AZ Regionals: Incorrect Scoring?

[Jason Morrella]

I've got to agree with Dave on this one (cringing as I type that ). It's one thing to post thoughts, guesses, opinions - that's all good and is what makes discussions on this forum interesting and enlightening. However, it's a whole other thing to make statements claiming first hand knowledge & facts without actually having first hand knowledge, facts, or accurate information. I agree with Dave that being irresponsible in that manner is at best misguided and incorrect, while at worst just plain fabrication and mis-truths.

Just to be crystal clear so that people don't make any assumptions based on purely wrong information:

1. There were a number of reasons for going with the new scoring software this year, and none of those were mentioned in the post Dave replied to.

2. Hatch Technology did two things for FIRST this year - they improved /streamlined the field hardware setup and they created the scoring software. They did a very nice job with the field hardware improvements - it's slick, well organized, much easier to work with, and is working well. They've had problems with the software, are aware of it, and are working on getting it fixed. I'm sure Hatch would be the first to tell everyone that it hasn't worked as well as they anticipated and some glitches they didn't intend to exist got by their testing and into the competition season. It is what it is, they are working on it, and they very well may have everything working perfectly and as originally planned from this point on.

3. Hatch has been a part of EVERY SINGLE GAME DESIGN MEETING AND CONFERENCE CALL since JULY. Uki - that's OVER EIGHT MONTHS! NOTHING has changed regarding the alliance selection, the playoff brackets, the team rankings and pit displays - these are all things they were able to be working on since the summer. I'm sure you were just given wrong information by someone who didn't know what they were talking about, but the people at FIRST are smart enough to ensure that the people doing the software were aware of the game, the scoring, and all the needed displays well over 3 months ago. Claiming FIRST only gave 1 month to design the software is nothing short of 100% innaccurate. The Hatch people will tell you they've known the game since the fall and have known the scoring/ranking/display needs since well before the kickoff.

4. FIRST was assured the software was tested and working before the competition season began. In week 1, it became evident there were some glitches in the system that went undetected. They tried to fix this problems for week 2 and weren't successful, with more glitches being found.
Again, it's as simple as this - some mistakes were made, they weren't intended, and they are working hard to fix their software.

5. We worked with Andy Baker and Joe Johnson this week to help us create a backup system just to ensure and validate all the match scores. They came up with this system in 24 HOURS, truly amazing. Is it perfect, of course not. Might we find some glitches in the excel spreadsheet? Of course we might, it was done in 24 hours. But the fact that Joe (Andy and myself helped a bit, but we both want to commend Joe for all the time and work he put in - he did most of the work) got this backup ready in one day is truly amazing and we can't thank him enough.

We anticipate that Hatch will have the system working well this weekend. They are good people, working as hard as they can, who have every intention of having the system working to their own high standards from this point on. If all goes as planned, we probably just had Joe and Andy spend a lot of time creating something we won't even need - but it is nice to know we have a backup program available to double check and verify everything. Let's see how everything works this week. The season is going great so far, the teams and the competition in the first two weeks have been incredible, and the software issues are really the only major problem we've had this year. And I want to repeat - Hatch did a great job on the field hardware, they are working hard to complete their software and I'm confident they will.

LAST - Dave addressed the post by Uki, but I will add one piece of advice that I think all FIRST teams have learned from experience at some point or another. At some point in almost every large undertaking, some mistakes will be made.
A) The key to fixing those mistakes is to find them, acknowledge they exist, be accountable for them, figure out what needs to be fixed, and do it. If all energy is focused on that, then solutions and results will come as quick as possible
B) Wasting time trying to avoid being accountable, wasting time being in denial or trying to redirect blame for something or trying to deny the true facts of a situation (or create false facts) is only misdirected energy which guarantees that it takes longer to address the problem and fix it.

Uki, I'm assuming you don't work for Hatch, so that advice doesn't apply to them in this case - they are working hard to fix it. Sorry if Dave and I are being a bit blunt, but your post did border on "B" and not "A". I'm sure you didn't intend that, it's just a by product of posting statements about something you weren't involved in, didn't know the facts about and had been given false information about by someone else. I'm sure you didn't know that whoever was giving you information did not know what they were talking about - and whoever that person is, they really do owe you an apology.

Like I said - here's to the rest of the season. Good luck to everyone, keep up the great work, and have a great time at your events.

Jason

[activemx]

Thanks Jason. That cleared a lot of things up.

[DukesAZ]

Its good to know we have people who are on the ball like Dave Lavery and Jason Morella working on this problem. I am fully confident this problem will be fixed.

[ArmoredFairy698]

Just to let you all know, your team mentor or leader for the team (the one that is registered with TIMS and FIRST) should have recieved an official email from FIRST with a formal apology for the scoring errors during the regionals.

I did write to FIRST Robotics in an INFORMATIVE email to just let them know that we noticed some scoring/scoring software issues at the AZ Regional 2005. I am NOT mad at FIRST, nor do I hold them directly responsible for the mishaps. Every program has it's bugs, and this one still has a few to work out. Once again, I do NOT hold FIRST or the scorekeepers responsible for the software issues. Things happen, it's a part of life.

I am not sure if I am allowed to post the offcial FIRST email on here, but if I can, please let me know. I recieved it via my team mentor/teacher because I am an officer on my team.

The email also said that the final scores from the first and second regional weekends would not be posted due to the scoring errors, so if you look at the AZ regional scoring URL that I posted in my original post, it has been dissabled. This is due to the fact that FIRST wanted to check over scores.

Just thought I ought to let you know. And please, if I am allowed to post bits and pieces of that email, let me know. I don't want to violate any rules or regulations of FIRST by posting it, so I'll wait for a definate answer.

Thank you all for the support and information on this topic! It is all greatly appreciated and I have read all of your posts in-depth.

Thank you again,
Caitlyn
Team #698

[Cory]

Originally Posted by ArmoredFairy698

And please, if I am allowed to post bits and pieces of that email, let me know. I don't want to violate any rules or regulations of FIRST by posting it, so I'll wait for a definate answer.

Everyone on FIRST's mailing list received the email. It has come out as team update 16

[ArmoredFairy698]

Originally Posted by Cory

Everyone on FIRST's mailing list received the email. It has come out as team update 16

Thanks Cory.

So there you have it! Check out Team Update #16 at http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2005/tmup.htm. (Just scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see the link to the PDF.)

Thanks again for all the team and FIRST Robotics support, you guys have been wonderful.

Always,
Caitlyn

Team #698