Show HN: High school robotics code/CAD/design binder release

We wound up buying an Apple ][ and a Rubbermaid trash can and an early voice recognition module (Cognivox) which we then mounted on a set of wheels and put the monitor on a lazy susan on top and the opening was made into a drawer for the computer/keyboard, and the bottom was opened up to have a latchable door where an extension cord and other accessories could be stored.

We called it CTC-1 (Computerized Trash Can, Mark 1) --- always wondered what happened to it and the lab of TRS-80 Model IIIs...

I still regret not over-ruling the finance committee and buying my kids a Lego Mindstorm set when they first came out.....

The only open-source CAD option I've seen that might be suitable for doing this kind of design work is FreeCAD, or its Ondsel fork. There are not many people available to FRC teams to teach them how to use these programs, and there's a high risk of them running into serious bugs or limitations.

Most FRC teams use professional CAD packages (like Autodesk Inventor and Dassault SolidWorks). These packages are offered to teams for free. Many teams have mentors with professional experience using one of these programs. OnShape has taken over in the last couple of years as the most popular, because it is easier to license, doesn't require installation permissions, works on any device with a web browser, has an easy to understand and administer way for multiple people to collaborate on a model, and has a critical mass of community scripts, part collections, and tutorials.