Thankfully they allowed me to the contest. However they object somewhat though that my entry is "to professional". I take this as a compliment. Technically they are 100% right. I managed to make this available as a product https://shop.ruggedcircuits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=47 and I am proud of this. Thus this fits the definition of commercial. However I did not tip them of for the shield but for the experiments. They are free for anyone to replicate.
Still I would like to compete for the laser cutter. I would have to sell quite a lot of shields to pay for such a thing.
Now here comes my question: what do you think I should do?
(1) Just stay in competition. It is fair game, the rules did not disapprove this.
(2) Submit an additional experiment that does not feature the BL shield.
(3) like (2) but ask to withdraw the initial submission
(4) Withdraw from the competition
Of course this is a decision that I have to take but I would like to learn your opinion about this. Actually I am mixing here two questions. One is about ethics the other about maximizing my chance to win. What do you think?
It was my time. Not my employer's time. My employment has nothing to do with Arduino or hardware at all. I was not paid to develop it. However I get some of the money that the shields will earn.
If you want to build your own Blinkenlight it depends. If you can read schematics, if you can etch PCBs and solder them, then you can copy it. Actually you can copy it with a breadboard but then it is not a shield of course
Too professional my butt. That is a nice project and very well done. It was done by an amateur (in this particular field), and even though it's for sale, it is all his own work. This is comparable to a craft artist selling his work as well as entering it in a contest at the county fair.
There nothing wrong with your entering this project. Go for it.
Thanks for the flowers. I have never been compared to an "crafts artist" so far. I like this
The issue with the multiple entries is a good one. However given your current feedback I think I could just stick to this entry. In the end it will be the community that decides. So if the general assumption is that this is fair game I will keep this entry because I believe in my small little project. That is the next experiment will again use the Blinkenlight Shield and not circumvent it
Based on the description given when your project was posted, I'd step and wonder if the contest is rigged. The description gives a negative bias to anyone who looks at it. The unfortunate thing is, I don't see any problems with what you submitted. They asked for projects dealing with light. Arduino's are cool. LEDs are cool. It is even mentioned "What Udo did with the lights is cool."
Limor built an entire business out of taking cool projects she's built and selling them. How is what you did any diffenent?
The "8 months of development" irks me. There's a difference between something you did 8 months ago and something you've been working on for 8 months. But again the poster is doing their best to give you a negative slant.
I think you are right to be upset. However, it is their contest and they can run it how they like. If it were me, I might drop a line to full spectrum and adafruit directly asking if this is all how the entries are handled.
If they found your submission too commercial they should not have accepted it in the first place. Saying it is too commercial is an indication that they did not thought well enough about the rules for submission, maybe not on purpose, they are probably still learning too (stay positive
So stay in the competition,
Another option you did not mention: submit an additional project that adds an additional shield or sensor..
wifi shield => wifi strength measuring device.
ethernetshield => ping delay measurement indicator - every LED = 10 ms
servoshield => leds indicate angle of the servo
ping rangefinder => leds indicate distance
RTC shield make a clock => 5 leds = hours, blinkled , 6 leds minutes, blinkled , 6 leds seconds (blinkleds blink every second) needs 19 of 20 leds
add movement detector, shake the thing and the 20 LEDs shows a random number.
I'd guess lots of hobbyists could create a shield like this if they had the idea and spent the time/energy. Why..... they think it is to professional is still a question to me.
I wouldn't withdraw, but perhaps you could change the font, that does look suspiciously professional
As suggested by James I contacted Limor. Actually Limor's support. Mark fixed his comment. I am very grateful for that. Seems that I now will get a fair chance
Nice to see the edit in the post describing your entry as commercial. Not finding other entries of the contest while yours was described in such way was indeed a bit strange, let's hope the edit may work in your advantage.
Talking about contests, http://www.instructables.com/contest/glow/ has an Macbook Air or iPad2 available for a winning design. In this case having to buy a shield might cost points, a good instruction how anyone could... make a Blinkenlight may earn you some points. Using an nano/mini, perf-board and THT-components that shouldn't be too difficult.
Multiple entries are accepted, but each entrant can only win one prize. Contest is open to entries from US, Canada (excluding Quebec), UK, and Australia. Contest closes for entries at 11:59pm PT, January 2, 2012.
