Sciencemadness Discussion Board

App devs wanted: a SM mobile app

fusso - 14-5-2018 at 14:40

Yes, pretty much everyone owns a smartphone nowadays, and I want a SM app so I can browse the board on my phone using an app instead of mobile browsers.

Also, I hope you can help contribute suggestions about how the app should run, features etc, maybe features that the current site don't have can also contribute to "features to be added to the site"

eg: I want the app to show in-thread post # (both total posts the thread has and post # for individual posts)

CouchHatter - 15-5-2018 at 11:31

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=80120#...

I will give $100 if that will help the app come about with usable functionality. I was an app developer in a past life but this is beyond me.

Ability to save post attachments to device
Possible library/prepub/wiki integration in tabs
Custom font display size
Different search UI
Smilies
Ability to favorite subforums and posts
Post markup recognition (for RTF and subscripts)
Non-customizable UI / post colors
No post character length (within reason)
Thread update push notifications
For sciencemadness.org to offer to open pages in app (ONLY if installed) like Reddit
Collapsible and toggleable signatures

violet sin - 15-5-2018 at 15:11

I have been surfing here for over a year on my phone only. I HATE APPS, will not use them and will usually scoff in their general direction. Why download extra crap to use a site at less than 100% efficiency. You never get all the functions, they size stuff funny. My phone is no longer supported for updates (popular in 2013), so newer stuff sometimes won't work. Call me old fashioned, I hate 'em.

That said, it wouldn't inconvenience me in any way if you made one, so have at it. Best of luck.

symboom - 15-5-2018 at 15:17

Maybe not a SM app but add on tools for chemistry

this is a discussion of other chemisry apps
A few i have used many defiantly could be made better
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=81839#...

[Edited on 15-5-2018 by symboom]

WangleSpong5000 - 16-5-2018 at 04:22

I think an SM app is a great idea

streety - 16-5-2018 at 04:55

I'm with violet sin on this one but if this is important to you the best approach would be supporting Melgar in his attempts to modernize the forum software.

An app for SM at this point would be a one-off but there are lots of phpBB forums and an app for one could be ported to any other. That gives a much larger potential userbase and potentially spreads the cost.

The updated forum software would also be easier to build the backend on.

CouchHatter - 16-5-2018 at 07:31

It looks like I shouldve UTFSE a little harder. I have no love for mobile apps; supported updates is a good point. Plus, I would prefer to not have to reinvent the wheel. Melgar will be getting my donations and support.

Thank you for the link streety.

Reboot - 20-5-2018 at 09:13

As others have said, a redesign of the site will solve the phone support problem.

Part of the reason many web sites (like Facebook, etc.) create apps is because apps often don't have the same restrictions on accessing your personal information that a web page does. For instance, the last time my weather app updated, it started demanding access to my phone system (who I call, when, for how long, etc.) Obviously this has nothing to do with telling me what the weather is, but they want the information to use for god knows what (perhaps selling to brokers.) When I refused to give the weather app access to my phone call activity, it told me that it was missing 'essential' permissions and refused to run. Pure nonsense.


aga - 20-5-2018 at 11:44

I bought an iPhone 6S last year just so i could use 2FA with an online exchange.

For the first week it was awesome, then i came to realise how well acquainted i had become with the Battery Charging cable.

It stays in the house now, with the trusty ancient Samsung being the daily workhorse.

No Aps, no Internet - just a phone with SMS texts as a frill.

Oh, and 6-day battery life when used many times a day.

I despise Apps. Even the term is annoying to an old-time programmer.

A really useful App would be one where people could browse and bookmark their research, then help them do the stoichimetry, then take photos and allow notes to be added so then they could easily post the physical Amateur Chemistry they've done, which would be awesome for all to see .... ;)