[BB] Bill's Blog 9-7-11

[Hallry]

Source: http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...ing-again.html

It’s raining again
Good Afternoon Teams,

I’d like to start today by introducing Kevin O’Connor our newest FRC Robotics Engineer. Kevin was both a founding student member and an adult mentor for Team 2175 the Fighting Calculators. He comes to us from GeckoSystems International Corporation where he was a Senior EE Roboticist developing software for the CareBot. Welcome aboard!

We’re conducting interviews this week for the new FRC Program Coordinator position and for a replacement Field Groomer. I’m hoping to get everyone in place soon so they have time to get up to speed. There’s never really a good time to jump in the pool around here, but I’m hoping they can get their heads above water before the registration floodgates open.

My thanks to the 147 teams who applied to be Beta Testers. Frank is reviewing the applications now and will contact all the applicants by next Friday, Sept 16th. When we have a final list, I’ll let you know who near you will be helping the engineering staff prepare for 2012.

Thinking about Beta Testing the software for the new cRIO FRCII reminds me, the last day to purchase the original FRC cRIO is Friday, Sept 30th. More details are available in my August 23rd blog.

I know you’re curious, but we still don’t have a finalized 2012 Event List to share. For those of you who are keeping track, we now have 21 contracted venues and just two locations left who aren’t in contract negotiations yet which is an improvement from August 12th.

The IT department is working like mad to get TIMS at least partially open so teams may begin updating their Team Profiles. (Last week I explained that TIMS was unavoidably delayed.) Watch this space. I have big hopes they will be ready soon.

We’re moments away from determining the 2012 Game Name. The GDC’s favorite choices were vetted by Marketing and the surviving choices are making the final lap. When Legal gets back to me, we can start work on a game logo, swap out "NameTBD" in the 2012 Game Manual and stop referring to the game as “well, you know”.

Oh, and maybe you can help me. This came up in the FRC staff meeting this morning. How many people do you think watch the streaming video from FRC Regional Events? Enquiring minds want to know.

122 days until Kickoff
See you then!