Building a free online diving log - need input

[ScubaDad75]

Hey everyone,

I'm building a free online dive log site and would like to here peoples requests for features. Here's a screen shot of where we are at at the moment with some random data thrown into the database.

So far, here is the feature set we are working toward:

• Direct upload of log data to site from dive computer (via browser plugin)
• Manual log entry / editing
• Certification logging
• Current / recent dive site conditions based on newest log data entered by users when they log a dive
• various dive stats
• ability to add/edit/remove
  • buddies
  • locations
  • equipment
  • etc...
• forum signature API (to put your selected stats into a signature on a forum via a link)
• Dive Photo Gallery
• API for other sites / forums to pull current dive condition data
• Facebook / Twitter integration for sharing your logs

Here are a couple of the questions I have that I would like feed back on:

1. Should we create a public statistics page that the users can turn on (or off if they don't want it public)
2. What type of stats would you like to see included
3. Any suggestions for features not mentioned above
4. Any thing else you would like to offer for input

Thanks for you time - and if anyone is interested in beta testing the site while we develop let me know!

Jason

 

[Pane]

That looks quite funky. Would the buddies you add be like your friends on Facebook? In other words, are you setting this up to be a social media of sorts?

---------- Post Merged at 09:13 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:11 AM ----------

Then you could have categories for them as well; have dived with, was on the boat with, was taught by, saved life of, etc

edit:
And the locations could be done like a wiki, with background information that users can add and edit. This could over time become a great database of dive sites.

 

[ScubaDad75]

At first you would just add buddies as you would in any other dive log program, ie: name, info, etc... Eventually we would like to add the ability for you to be able to "link" that buddy to a facebook friend, etc... Categories however, sound like a good idea as well as the wiki idea for locations.

What we had been thinking for locations would be the ability to add a new location using google maps interface (which would then show you a list of locations with similar or close coordinates - in case someone already added the location). You would also be able to "comment" on the location and those comments would be appended to the location page so that info on the location could be shared and used by all. Do you think something along this line would be acceptable or do you feel it would require a full blown wiki?

Ultimately we want this to be the best dive log site around. Actually the main reason I started building it in the first place was because I couldn't find any "central" log site online and most of the ones I did find either charged or were very lacking in features and functionality.

I really appreciate all the input.

That looks quite funky. Would the buddies you add be like your friends on Facebook? In other words, are you setting this up to be a social media of sorts?

---------- Post Merged at 09:13 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:11 AM ----------

Then you could have categories for them as well; have dived with, was on the boat with, was taught by, saved life of, etc

edit:
And the locations could be done like a wiki, with background information that users can add and edit. This could over time become a great database of dive sites.

 

[Pane]

The problem with using google maps as a starting point is that you tend to get a lot of clutter, or unclarity. Is the site now already on, or is that the site next to it. Should I make another or use the existing, etc. At least in my experience. I find googlemaps fine for finding directions but it's a map after all; water isn't mapped out well.

A wiki, you could do 'top-down'. country page leads to city or resort page leads to location page leads to dive site page. Egypt leads to Sharm El Sheik leads to Ras Mohammed leads to Shark & Yolande reef. Then you can have a little dive map, and still also have a googlemap there if people feel they need it (they won't, unless they're driving their own boat).

It makes it easy for you to set up a framework, and to control the format. For the user, it's easy to add experiences or sites that are missing, and they're encouraged to make them in the correct style.

my 2c (that's 4 now total I guess ;-) )

 

[nimoh]

publicly available aggregate stats would be nice such as to answer the questions, what is the max/average depth of dives in Belize? What is the most popular dive site near Key Largo?

...perhaps this is what you meant by a public section

 

[ScubaDad75]

The problem with using google maps as a starting point is that you tend to get a lot of clutter, or unclarity. Is the site now already on, or is that the site next to it. Should I make another or use the existing, etc. At least in my experience. I find googlemaps fine for finding directions but it's a map after all; water isn't mapped out well.

The reasoning behind using google maps is for the ability to pull geolocation information into the database for dive locations. The reason this is advantageous is because the current dive conditions api, as well as the current dive conditions on a users dashboard will be be sorted by location starting with the nearest ones to their "home" location. The ability to search for a nearby location to dive while traveling by putting in nothing more than your current location is thought to be a great benefit as well.

Perhaps a combination of that and a wiki as you suggested may be the best approach.

publicly available aggregate stats would be nice such as to answer the questions, what is the max/average depth of dives in Belize? What is the most popular dive site near Key Largo?

I agree publicly available aggregate stats would be great and may be something to include. As for what I meant by public stats however, I mean the ability to make your personal dive stats public (or at least some of the stats).

 

[nimoh]

I agree publicly available aggregate stats would be great and may be something to include. As for what I meant by public stats however, I mean the ability to make your personal dive stats public (or at least some of the stats).

yes, that's what I thought you meant...I was thinking anonymous aggregation

I am sure you already know this, but I'll say it anyway I think providing the aggregation would need to be planned from the start since you couldn't allow free text entry of most of the information. For example, "Coz" is different than "Cozumel", even though it is the same place and "Nitrox32" is different than "EAN32" even though it is the same thing.

 

[Mike]

I use my log book for more than logging depth and time, I want to be able to look back at the dive operator I used and see if I'd use them again, so in my custom log book I have information such as the type of boat they had - slow, fast, 6 pack etc... multi engine, had oxygen on board etc... rating from 1-5 for the operator, and for the dive master, I record costs per tank of diving with them and I record tips given etc....

 

[nimoh]

I use my log book for more than logging depth and time, I want to be able to look back at the dive operator I used and see if I'd use them again, so in my custom log book I have information such as the type of boat they had - slow, fast, 6 pack etc... multi engine, had oxygen on board etc... rating from 1-5 for the operator, and for the dive master, I record costs per tank of diving with them and I record tips given etc....

that would be some valuable information to search on...can you say "scope creep"?

 

[ScubaDad75]

I use my log book for more than logging depth and time, I want to be able to look back at the dive operator I used and see if I'd use them again, so in my custom log book I have information such as the type of boat they had - slow, fast, 6 pack etc... multi engine, had oxygen on board etc... rating from 1-5 for the operator, and for the dive master, I record costs per tank of diving with them and I record tips given etc....

I really like that idea!

I am sure you already know this, but I'll say it anyway

I think providing the aggregation would need to be planned from the start since you couldn't allow free text entry of most of the information. For example, "Coz" is different than "Cozumel", even though it is the same place and "Nitrox32" is different than "EAN32" even though it is the same thing.

Already taken that into account and trying to problem solve it. I've got a few ideas on how to at least minimize that problem ... I'm sure things will creep up as we go along but hopefully they will be caught and reconciled quickly. lol

that would be some valuable information to search on...can you say "scope creep"?

fellow coder?