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Spockie-Tech
Site Admin
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Yes, he knows that..
There were glass see-through bits in the wall of your house before Microsoft as well, despite their pretense that they now own that word you ARE allowed to use an existing word to apply to something non-connected (like a robot).
Apple Records (the beatles) tried to sue Apple Computers for years, but was ultimately unsuccessful because the computer industry and the music industry are worlds apart, so dont feel afraid to name your robot after something you like. well, at least as long as you dont make millions out of it, if you do, I'm sure the lawyers will try something..
On the lightweights note, I'm talking with Sidetracked at the moment about our next events, and it seems likely that we will be allowed to run
non-spinner
lightweights in the 6mm polycarb arena. Not confirmed yet, but looking promising.
This opens up a few possibilities I'd like to hear opinions on.
1. If we have a 25Kg class for the "Fat Feathers" (as Gary likes to call them) to go into, then I think thats a good reason to tighten up on the 12Kg limit, and bring it down to 12.5, or possibly even 12.2 (in line with the international standard). The guys who are struggling to make the weight can put their extra batteries back in, add some armour and move up into the 25Kg class.
2. Because its unlikely we will be able to run 25Kg spinners just yet, this could be a good "beginners" class for the guys who dont have the ability to weld aluminium, buy Nicad batteries and do all the other stuff necessary to get an effective robot in under 12Kg. You could go for your SLA's, Steel frames and heavy reliable drives without a problem, and know that there weren't any nasty low flying helicopters waiting to decapitate you..
3. Because there would initially only be a few lightweights, I thought about allowing two feathers to fight as a "multibot" in the 25Kg class, provided *both* of them are *legal* feathers. (ie, no having 18Kg in one bot, and 7 in the other). The only drawback of this that it would allow 12Kg spinners into the 25Kg class, which makes it a little less friendly for beginners, but I think they would be fighting at a significant handicap against a bigger bot.
So for all you guys who want to build something a little beefier, feel free to start designing, but dont go building any killer spinner just yet please.
(and if anyone thinks I'm being biased, remember I have a lightweight spinner (The Acid Test) that has been waiting for a fight here for nearly 2 years now..)
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Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:48 pm |
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