First, you imply you know that whoever was taking pictures was…..associated with competitors you’d be taking on in future competition. Do you really know that?Kid Cobain wrote:Looking at the mission is fine, but taking pictures home and trying to replicate the idea destroys creativity.
Second, even if you do know that, as explained by a number of folk, sorry, there’s nothing wrong with it. People – students, coaches, parents observing any of the building events is just part of the game. Getting ideas to improve is part of the game. One totally legitimate source of those ideas is what others bring to a competition. Anyone who is not looking around and open to new/good ideas is missing an important opportunity. Its an inherent part of open to spectators events. Working to implement those ideas- and to improve on them is part of the game. As many have pointed out, the “winning difference” is not in a concept/idea, its in the implementation- detail, precision, testing, practice, etc.
If you agree its ok to look, and it certainly is, a picture, from a few feet away is not going to get anyone any more…..important information/understanding as to what’s going on, than can be gotten by careful observation. I say that from having coached a number of good/winning Mission-P boxes (and other building events) over the years; no picture is going to hand anyone any secrets, any magical winning edge- as Uncle Fester said.
You got your ideas/concepts from somewhere; you didn’t “steal” them (nor did you- or could you- patent or copyright them). You put research together with your own ideas; you certainly weren’t “destroying (anybody’s) creativity” by working such ideas into what you ended up with in your box. Even if your competitors got ideas from watching your box, and were to try their own implementation of one or more, that IS creativity, rather than the “destruction” of it. Lighten up; give yourself a pat on the back for having created a box that anyone thought was worth looking at, and getting ideas from.
If you’re going to do the S-O building events, understand that what you’ve done is there to see at competition; it becomes part of the “existing body of knowledge” for anyone that cares to find it out/see it. It’s the nature of the beast. Your mission, and the mission of your competitors is to keep improving; next competition, next year – search for and bring in new ideas, find/develop better ways to get it done/make it work. Science-O is, at its essence, about learning. That’s why so many of us participate in these forums sharing ideas and tips – working to expand the body of knowledge you and everyone have to draw on, and to build on.