The "fix-it window"? Jolly good show -or- is 23 cups of coffee/day really excessive?

[erniep]

Hey fellow FIRST masochists,
Just thought to begin a discussion of the intentional term limits made mandatory by the firmer "fix it window" rules.

It will force many of us to re-introduce ourselves to the rest of modern society in late Feb, instead of the usual late April used by the software guys and uber-roboteers. If-n ya likes yer family, den its a good ting. If not, well there's always that 2 month attic re-insulation project you've been puttin off (known as “ItchFest 2005”).

Personally, I believe that North American coffee imports WILL be significantly effected this year in March, possible resulting in an official complaint from the World Alliance of Coffee Kings Organization (WACKO).

While spending late winter in a sleep deprived, caffeine sustained, stress induced fog could be just the ticket to jump this old dog back into the world of the technically frosty, knowing I must cease and desist at 5:00 pm 2/24/05, kind of gives me a warm fuzzy feeling ....... no wait ...... that’s just too much coffee and a questionable prostate.

See ya round the forums, erniep

[UlTiMaTeP]

ROFLMAO, thats too funny, For the majority there is not enough integrity I believe, things will still happen, just like previous years, the only teams that will be hurt is the honest teams.

[erniep]

Hey,
Maybe we could create an entirely new intelligence agency, based on FIRST robotics. We could start by keeping tabs on the teams who cheat and then take over governmental activities. Domo Arigato, Mr. Gestapo. At least if we used FIRST members, government intelligence wouldn't be an oxymoron anymore.

Actually, I hope that the teams will really stick to there guns on this (G.P. and all that) ..... like robotic steroids, it wouldn't be fair.
Thanx, erniep

[Anchi]

government intelligence wouldn't be an oxymoron anymore.

buahahahha, so true that be, so true that be.

our school kicks us out at 10pm... no late drags for us.... tho seeign as it is 3am and im still modeling a rather unique idea for a manipulator in inventor.... ill be pullin my own all nighters !_~

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Anchi

buahahahha, so true that be, so true that be.

Gee, thanks...

-dave

[Roland]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Gee, thanks...

-dave

Oh, come on, I'm sure he wasn't referring to that part of government.

By the way, you really should have worn a "My other car is STILL on Mars!" shirt at the kickoff.

[Anchi]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Gee, thanks...

-dave

:\ what part you in?

[KimT]

Actually, I think a lot more teams will follow it than you think. These studies have been done where people are given surveys. The surveys say things such as, "Do YOU do <insert bad behavior here>? Do you think others do?" Not surprisingly, everyone who answers says, "No I don't, but everyone else does."

Most interestingly of all, at the end of the survey there was a question, "Did you take this survey seriously? Do you think others did?" This isn't even a bad behavior people would be ashamed to admit - it's more showing that people don't have faith in others.

In other words, I really think most teams will stick by the fix it window. After all, YOUR team wouldn't consider breaking rules, would it? Why would any other?

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Anchi

:\ what part you in?

Dave would of course be from NASA, the government agency that perplexes me more than any other. I don't like the idea of my tax dollars being spent on Mars rovers, but, at the same time, it's SO FREAKING COOL.

[Anchi]

ah, rock on, i say we switch nasa's and the military's funding eh? im sure we woudl all love that.

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Anchi

ah, rock on, i say we switch nasa's and the military's funding eh? im sure we woudl all love that.

No, not all of us.
</threadjack>

[Carol]

Another thought about the Fix-it Window. What about those teams that don't meet right after school, but in the evenings? We meet on Mondays starting at 5:30; if the window closes at 5:00 on Mondays then we miss a whole day of working. Is the rule forcing these teams to change their schedules, even though the students have arranged their lives around the 5:30-8:30 time? What about the non-teacher mentors who don't get off of work until 5:00? Are they banned from working on those Mondays?

[unapiedra]

Originally Posted by Carol

Another thought about the Fix-it Window. What about those teams that don't meet right after school, but in the evenings? We meet on Mondays starting at 5:30; if the window closes at 5:00 on Mondays then we miss a whole day of working. Is the rule forcing these teams to change their schedules, even though the students have arranged their lives around the 5:30-8:30 time? What about the non-teacher mentors who don't get off of work until 5:00? Are they banned from working on those Mondays?

You work only 3 hours a day??

[cdawzrd]

Originally Posted by Anchi

our school kicks us out at 10pm... no late drags for us.... tho seeign as it is 3am and im still modeling a rather unique idea for a manipulator in inventor.... ill be pullin my own all nighters !_~

Heh. That's why we aren't affiliated with a school... With our own floor of a building, we can come in just about anytime ;-) Does it help? ...not really.

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

At first, I'd say I was a bit apprehensive of this new measure. However, after doing some reading on it, I think I really kind of like it. There is a lot of scouting that can be done beforehand, along with preparing toolkits and other things that they allow for. I would say that taking care of these non-fabricative (if that is a word) arrangements beforehand makes your team a more efficient unit during competition. This means there is less to worry about, leading to more time to work and a good array of tools that were prepared. There's a lot of worry at competition, so this is a way to reduce it.