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== HobbyVEX.org History ==
HobbyVEX.org was started on 01-AUG-2006, by Steve Elmer, after he had put a lot of effort into discovering some facts about Vex and decided ''they should be easier to get for people''.  Steve had seen Lego Mindstorms really take off, and wanted to help that happen for Vex.  He also did not see the hobbyist viewpoint represented elsewhere, hence the name of the site, HobbyVEX.org.  Steve had some 'new tools' to distribute for Vex, and wanted a place for that to happen.<br>
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== HobbyVEX.org Historic Projects == 
[[Not_So_Easy_C | 'not-so-easy-c']] was created because he wanted to get outside ''the boundaries of easyC''.<br>
[[PDA_For_VEX | 'pda for vex']] was the first robot project Steve was building for the Vex Hobbyist.<br>
[[Free_CAD_For_VEX | free cad for vex]] was foundational for reaching the Hobbyist Audience.<br>
[[Robots_In_CAD | robots in cad]] was a way to help hobbyists find working projects to build.<br>
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== HobbyVEX.org Impact on the Vex Hobbyist Community == 
The HobbyVEX.org pages were very popular.<br>
So popular in fact, in the ''first month'' there was something like a 1000 total 'Page Views' and '''Hundreds of Downloads'' for [[PDA_For_VEX | 'PDA For VEX']] and [[Not_So_Easy_C | 'NOT-SO-easy-C]].<br>
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== Steve's Final Thoughts ==
Steve started off thinking about publishing a book to help get things started - something in the line of ''Vex for Dummys®''.   The website was created to see if there was enough interest to make that worthwhile.
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Steve continued with, "I still hope to see more Robot Building Instructions contributed, so that ''Beginning' Hobbyists have a way to reach success quickly."<br>
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== HobbyVEX.org This Year ==
On 28-MAY-2009, Steve contacted ''me'', Mark Overholser about "taking it over", since he was spending more time on other projects and did not have time to keep it maintained.  I thought it over, and came to the conclusion that ''I could'' keep HobbyVEX.org going, and expand it with my own Projects, plus other Hobbyists Projects.<br>
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On 08-JUN-2009, I assumed control of the HobbyVEX.org Domain, and will be adding some New Projects, as well as maintaining the Old Projects.<br>
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== HobbyVEX.org Today ==
On 27-JUL-2009, when I had announced in a [http://www.vexforum.com/showthread.php?t=12551 Posting on VexForum], that I had assumed control of the HobbyVEX.org Domain, [http://www.vexforum.com/member.php?u=4141 "smartkid"] (AKA Cody Smith), ''Offered Assistance'' in the [http://www.vexforum.com/showpost.php?p=88271&postcount=2 Second Post of the Thread], in developing HobbyVEX.org, beyond the Current Site. <br>
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I thought that was a ''Great Idea'', since the Re-Design is about like "documentation", and one of the last items to get done. <br>
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But, I was worried that I might not make the "Best Decisions" for the ''new'' HobbyVEX.org, so I though I should enlist some help in the ''form'' of an Advisory Board. <br>
I asked individuals that have ''contributed significantly'' to Vex Robotics as a Hobbyist Platform in the last couple years, to join a Core Group, for the Re-Design of HobbyVEX.org.  The Core Group is informed about what Changes are being made, and are ''encouraged'' to participate with suggestions and ideas.  So far, I have '''not received''' a lot of negative feedback, so the current designs must be a fairly reasonable choice.  I hope that if I chose something quite ''erratic'', that I will be informed, and ''changes will be made, before it is too late''. <br>
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HobbyVEX.org ''should not be'' all about me, it is ''about'' what serves the Hobbyist Community.  I am merely the Humble Caretaker..<br>
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Thanks Steve, for a chance to continue Something Great!!!<br>
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Mark D. Overholser<br>
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