Writing a program... need your opinion

[FireTigeris]

Will the info change?

Server = able to change data

Local = not able to change data

also my hubbie (who has a degree in this) wants to know what language you are programing in.

(sql) or (access)

 

[call ducks]

Quote:
The info well be able to change no matter what way i go

It's php with MySql (thus why you would need XAMPP and copy a file).

 

[TM Chickens]

If you go with a local program, keep in mind that Apache + MySQL uses a substantial chunk of memory and processor time. It would quickly turn a lot of people's computers into a sluggish mess.

Just something to think about.

Personally, I'd go with the web-based approach. The user wouldn't have to download or setup anything, and they could access it from all their computers, including from the library or a smart-phone if necessary. As an added bonus, it would be much easier for you to publish updates to the app.

 

[FarmerJamie]

I think zzGypsy has some good questions (having done software development for 25+ years), so I agree its a little hard to figure out where you are going with this.

 

[call ducks]

Quote:
I have just started.... So i am still figuring out "where i am going" I know what i want to do, i know how i can do it....

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
software for a living here too...
oh, right you spotted that didn'tcha...

yeah, guess we're kinda obvious that way!

to the OP so... since you don't know what exactly you want to build, let me ask a different question...

what pain are you trying to remove? what is it that's making you want to do all the hard work of writing a program?

deciding on the <how> depends on the <what>.

the agile approach to identifying *what* to build goes like this:

the application will do <what> so that <who> can <do this thing>.

for instance:

1) the application will <let the user enter their feed purchases, dates, prices at the time of purchase> so that the <duck raiser> can <easily track their feed bill>.

2) the application will <let the user enter egg weights> so the <egg producer> can <track egg production by laying pen>.

3) the application will <calculate the square footage required> so the <coop designer> can <determine the proper floorspace for a specific number of birds>.

so... you can see the requirements arrise from someone's need to solve some pain...

1) I don't know what my feed costs are
2) I don't know how much my ducks are producing
3) I don't know how big a coop to build for the chickens I've ordered.

so... what pain are you trying to solve?

none of which answers your local or remote database question... BUT can certainly give you good clues.

for 1) I'm at the feed store, entering data on my android phone (web server)
for 2) I'm in the barn, weighing eggs as I collect them from the pens, entering data on my android phone (web server)
for 3) I'm at my desk, using my laptop, and I *might* want it to be local DB.

of course, for 1) and 2), I'm going to want to fetch that data back and calculate my egg production costs, or my yearly feed bill. or I might be entering expenses from those calculations for my taxes. so I might be *using* that data from my laptop. but not entering it there.

oh, sorry... ran amok there.
you just wanted an
Option 1
Option 2
answer...
nope, still no opinion there for ya...

<sigh> digitheads, I know... <sigh>
anyway, if I'm going to do the work to create a program, it better be solving SOME pain for me... so... what's your pain?

 

[TM Chickens]

Quote:
software for a living here too...
oh, right you spotted that didn'tcha...

yeah, guess we're kinda obvious that way!

to the OP so... since you don't know what exactly you want to build, let me ask a different question... what pain are you trying to remove? what is it that's making you want to do all the hard work of writing a program?

<snip />

so... what pain are you trying to solve?
anyway, if I'm going to do the work to create a program, it better be solving SOME pain for me... so... what's your pain?

Excellent explanation, thanks.

 

[call ducks]

My pain.... Not being able to easly track market garden expenses

I know what i want to do, and i know how i want to do

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
ok, cool.

so here are some questions to think about...

what do I want to know? (how much did this tomato cost to grow? how much profit/ loss did I have when I sold it?)
what expense data do I have to collect to know that (cost of tools? cost of fertilizer? cost of seeds? percentage of my water bill? do I want to include cost of my time? cost of gas to market?)
what income data do I have to collect to know that (sales? taxes? value of barter trades?)

once you know what data you're working with, you can answer this:

WHEN do I have this data
WHEN and WHERE will it be the easiest for me to enter this data (that is, where/when will I ACTUALLY do it)?

for me, if I'm at a market booth, I'd actually enter data inbetween sales, or before I head home after I pack it up. if I wait until I get home, not going to enter it on a reliable basis unless I make it a scheduled time/plan/date.

If I were tracking my time, I might clock in/out on my phone, either at the market or in the garden.

it might be easy to enter costs of tools, fertilizer, etc in the phone application in the parking lot of the farm/hardware store.

then periodically I can sit down and fill in any gap data at my computer and do the calculations.

so if I were writing this application for myself, it would need to have a really easy and fast android interface where I could capture:
purchased item/quantity/price/taxes
sold item/quantity/price/taxes
activity/time in/time out

and then the ability to fill in, sort, catagorize, analyze, etc. on my laptop. or at least export to excel or quickbooks or some such.

for that, I'm thinking probably web based DB, because most of my data capture is on the fly, on my phone.

 

[fuzziebutt]

Quote:
I agree, but because I don't someone from another computer getting into my computer, like from a network. Or to compromise, what about a website with a forum? It could be accessed from any computer, and we could ask how everyone else in the county is doing for tomatoes, and the replies would be the answer. ANd regular information on the home page with links to different concepts on different pages.