Proposal: Allowing audio equipment during official attempts

[Matt11111]

That's huge slap in the face and a big middle finger to ever person who's worked hard to be able to solve a cube on their own just to get an official average.

Why don't we just let slow solvers use cheat sheets. In fact, why don't we just allow slow solvers to have someone faster do their solves for them? As long as they don't get world records, who cares, right?

A slap AND a middle finger. Dang.

 

[Loiloiloi]

Btw, I hope Loiloiloi is just trolling with his example

Aw, I thought it was a pretty nice example of how someone could cheat. I made a list and everything!

 

[TheCoolMinxer]

Hey, there's an idea.

Also, I scroll through this thread and I realize that taking part in debates will get you a ton of likes. Wow.

Or be part of the older cubers discussions, where you get like 3-5 likes per post lol

 

[AlexMaass]

interesting thing, I have cochlear implants, you can actually hook them up to FM receivers and receive audio that way, they use it in schools so people can listen to teachers better

 

[Daniel Lin]

Should tattoos be banned for WCA official attempts? what if I want full OLL inscribed on my arm? is that illegal?

"Cheating can always happen but there is no reason to make it easier"
Tbh if someone really wanted to cheat they probably would have tried it already

 

[Loiloiloi]

Should tattoos be banned for WCA official attempts? what if I want full OLL inscribed on my arm? is that illegal?

"Cheating can always happen but there is no reason to make it easier"
Tbh if someone really wanted to cheat they probably would have tried it already

https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=388
https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1053
https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1231
Even some well known people in the community like Rowe have cheated (although he turned himself in so its not as bad) https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/rowe-hessler-52-27-bld-former-wr-disqualified.39436/

 

[Matt11111]

Or be part of the older cubers discussions, where you get like 3-5 likes per post lol

I'm 13, sooo... Teenage Cubers discussion, anyone?

Should tattoos be banned for WCA official attempts? what if I want full OLL inscribed on my arm? is that illegal?

Again, theoretical minority.

 

[Ksh13]

So if you look at the arguments for the two sides here, the side that wants to allow it claims it helps some people deal with nerves. That's it. Meanwhile a lot of reasons against this and possible situations that can arise if this is allowed have been brought up. I really feel like there just isn't enough of a reason to risk it. While no one probably will cheat their way to WR single communicating with earbuds or whatever, there will most likely arise some situations that will be very sketchy at least, and I don't really feel like just helping some people control their nerves a bit is good enough of a reasoning to allow it.

 

[JustinTimeCuber]

I vote no. Obvious loopholes are obvious.

 

[newtonbase]

interesting thing, I have cochlear implants, you can actually hook them up to FM receivers and receive audio that way, they use it in schools so people can listen to teachers better

I had no idea that they could do that. I suppose it makes sense given what luxury items like mobile phones can do.

 

[goodatthis]

I haven't read all of this thread so my point may have been repeated (and I'm sure it has) but I think it may be necessary to apply a little bit of legal philosophy to this.

Any governing body like a government or the WCA has to make sure their laws or rules do not give the potential for cheating to occur, even if a proposed exception to a law is better on balance. Even the slightest potential for loopholes to be found and cheating to occur is enough to make such a proposal illegitimate. For example, when it comes to standardized testing like the SAT, they require photo IDs because although the chances of people impersonating others is small in comparison to the nuisance it would be to require kids to bring IDs + potentially turn them away for not having them, the integrity of the test has the potential to be compromised and there seems to be no other way to ensure that the person who is getting a specific score sat in that testing room and took the test. So in the case of the WCA, I think we can all agree that the integrity of records or solve times are probably the most important thing (especially when we compare it to the marginal benefit of the comfort of listening to music), and even a slight potential for there to be cheating should be enough to reject it.

So now, I'll give a bunch of ways people could cheat, all of them unlikely to result in a record but all reasons nonetheless for how people could cheat, and potentially get good at:

-people talking about scrambles through the earphones (this would make the problem of talking about scrambles less able to be regulated and more real-time)
-outside help (i.e. telling someone a pair is in the back that they can't see)
-saying algs/their recognition
-you can never verify what exactly the person is playing through their headphones

In the end, we should compare it to the rule that states that competitors cannot have the screens of camera equipment facing them. It obviously can create an advantage, despite how small, that could be practiced enough that someone could exploit it, while at the same time providing a marginal benefit to the solver by allowing them to ensure their cube is in frame, much like the benefit you get by listening to music.

EDIT: just want to respond to the arguments that talk about how there are other things that could give people advantages such as tattoos or cochlear implants: a) those things are not controllable whereas with allowing audio equipment it is, b) you can't just exclude a decent amount of people from competing solely because of those things, and c) there's only a slight benefit from listening to music, whereas getting rid of those other things would require excluding competitors altogether, which in the end is worse

 

[XTowncuber]

mmhmm, I heard the latest version of the regs is just gonna scrap everything that's there, and will instead say "as long as XTowncuber doesn't care it's ok"

Really? Sweeeeet.

 

[Matt11111]

Really? Sweeeeet.

The Drew Brads rules. Coming in 2017.

Hoooh boy, what am I getting myself into?

 

[PenguinsDontFly]

Really? Sweeeeet.

That's a perfect Dene-esque response to a Dene post. Fight fire with fire, cubes with faster cubes, and dene with dene!

On topic: I think the idea someone mentioned about having music playing out loud from speakers is a great idea. The annoying cubing sounds would be replaced with music, and everyone would be more relaxed and I think it would make for a more fun experience overall.

 

[Matt11111]

That's a perfect Dene-esque response to a Dene post. Fight fire with fire, cubes with faster cubes, and dene with dene!

On topic: I think the idea someone mentioned about having music playing out loud from speakers is a great idea. The annoying cubing sounds would be replaced with music, and everyone would be more relaxed and I think it would make for a more fun experience overall.

I said it sarcastically, but someone else said that the organizer of the competitions he goes to plays music at the comps.

 

[Umm Roux?]

That's a perfect Dene-esque response to a Dene post. Fight fire with fire, cubes with faster cubes, and dene with dene!

On topic: I think the idea someone mentioned about having music playing out loud from speakers is a great idea. The annoying cubing sounds would be replaced with music, and everyone would be more relaxed and I think it would make for a more fun experience overall.

Blasting heavy metal music during 5BLD would be hilarious. Just imagine their frustration.

 

[Matt11111]

Blasting heavy metal music during 5BLD would be hilarious. Just imagine their frustration.

Or even better. Multiblind with Maskow, Mark Boyanowski, Kaijun Lin, and Gianfranco Huanqui all in attendance.

 

[Daniel Lin]

On topic: I think the idea someone mentioned about having music playing out loud from speakers is a great idea. The annoying cubing sounds would be replaced with music, and everyone would be more relaxed and I think it would make for a more fun experience overall.

I actually like the sound of cubes turning.
Also, what if someone decides to play really annoying music? That would be kind of distracting

Or even better. Multiblind with Maskow, Mark Boyanowski, Kaijun Lin, and Gianfranco Huanqui all in attendance.

they all use earmuffs

 

[Matt11111]

they all use earmuffs

Never mind.

 

[PenguinsDontFly]

I actually like the sound of cubes turning.
Also, what if someone decides to play really annoying music? That would be kind of distracting


they all use earmuffs

Im pretty sure an organiser would be in charge of music, and I think everyone would be fine with listening to pop or something. I prefer rap, but I would honestly listen to anything as long as it's music because it would help.