Vote to change the format of FIRST. Part 2

[Rion Atkinson]

Originally Posted by IndySam

I honestly don't understand bringing this stuff up now. Can't we get through this year before discussing what we need to change?

Of course we can't. Why complain about the competition later when we can do it now?

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

This needs to be put in here more than the once that it was posted.

I have to completely agree with you. What we are doing it like walking into Walmart and saving "I don't like how I have to park my car there, and I don't like the layout of your store. Oh, and while your doing all that to make me happy. Here is my shopping list."

Leave it alone. Nothing is wrong with the way things are. My got a robot driving and partly kicking before we so rudely bagged it up. And many others did too. So apparently this system is working great. Why reinvent the wheel?

[efoote868]

Originally Posted by Mr.G

I really don’t see a “problem with FIRST” I see potential to make it better. I love FIRST and sometimes am embarrassed in the amount of money and time I spend on it.

If it aint broke don't fix it?
Anyhow, I don't see any reason to be embarrassed with doing something you love, especially if its volunteering.

[ideasrule]

My mental image of engineers and programmers was that they constantly try to find problems with their own designs and fix them, right up until the deadline. I'm surprised that so many people here seem to think "complaining" about FIRST is somehow dishonorable or in poor taste. Feedback is critical to any design process, whether for a robot or for a game, and should never be discouraged.

[Chris Hibner]

Originally Posted by ideasrule

My mental image of engineers and programmers was that they constantly try to find problems with their own designs and fix them, right up until the deadline. I'm surprised that so many people here seem to think "complaining" about FIRST is somehow dishonorable or in poor taste. Feedback is critical to any design process, whether for a robot or for a game, and should never be discouraged.

That was surprisingly rational for this thread.

I guess this and the other discussion are proof positive that people don't like change. What surprises me the most is how angry some people get when you even suggest it.

I like the idea of having more time with the actual robot - I've said that for years. I can also see the point that some people feel that they need to be saved from themselves (the proliferation of the rehab industry proves that point).

Here's one way to compromise:

- make bag and tag an option for all teams.
- every team gets ONE fix-it window every week until championships.
- The fix-it window is 4 hours and cannot be split up.

I think the above compromise accomplishes two big goals:
- It allows the teams to keep their robots so they don't have to build a practice bot to keep up with the big boys.
- It allows people that need to be saved from themselves to only have to work one day per week (keep the spouses happy) and only 4 hours in that session (no late night on the fix it window).

[gblake]

Conversations like this one always seem to be full of imaginary constraints. The suggestion (Molten's) to try other at other programs if FIRST doesn't satisfy all of your needs shows that at least a few people can see past some of those imaginary boundaries; as does the existence of a few Chief Delphi Forums and threads about programs other than FIRST's.

In an attempt to evaporate one of the illusions let me suggest that groups who want to spend more time with their robots can spend just about as much time as they want after FIRST's competition season ends. Work on it all you like then. Go to as many off-season events as you like. Start as many off-season events as you like.

Be satisfied and proud when the improved machine works better and better as you put into it everything you can once time constraints are gone. Focus on what is accomplished in the the labors of love and in the conquering or personal challenges; not on whether some judge who hears you attempt to cram a year of successes into a 15 minute presentation likes what they hear, or on the machine's performance during a single weekend.

Maybe FIRST doesn't need to charge (maybe it does). Instead maybe we need to change and look past FIRST instead of into it.

Let's change a community and a culture, not a single non-profit organization.

Respectfully,
Blake