Scouting System - Please Read

[Jack]

Hello all fellow FIRST Scouter's:

I've been following this Scouting Forum here on CD for the past few months now, and I'd be willing to guess that just about every other thread has something like:

"There should be one massive scouting system"

Now, of course, we're half way into the 2003 season, so we really won't be able to do something like that this year, but I think that there really would be a possibility for a system next year.

I'm not really looking for ideas now, I just would like to see who would be interested in using or helping to design such a system. I want to find this out now, because most people don't read this forum except during competition time. So, if you would be interested in working on such a system, drop me a pm or email(webmaster@feds201.com). All you really need to say is what you would be willing to do and your email. I'll contact everyone later this year after the end of this season into early summer.

What I would be willing to do / things that the system would need:

1) The system will need some type of good integration with CD. I've worked with Brandon in getting some CD stuff on http://fbi.feds201.com, and I would continue to work with him so that this awesome system would be include to include the largest FIRST web forum community.

2) Common format. While this couldn't be defined until the 2004 game is released, as soon as it is, a common format would need to be made so that the developers of the different components would all integrate together. Also, the structure would need to allow for fields to be added/deleted quickly.

3) We wouldn't want people to just be able to get all the data without submitting some, but we also wouldn't want to not let people see anything. A few ways to solve this would be for visitors to get pop-ups whenever they view data on a team asking them to register & submit data. For registered users who don't submit data, a weekly email reminding them would do.

4) Have totally everything:
-CD Stuff
-Palm OS interface (WASH??)
-Windows CE interface (Heatwave??)
-Some other PC interface (C++, VB, Filemaker??)
-Videos (SOAP??)

Anywho... As i said, nothing would really begin untill after FIRST is over.

Thanks all, and I really think this could improve FIRST scouting by 300%

Jack, Team 201, The Average FIRST Scouter