DPRG mailing list archives: [DPRG] On contests

Fri Jun 1 14:53:30 CDT 2007

Pete,
     Your comments were so well 'put.'  If anybody understands the many 
hours that it takes to run a contest, or series of contests, it is you.  You 
have spent more time organizing the SRS Robothons than anyone else I know. 
Keep up with your 'random thoughts.'  People ned to be aware of the whole 
sphere of experimental robotics.
     Tom Carroll


Subject: Re: [DPRG] On contests


> Contests are a double edge sword
>
> On one side they provide a specific objective for the builder to avhieve.
> One the otherside, the different contests out there represent a tiny 
> portion of all the different types of robotics
> which can divert people away from these areas.
>
> On side robots can be extremely expensive, but very cool.
> On the other side, robots can be very inexpensive, but less functional.
>
> On one side having public contests catches the attention of new people to 
> see that science and engineering can be a lot
> of fun.
> On the other side public contests are observed by people that are negative 
> and don't care about robots.
>
> On one side private club contests are filled with like minded people that 
> are really interested in robots.
> On the other side, this is exclusionary to a select few.
>
> On one side, awards recognize people for their achievements
> On the otherside, awards require some form of a revenue source.
>
> On the one side, robotics is hard.
> On the other side, robots teach you more about reality than college will 
> ever teach.
>
> On the one side, multiple contests in a year allows people more 
> opportunities to run their robots.
> On the otherside, it burns out the people running the multiple events.
>
> On one side a once a year contest is more manageable by the volunteers
> On the otherside, you only get to run your robot once a year.
>
> And on, and on, and on....
>
> One thing for sure, reguardless of what happens, who shows up, how many 
> robots are there, there are people that are just
> not happy about what goes on and wish things were different.
>
> The way I look at it, if you got a group of people willing to put in the 
> hours to put on a contest, let them.  Who wants
> to compete, let them.  Choose the contests based on what people are 
> willing to participate in.  If you have a contest
> idea where only 2 people are interested in, and people willing to do the 
> work in hosting it, let them.  It will either
> grow, remain the same, or go away when the people running the contest gets 
> tired of it.
>
> Complaints does one thing, causes the people that run the events to become 
> less motivated.  And if no one steps in after
> they quit, then there are no more contests.  Then people will complain 
> that there are no contests, until someone steps
> up to do the work, and the cycle repeats.
>
> There are many reasons people don't show up for a contest.  Do you 
> remember the reason why you didn't show up the last
> event you weren't at.  We all have reasons why we don't do things, and why 
> we do things.
>
> Just some random thoughs,
>
> Pete Miles
>
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