Mike Hamilton-Macy, candidate for FRA chairman.

Thanks for the answer to my last question Mike, glad to hear that youd push for the leaflets and increasing the awareness :)

I do have one other question for you (I intend to ask the same of Kane and any other candidates for chairman): How do you feel about the fanfic communitys presence on this site?
Id like to think - as expressed by Shane and Ed among others - that we are the roboteers of tomorrow (I certainly think so myself, trying to get a feather done and get to the proposed Kuwait event, and more than one roboteer at the moment has got their start in fanfic), and that we do add to the discussion on the site, but at the same time Im aware that our presence could be seen as an annoyance by some people, I wont deny that there have been difficult times in the past as well, although they are behind us now :)

So, speaking honestly, would you continue to accept or at least tolerate our presence on these boards, if elected? (particularly with regards to Martijn Benschop being elected as the fanfic communitys representative and contact point, Shane or Marti can tell you more about that)

I have read the vapourbot rules and some of the fights, you cant get more grass roots than this!
The great thing is you dont have to buy a new motor controller or battery pack if it gets wrecked!
This activity will almost certainly lead to more real robots being built so I support its presence on the forum, Mike.

As the official campaign period ends this week I am posting my proposals and aims for my chairmanship should I be elected, this not an exhaustive list and please note that any proposals (by all candidates) have to pass through the committee voting process.
The committee:
See that all discussion and voting issues involve all members of the committee and that they all vote, using e-mail, phone etc if necessary.
Post details of the committee members on the forum (position, name, picture, team etc) so that the community knows who they are. This will, hopefully, make the committee more accessible.
Put issues that directly affect the roboteers out for open discussion, post proposals for debate. Give roboteers the ability to vote on these issues where practicable.
Try to get all EOs to every meeting for their views and ideas.
Post details of committee meetings as soon as they are arranged (ie a day or so after).
Post minutes of meetings within a week.
Leave the past where it is and move forward.
The FRA:
Improve public awareness by having a stand at all events with details ie:
Leaflet(s) with FRA website and brief outline of what it contains,
FAQ sheet of building robots, step by step guide, weights, components, materials etc.
List of all EO websites with additional sheet of the years events.
Get into education via local authorities who put shows and visits into schools and colleges.
Seek out old Robot Wars teams that have disappeared and try to get them back into the community.
Make every effort to keep roboteering in the public eye and keep FRA aims on track.
Myself:
Be objective.
Listen.
Work with the rest of the committee.
Build more robots!
Thank you for taking the time to read this, Mike.

Get into education via local authorities who put shows and visits into schools and colleges.

Do you realise that this will be directly interfiering with most event organisers living?
If you plan on the FRA running educational shows then they will need to be very cheap to keep the FRA a non-profit making organisation, and training people to teach these shows will prove costly.
If it proves that it can be done cheap, this will mean its far harder for the current event organisers working in education to get into schools and colleges and make a profit as a business - that means no more events from RR or RC!

No I was not planning on the FRA running events but acting , as the governing body / representative of the sport, on behalf of and promoting EOs or roboteers that wish to do so. I know that EOs do other educational or corporate work but not to what extent, no boubt existing committee members are more up to speed on this.
A good reason to have EOs at committee meetings is so they can keep the committee abreast of things outside of the normal combat events.

Mike
The committee:
See that all discussion and voting issues involve all members of the committee and that they all vote, using e-mail, phone etc if necessary.

Isnt this already being done??

Post details of the committee members on the forum (position, name, picture, team etc) so that the community knows who they are. This will, hopefully, make the committee more accessible.

too many jokes but good idea

Put issues that directly affect the roboteers out for open discussion, post proposals for debate. Give roboteers the ability to vote on these issues where practicable.

Roboteers get the vote by talking to their reps and expressing their views, thats how it works, your talking about everyone voting on some issues? how do u see that working?

Try to get all EOs to every meeting for their views and ideas.

I as an EO have no interest in being part of the committee I make my own choices for the better of my events but I will always comply with FRA rules and guidelines

Post details of committee meetings as soon as they are arranged (ie a day or so after).
Post minutes of meetings within a week.
Leave the past where it is and move forward.

sounds like one of Eds promises and I feel that this should be done anyway and anyone who gets in should be achieving this for their first meeting which should be within 2 months of them taking office IMHO

The FRA:
Improve public awareness by having a stand at all events with details ie:
Leaflet(s) with FRA website and brief outline of what it contains,
FAQ sheet of building robots, step by step guide, weights, components, materials etc.
List of all EO websites with additional sheet of the years events.

OK

Get into education via local authorities who put shows and visits into schools and colleges.

See Grants post above

Seek out old Robot Wars teams that have disappeared and try to get them back into the community.

not that easy but nice idea

Make every effort to keep roboteering in the public eye and keep FRA aims on track.

what do you consider the public eye? as this might conflict with my current work

Myself:
Be objective.

ok

Listen.

I personally find you a good listener Mike

Work with the rest of the committee.

I would hope so if you want to be chairman

Build more robots!

antweight??


Thank you for taking the time to read this, Craig

Hi Craig, thanks for your veiws.
1. Apparently not.
2. I was aware of the possible jokes but what the hell!
3. How many people know who there rep is? One rep has not been to an event for years!
A system on the forum would need to be added to allow roboteer voting.
4. Being at meetings gives you the chance to voice your veiws or ideas to the committee as a whole.
5. A common complaint has been that the community has no idea if or when meetings have been held and the results.
6. Thanks.
7. I have responded to Grants post.
8. Worth a try.
9. Obviously nothing that conflicts with EOs but anything that could promote the sport.
10.Ta.
11. Thanks.
12. Naturally.
13. We have two antweights and an areana with working pit, working floor flipper and flashing LEDS!
Phew!!!

Not knowing anything about the internet or computers but Roaming Robots have a voting thing on their website, could that type of system be used for getting our opinion on some matters, that the committee then vote on?

Mike, where do you stand on international issues? Is FRA British, European or something else? Are you going to communicate with Roboteers or Event Organizers in other active countries (there are at least 11) in Europe? Will international equal rule sets be pursued? Do you see the differences between Roboteers and EO€™s, and their dependence of each other?

Marien (DRG)

Hi Craig, It works on the RR site so I see no reason why it cant be applied to the forum.
Hi Marien, International issues would be a new area for me as I have not been on the committee before and would first need to know where we stand at the moment, but closer ties are to be encouraged.
Since there are associations outside the UK already I would say that, at the moment, the FRA is British, though it is unlikely to be accepted as a world wide body at the moment, the guidelines could be applied in any country that does not yet have its own advisary group.
I am pleased to here there are so many event organisers in other countries, what guidelines or rule sets do they use at the moment?
As far as public events go EOs and roboteers depend on each other, you can only have an event with both.
Some international events are posted on the FRA forum, obviously not all, I assume those other countries are aware of us here, the problem is one of logistics and cost when it comes to attending events abroad, perhaps that is an area that could be discussed between the various groups.
As regards rules and guidlines it makes sense that all groups around the world use the same ones to avoid any conflict when roboteers compete outside of thier own country.
This is definately where we all need to talk to each other. Mike.

Hi again Marien, just to add to the question of whether the FRA is British or not and the subject of international relations, I think membership of organisations outside of ones own country should be encouraged.
Roboteers from different countries exchanging veiws and ideas on each others forums is a step towards bigger things. Mike.
PS language might be a problem for us Brits, we are a lazy bunch when it comes to international communications!

I dunno I speak several difference accents of english I even speak brummie

Mike, we have a German guy communicating in English on our Dutch forum. I think well manage. :rofl:
Besides, there are some Dutch guys communicating in English on the German forum too. What goes around comes around...

I just have some trouble answering the Italian e-mail I recieved today...
And I do know some Brits that do quite well in Dutch :-)

Erik, my team mate is dutch, so I could always get him to translate for me! Or is that lazy?