how are neither of you are right in the slightest
DSL 2.2 is usually asociated with the 'IRL meta' and Ironforge is associated with the 'standard meta'. They are more or less designed to work around generally agreed upon rulesets and do different things. IRL meta tries to make robots that look (not perform) like real life robots you'd see on battlebots or whatever. Standard is a slightly looser interpretation of realistic in that you are allowed to have components pass through each other as long as it could feasibly be done in real life (eg yes for a snowplow, no for a battery)
2.2 IRL is if you want to make robots that look pretty or realistic with actually using them in combat as a secondary focus to the appearance. It's basically interacive CAD. Unfortunately if you want to fight with them they usually suck cause RA2 physics do not mirror real life physics. Ironforge has much fewer parts but they are balanced around making robots that fight well within the limits of the game even if said limits may not cohere strictly to real life physics. Not as good for making a replica of your favorite robot wars bot.
2.2 - looks
Ironforge - combat
