**FIRST EMAIL**/FIRST Announces 2010 Autodesk

[MadeAtMidnight]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Spud

We are having trouble getting the animation software for this year--and since we are rookies (and don't have any teams any where even remotely close to us...) we don't have last year's software.

You can download the free 30 day trial until it is figured out.

[Rich Kressly]

The general education download system has been available for years and we've had non-first students use it in the past. It looks to me like this is an effort to combine FIRSTbase with that system.

[ebarker]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

The general education download system has been available for years and we've had non-first students use it in the past. It looks to me like this is an effort to combine FIRSTbase with that system.

The best I can figure out is the 'general education system' is the one and only system.

It take the email address you give it and if it decides it isn't a valid school the request is rejected. How they derive information for deciding it is a valid email address - I don't now. It seems that might put Australia in a deeper pickle jar.

"combining the FIRST site with the education site" - There doesn't seem to be an 'FIRST' specific thing except the URL just redirects you to the education site.

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by ebarker

The best I can figure out is the 'general education system' is the one and only system.

It take the email address you give it and if it decides it isn't a valid school the request is rejected. How they derive information for deciding it is a valid email address - I don't now. It seems that might put Australia in a deeper pickle jar.

"combining the FIRST site with the education site" - There doesn't seem to be an 'FIRST' specific thing except the URL just redirects you to the education site.

I see that, but the FRC-specific kit of parts and similar tools are still being made available to us on the "other side" somehow, right?

[ebarker]

I suppose so. I'm not in the Autodesk club yet. I'm going up the school later today so we can sort this out about managing this for the students. ethically I can't still be in the club.

maybe tomorrow..

[Sunshine]

It looks to me that FIRSTtbase (the site we used to go to for submission and download instructions) is now redirecting to the Autodesk student community http://students3.autodesk.com/?nd=first_home&lbon=1

Looks like one stop shopping for now on

This is an improvement for educators like myself who used to use both sites for the classroom and FIRST.

[Foster]

... and the signup takes you to the page that says:

I certify that I am not currently employed and that I became unemployed through no fault of my own. The details of my last employer are accurate and I consent to verification by Autodesk or its agents or partners. Please note that your submission and/or eligibility may be audited by Autodesk or its participating partners.

This is really directed at Mentors that work. They are trying to tell you that you should give up your day job and focus full time on the build season. You know that trying to work and doing the robot build just don't work, your job is taking important time away from build season.

[ebarker]

I speculate that the "currently unemployed" bit has nothing to do with FIRST mentors. It is likely a way for the unemployed to gain a job skill while they are unemployed. Part of their overall education program that extends beyond FIRST.

But the lack of support for industry mentors make me speculate to several things here:

a) there have been past ethics abuses
or
b) Autodesk doesn't know industry mentors exist and are not aware they are part of the FIRST process.

Either way it is a mess .....

[Jeff Pahl]

Originally Posted by ebarker

I speculate that the "currently unemployed" bit has nothing to do with FIRST mentors. It is likely a way for the unemployed to gain a job skill while they are unemployed. Part of their overall education program that extends beyond FIRST.

Either way it is a mess .....

Yes, Autodesk has a program where the unemployed can download the software to learn a new job skill.

It appears that there are still some issues to be worked out with their process for this year

If you are a school team, just have the teacher (with the .edu email address) add you to the list of students. However, that does not work for a non-school (or non-US) team.

Someone who is actively having this problem probably needs to take this issue up directly with FIRST HQ to get it resolved.

[Karibou]

Originally Posted by Jeff Pahl

If you are a school team, just have the teacher (with the .edu email address) add you to the list of students. However, that does not work for a non-school (or non-US) team.
.

So is it based on the .edu part? That makes things difficult...our school email addresses (staff and students alike) all end in .org . However, we do have college mentors with .edu email addresses--would that work? (I haven't had time to check out the mess that seems to be the Autodesk site.)

[Jeff Pahl]

Originally Posted by Karibou

So is it based on the .edu part? That makes things difficult...our school email addresses (staff and students alike) all end in .org . However, we do have college mentors with .edu email addresses--would that work? (I haven't had time to check out the mess that seems to be the Autodesk site.)

It's been a couple of years since I signed up for the educational program, using the email address provided by my grad school. It seemed like their system automatically knew that a .edu address was a school, and anything else required review by a human. So I think there was a process where a teacher could sign up (and get verified by a human) and then could send invitations to students.

Like I said, it's been a couple of years, so things may have changed or my failing memory may be incorrect. YMMV. Have a teacher try it and see what happens... Good Luck (and let us all know!)

[rcoren22]

I have had an educational login to this website for a couple of years.
When I click the link to get to the new firstbase, and login it takes me to my old autodesk educational communtiy.
If I click a link to FIRST on the right side, it takes me to another spot where it logs me out, essentially in an endless cycle.

I have emailed them but received no answer.
Has anybody else had similair results or figured out a solution?