FIRST Robotics Magazine

[Gene F]

To all readers, In one of my sleepless nights at Kennedy I had an Idea. What FIRST robotics needs/lacks is a good magazine. There are magazines for just
about every other thing I can think of but not this. How many people out there would be interested in being involved in creating and managing a web based
magazine connected to metalinmotion.com? This would be a great way to involve our virtual members. We would need writers, editors, web puplishers, etc. Articles
would be accepted from anyone on any team. I look forward to reading about what other teams are experiencing in a more detailed form than what appears in
the forums. What do you think?

Gene Falendysz - Engineer from 343 Metal in Motion

[Andrew Dahl]

I would pay 25$ a year for this thing

that is a great Idea-



dahl

team 497
2002 GM Industrial Design Award winner VCU Regional

[Wetzel]

I like the idea of a FIRST robotics webzine. However, I would rather not see it associtated with one team predominatly. A few people who have spare time/don't sleep/want to avoid homework could, in my opinion, manage a monthly, depending on amount of sumissions and time of year, weekly zine. I'll admit to not know much about what goes into it, but I image that it will show up here.
I for one would be interested in helping edit/manage/what have you a FIRST webzine. I would like it to be a 'FIRST Robotics" not a 'FIRST Robotics by MiM".
My lack of cents, for what it's worth.

Throws name into hat.

[Katie Reynolds]

Originally posted by Wetzel
I like the idea of a FIRST robotics webzine. However, I would rather not see it associtated with one team predominatly. A few people who have spare time/don't sleep/want to avoid homework could, in my opinion, manage a monthly, depending on amount of sumissions and time of year, weekly zine. I'll admit to not know much about what goes into it, but I image that it will show up here.
I for one would be interested in helping edit/manage/what have you a FIRST webzine. I would like it to be a 'FIRST Robotics" not a 'FIRST Robotics by MiM".
My lack of cents, for what it's worth.

Throws name into hat.

Yea, I agree with Wetzel - would be cool to have just a FIRST webzine ... not necessarily just associated with one team.

If anyone wants to start this and needs help, I'll be more than willing to help/contriubte stuff, if it's monthlyor bi-monthly. Weekly would be a little hard to do, but hey, ya never know! If we can all build a robot in 6 weeks... we should be able to manage a webzine, right? Let me know if you need help!!

- Katie

[Joe Matt]

I would be interested in it. I agree with Wetzle, it should be a "FIRST Robotics Webzine" NOT a "FIRST Robotics Webzine by MiM and the Proud Sponsors of MiM __________". Many teams should do this and mabey we could even make a web page or use part of Chief Delphi for it. We could have submission parts for "Letters for the Engineer", "Letters to the Editor" and other things. We could also do three or four columns like "Gear Ratios: Reinventing The Wheel" and "How to make the best handout!"

[GregT]

I would be willing to help with the backend, great idea.

Greg

[Lora Knepper]

Originally posted by Gene F
<SNIP>This would be a great way to involve our virtual members. </SNIP>

Hey Gene... as a VM with the team, I'd be more than willing to help out! Maybe put some journalism classes to good use Though I'm willing to do anything from editing, to helping publish ect.

~ lora

[srawls]

I would be very interested in this. I'd even submit articles about programming/electronics. Great idea!

Stephen

[Ken Leung]

A lot of people have been thinking about doing a FIRST magazine for a long time, including me. Off the top of my head I remember Robby O. and Colleen of 190 really interested in it (I think...).

It would be very cool if we can actually make it happen. There are tons of ideas we can put on the magazine... FIRST place is one of them, visiting Team's headquarter is another, then there is reports from kickoff, regionals, Nationals, and off season competitions... Then there are tons of stories we can gather about teams' effort in spreading the idea of FIRST, or workshops teams put together to help train other teams...

It would be great if we can put some scouting reports on some of the best robots of the year, and technical section with white papers and robots design.

Things like that.

There are so many things we can cover in the magazine, and so many people across the country willing to contribute to it. IT's just something waiting to happen. I would most certainly be interested in becoming a reporter, and maybe if I work hard enough, I might become an editor.

But Robby used to tell me, "It's easy to come up with a good idea, but it's really hard to actually make that idea happen." I wonder when is the day when the magazine finally get published...

[DaBruteForceGuy]

This is exactly what we need. i can't be scouring thorough hundreds of threads all the time trying to learn about other team s and ideas. i woulod love to submit articals of new theorums and aspects in the vast range of areas in the study of brute force on presicion machinery

i would also help in the "more inportant" aspects of the magazine

[Wetzel]

Originally posted by Ken Leung


But Robby used to tell me, "It's easy to come up with a good idea, but it's really hard to actually make that idea happen." I wonder when is the day when the magazine finally get published...

Forgive me for I know not what I do...
::deep breath::
I'm willing to attempt to coordinate things and get things rolling.
/me braces for an onslaught of work

Gene, what did you have in mind?
My email is weffreyATcoxDOTrrDOTcom. No bots grabbing my email.

[Joe Matt]

If we are going to do this, we should tell everybody to e-mail somebody to get started on it. Mabey we could have it up by Nats? Give out some printed versions of it signed by us as souveners.

Here are some things to consider:
-HTML or AOL Text- Should we do the trusty dusty text only version, an HTML version, or forget it all and do a PDF file or something like that.
-What will the columnnests be- Who will do a weekly version/monthly, who will contribute whever they can, who can do it once in a while?
-What will the columns be- Letters to the Editor, Technology News, FIRST News & Rumors, Tech Help, General News,and other things.
-Who will put it all together?

This is a great idea and could get us some special recognition by FIRST, not to say I'm doing it just for that.

My e-mail is JWM1314@aol.com if you want to e-mail me for my input and other things.

[Katie Reynolds]

I'm willing to attempt to coordinate things and get things rolling.

-What will the columnnests be- Who will do a weekly version/monthly, who will contribute whever they can, who can do it once in a while?

Ok ok ... I'm willing to sacrifice my sleep for this

Wetzel: if you are going to coordinate things and need any help, lemme know. I've been the editor for a webzine before and know how to get things going... yea, lemme know....

Team384:JosephM: I'm willing to write a column weekly or monthly... again, just lemme know.

One more thing: Do we want just general scouting reports, or reports from individual teams on what/how they are doing? That'd be kind of cool... as long as a team isn't submitting a novel every week/month!! Email me (look under my profile for email... stupid robots) or IM me... AIM name is BrynaShaw

- Katie

[Andrew Wyatt]

I think it's an idea that has merit.

It wouldn't be worth doing if it was in print, though, but an internet-type webzine would be pretty %%%% nifty.

[Joe Matt]

I am too busy to be the person who manages all the columnists. Sorry, but I CAN contribute and I do have lots of ideas. Just AIM me or e-mail me at JWM1314@aol.com (AIM without the @aol.com)!