No More Teasers in 2007?

I agree with the idea of one teaser pic and one finished pic,
but wouldn't

Originally Posted by mannaman

You could even make the forum locked, so people have to go through a mod to post something.

just add to the work that the mods will have to do, since everyone would be contacting them to try to get something posted?

[Dan Petrovic]

This is what I'm gathering from what people have said.

If it came from the KOP - Don't post it
If it was bought - Don't post it
If it is strikingly similar to something that could have been bought (ie: custom sprocket) - Don't post it

Am I remotely correct?

[chris31]

I kinda like seeing what other teams have done even if its vague or not very interesting. I understan that the mods have lots of work to do, especially since each image is approved so that there is no spam. However, I dont think we should start limiting what images can be posted because the mods dont wanna deal with it. If it is becoming to much for the mods then lets add a few more mods. Its not like there arent lot sof people here and many willing to help out. Again, thank you mods for your work, but lets not limit CD just because we dont currently have enough mods.

[JaneYoung]

It may be as simple as
- quality not quantity
- using common sense when making a decision regarding a teaser -
does it add, does it detract, does it clutter?
--
To add to this, when making suggestions/comments/referrals to threads - we can be gracious.

Jane

[FourPenguins]

Well I think that what we're facing is a common sense issue. Like someone above me put it, people are getting trigger-happy with CD media. There's really not much to be done about that unless Brandon et al want to put an upload cap on every user.

Like you said, there can't be any hard and fast rules, and lacking hard and fast rules, I'd rather see a few bad teasers than a bunch of people withholding information in fear of mod wrath.

Everyone should think before they click submit, but not everyone will read this thread, and not everyone who reads this thread will always remember to stop and think, so it looks to me like there's nothing that CD can do but add more mods.

That said, I think this forum takes itself too seriously sometimes. The backlash you can get for making a new thread bearing any similarity to a previous one sometimes approaches ridiculous. (I know the reasoning for this and in most cases it's right, but when you get flamed for not dredging up a 6-month-old thread...) This is a massive forum, and it does need policing and a general attitude of maturity and, at times, restraint, but it's still a forum, a place of free expression and communication between, to a large degree, high school students. (Woo, run-on!) This isn't an official business site or any other professional discussion, so sometimes there's an occasion to lighten up.

(I suspect that that last paragraph may cause a stir, and I really hope it doesn't, but I felt it should be said, and I think I said it politely and maturely.)

[Travis Covington]

Half the fun of a teaser is just that... teasing. If I saw a completed bot or chassis or anything nearly finished I wouldn't be teased at all. I do agree that some photos of bolts and chain and other random parts are uneccesary, however, the lasercut/waterjet parts in the first "bad" teaser link you posted are perfect teasers! It makes people think "how could those possibly fit together, and what function does that mechanism serve." Bottomline - it's fun guessing what people are doing. Truly good teasers should give people a good place to start guessing, while still leaving some mystery and uncertainty.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by chris31

I kinda like seeing what other teams have done even if its vague or not very interesting. I understan that the mods have lots of work to do, especially since each image is approved so that there is no spam. However, I dont think we should start limiting what images can be posted because the mods dont wanna deal with it. If it is becoming to much for the mods then lets add a few more mods. Its not like there arent lot sof people here and many willing to help out. Again, thank you mods for your work, but lets not limit CD just because we dont currently have enough mods.

I don't think it's an issue of limiting what images can be posted to make the mods lives easier. If that were the case, there's a bunch of regular moderators who are not picture moderators that could do so.

It's much more an issue of limiting what images are uploaded so that the general community doesn't have to see something that's completely ordinary and boring and not worth wasting webspace over.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

This is what I'm gathering from what people have said.

If it came from the KOP - Don't post it
If it was bought - Don't post it
If it is strikingly similar to something that could have been bought (ie: custom sprocket) - Don't post it

Am I remotely correct?

The first is spot-on, but I think the other two pretty much have to have some wiggle room. An AndyMark shifter isn't particularly noteworthy, but a truckload of paint rollers would probably qualify in my book.

The custom sprocket example is the same thing: a sprocket you hex broached off of McMaster won't work, but this is certainly fine.

Then again, there stands to be an exception for mass quantities of special items. Unless you're AndyMark or the NiagraFIRST Triplets, I'd say a box of fifty of those hex-broached sprockets would certainly turn heads.

[Rickertsen2]

I agree with this thread totally. I know everybody feels their widgets are special, but unless they really are in some way unique or innovative, most of us arn't that interested.

[Dan Petrovic]

Originally Posted by Billfred

The first is spot-on, but I think the other two pretty much have to have some wiggle room. An AndyMark shifter isn't particularly noteworthy, but a truckload of paint rollers would probably qualify in my book.

The custom sprocket example is the same thing: a sprocket you hex broached off of McMaster won't work, but this is certainly fine.

When I said that things that are bought shouldn't be posted, I forgot about the fact that pretty much everything is bought. I really meant stuff like gears, sprockets, Skyway wheels, AM wheels, IFI wheels, piles of extruded aluminum, and other extremely common robot parts.

The difference between 188's 2006 robot picture you posted and something like this is that the paint rollers are a part of the entire assembly that shows us how they are using them.

Also, the rollers are unique and they are something you probably wouldn't expect to see on a robot, but if it is a set of AM omni-wheels, then maybe someone should rethink what they are about to upload.

[Greg Perkins]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

This is what I'm gathering from what people have said.

If it came from the KOP - Don't post it
If it was bought - Don't post it
If it is strikingly similar to something that could have been bought (ie: custom sprocket) - Don't post it

Am I remotely correct?

Don't post your pile of AndyMark products...they've been posted in the past, nothing really new has changed...I personally like teasers where there's some sort of clue, not just a bar with 1000 holes drilled into it, with bolts un the wazoo. A teaser would be say, an isometric view of your chassis/frame with no electronics, and all it's appendages. I see both sides to this arguement, and I know that some rookie teams get excited and enthusiastic about their robot, but please...wait till week 5, and post a pic of your robot completed.

Just my own $.02 worth,

~Greg

[Dan Richardson]

I'm going to have to agree with Beth, if the load is too hefty, add more moderators. There are 1000+ teams, even if teams limited to only a few teasers through out the whole season, thats still thousands pics. I understand its a tough load, but maybe you need to make a picture specific moderation group who just concentrate on pictures and their discusion.

I guess with the volume increase in years, traffic limitations may be needed and logical, but then again thats one of the biggest reasons I frequent Delphi during build season.

[Barry Bonzack]

I am in full agreement with Madison on this one. Although many enjoy trying to make people "guess" what great thing their team has done, I have trouble seeing how that adds to the colaboration of teams which is what CD is most used for. Why make everyone wait until the regional? Anyone not at the regional won't get to see it. If a team posts a full picture of their robot, drivetrain, arm, or mechanism in the 4th week how many other teams are going to completely ditch their own designs and copy what they saw in a picture? Very few.

I prefer spoilers to teasers. I make a point to check out the robot or part with my own eyes in the team's pit or in a match. I would be unaware of that team if they did not post a spoiler in advance. I give little credit to teasers.

[Travis Covington]

I don't know about you, but rarely do we have any mechanism completed by week 4. Would you prefer we posted pictures after ship date? Where is the fun there? We might as well wait until regionals!

I also think this is becoming a symantic argument, when it shouldn't even be an argument, period! ... I never really thought this was an issue until it was brought up. This will always be an issue. We have a lot of younger students on here, many of whom still cannot differentiate between a good and a bad teaser... no harm there, we shouldn't punish them for posting "useless" pictures. I would hope that those threads simply fade away due to the lack of responses. Do we really need 2 pages of discussion on what is a good and a bad teaser? It seems like everyone needs to voice their opinion these days and argue about it for days... it makes me want to read CD less and less. Opinions are great, but 40+ pages in some threads is ridiculous.

I am not sure if you noticed, but that thread I created was placed in the rumor mill for a reason. It sounds like you dislike the 'fun' factor that CD posseses... No offesne, but if I didn't occasionally laugh, or have to stare at a random 'teaser' picture for a few minutes to figure out what the pic is of, I don't think I would continue to read CD. That is just me though... yet another opinion to add to the pile.

[Bharat Nain]

Originally Posted by Travis Covington

I don't know about you, but rarely do we have any mechanism completed by week 4. Would you prefer we posted pictures after ship date? Where is the fun there? We might as well wait until regionals!

I also think this is becoming a symantic argument, when it shouldn't even be an argument, period! ... I never really thought this was an issue until it was brought up. This will always be an issue. We have a lot of younger students on here, many of whom still cannot differentiate between a good and a bad teaser... no harm there, we shouldn't punish them for posting "useless" pictures. I would hope that those threads simply fade away due to the lack of responses. Do we really need 2 pages of discussion on what is a good and a bad teaser? It seems like everyone needs to voice their opinion these days and argue about it for days... it makes me want to read CD less and less. Opinions are great, but 40+ pages in some threads is ridiculous.

I am not sure if you noticed, but that thread I created was placed in the rumor mill for a reason. It sounds like you dislike the 'fun' factor that CD posseses... No offesne, but if I didn't occasionally laugh, or have to stare at a random 'teaser' picture for a few minutes to figure out what the pic is of, I don't think I would continue to read CD. That is just me though... yet another opinion to add to the pile.

I agree with that. While all of us are working hard on our robots, we also need to have fun. In recent times, CD has become less appealing. If certain teaser pictures are that bad, there is a close thread option and delete pic/thread option. I am sure they were designed so they can be used on correct occasions.