lot about robots and helped me keep CAD'n.

I don't think I post/upload a ton of CAD anymore, not that I stopped doing it or I want to hide the drawings of 17 year old. Just I'd rather just IM or ask people directly instead of starting a discussion.

CAD - 4 Inch Wheel
Machined - 4 Inch Wheel Done a few days ago.
*Almost done, lathe op needed*

For some reason people tend to say stuff is not practical and not worth doing. But there are times where you just want to try new things. Like I just had to try machine out this wheel. So I did and it only took 15 minutes for both sides at my work. Thanks to heavy machining last year. I learned a lot of lessons such as how much to machine/what to machine out.

I would love to see CD start buzzing with more machined parts and CAD.

-RC

[JaneYoung]

It takes a lot of courage to post your work in CD, no doubt about it.

I understand what Akash is saying and I respect that. I also know that a lot of learning and comprehension takes place in CD. Students learn to become better not only in CAD or design but in communicating their opinions and learning to ask questions in an appropriate manner.

It's great that you all still have access to the people that you respect and admire but who is going to lead the way for the new members of CD that bring earnestness, interest, and passion with them, if everyone stops posting?

This is just a thought. I totally respect your post, Akash. I'd like to see CD start buzzing, too, RC.

Jane

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pockets

Maybe I'll get a Sequel for 2012.

I believe the SeQuel is the unicycle model of the Segway and is due out in 2011, not 2012. HTH.

[Molten]

I've read all the posts on this thread so far, and have found many of them intriguing. However, Akash's post is the one has struck me the most.

I guess I can see how getting feedback from someone that doesn't know the software could get annoying. But I just find it harmful to the CD community to not post on these grounds. I mean, if I see something on a thread discussing 3ds max...I admit I'm ignorant. However, I still have value to CD in posting my ideas there. I can suggest something that would make it look better even if I can't suggest how. If its not possible, I just learned something. If it is possible, the modeler has a challenge.

Just remember, your going to be drafting for idiots at some point. Why not get used to it?

Holding back on a great design due to a bit of uncalled for responses seems a bit weird to me. Afterall, one of the best teaching methods is questions.

I could go on about this for pages, but I think I'll simplify this to a sentence:

Restraint in sharing an idea, is a constraint on learning.

Please post anything that might be educational to others or yourself, and you will find that a part of CD will be revived.

PS: I will probably discuss my ideas on the increased negativity in a future post. I just thought this is long enough for this one.

[Mike Martus]

Wow! This is one of the weirdest threads yet on CD.......

At the start I was set back in my chair trying to understand the comments... then it changed... then it changed again skirting many subjects.

I truly believe what we are seeing, like Rich has said is a mirror of the stress of the current world.... mine included....I mean who would have thought that after 37 years of teaching I would get layed off..... who would have thought that Team 65 and Team 47 would be forced to merge due to the closing of a school..... who would have thought that I would be in the 6th week of school (I was rehired after a hard battle) and I would still have NO classroom materials, tools, equipment and it is all sitting at the old school waiting for persons un-named to ship it to the new school.... who would have thought....

Stresses like these influence a persons attitudes... and yes posts (like mine... I am very sorry) where they just need to vent.

We cannot see all that is impacting the "Community of FIRST" however we should all take a second and extend a little understanding, a little tolerance and continue to support each other.

Now more than ever the Community of FIRST needs each other and the support system it has developed over the past 14 years. Many great comments, many great answers and many great people all sharing a vision to make the world a better place...... each in their own small way.

[Katie_UPS]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

I hope I'm not going too far in saying this: a lot of students are afraid to post designs here on CD (and even some adults) because of the lack of discretion others give while posting comments/suggestions/feedback about a design. I know I personally would rather only hear comments from people like JVN, Adam Heard, etc. than from other students but that's just me.

....

I love being able to get feedback from engineers and experienced students, but not on a public forum where sometimes I'd rather not have another inexperienced student post about a design. There's a bunch of design sharing that goes on outside of CD and I really love the people who've help me learn about the stupidity of my designs and how to start making practical things: Adam Heard, Sean Cantrell, Andrew Schreiber, Brandon Holley, JVN, Ed Venator, etc..

I've been reading this thread with not much to add, but I can't echo Akash enough. I posted one "design" which was really just a paper napkin drawing at the beginning of the summer about an undetailed crab drive concept I was interested in pursuing (resources have made that rather hard, so I'm post-phoning for now). I got about two pages of responses, and the first few responses were students telling me that my boxes (representative of components) would not work, and then telling me I labeled components incorrectly. It was easily my most frustrating week on CD.

[ATannahill]

Posts on here should consist of more than grammar or vocab corrections. If that is all you have to say than it is better delivered through a pm.

On the subject of posting designs, the poster has as much responsibility to be cordial as the replier. Anything posted on here should not be posted to just show off, you should post for the benefit of you and others, you can show others a new way to do something. If you post something than you should be prepared to take some comments wanting to help you. I know I have a problem with receiving constructive criticism. One person has posted something on here and received some comments that he didn't like and called the poster something that I am unwilling to re-post. This person is still posting designs. I like seeing designs and learning more about the mechanical part of the robot. I hope people will post more, not just to lighten the mood around here but to help me learn and help the community grow.

[IndySam]

If you can't take bad comments about designs you submit (even stupid ones) your going to hard time being a designer.

One of the hardest things for an engineer to do is submit his ideas to be reviewed and commented on by others. CD is just like real life, you get all kinds of feedback from stupid to excellent.

Many times these unhelpful comments will come from people who will be signing your paycheck. It can be very frustrating but you need to learn to live with it.

Learn to listen to all comments, good and bad. It will make you a better Engineer.

[Katie_UPS]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

Posts on here should consist of more than grammar or vocab corrections. If that is all you have to say than it is better delivered through a pm.

On the subject of posting designs, the poster has as much responsibility to be cordial as the replier. Anything posted on here should not be posted to just show off, you should post for the benefit of you and others, you can show others a new way to do something. If you post something than you should be prepared to take some comments wanting to help you. I know I have a problem with receiving constructive criticism. One person has posted something on here and received some comments that he didn't like and called the poster something that I am unwilling to re-post. This person is still posting designs. I like seeing designs and learning more about the mechanical part of the robot. I hope people will post more, not just to lighten the mood around here but to help me learn and help the community grow.

Originally Posted by IndySam

If you can't take bad comments about designs you submit (even stupid ones) your going to hard time being a designer.

One of the hardest things for an engineer to do is submit his ideas to be reviewed and commented on by others. CD is just like real life, you get all kinds of feedback from stupid to excellent.

Many times these unhelpful comments will come from people who will be signing your paycheck. It can be very frustrating but you need to learn to live with it.

Learn to listen to all comments, good and bad. It will make you a better Engineer.

I should save myself by mentioning that I appreciated the critisicm/suggestions I recieved. I did not appreciate people telling me unhelpful-hoopla, for the sake of posting.