objective-c [Objective-C] Let's collaborate on an app

[whitebread]

Who wants to collaborate on an iPhone app? Nothing too complicated... Just something open-source to give people like me a chance to practice coding and practice working as a team.

[Andre S. Veteran]

It's unlikely you'll generate much interest without even a rough idea of what the application could be. If you want to work on an open-source project, there are two things you can do that'll likely get you started much faster:

- Fork an existing open-source project

- Create your own project, host it on github or other, add a description and some kind of prototype.

In other words, get the preliminary work out of the way first.

[whitebread]

It's unlikely you'll generate much interest without even a rough idea of what the application could be. If you want to work on an open-source project, there are two things you can do that'll likely get you started much faster:

- Fork an existing open-source project

- Create your own project, host it on github or other, add a description and some kind of prototype.

In other words, get the preliminary work out of the way first.

I don't mind doing the preliminary work... I just don't know what kind of a project to do. I don't want to suggest something totally lame. I was hoping for someone suggestions and then "we" decide as a group (the group being whoever wants in)

[Jub]

How about a decent Windows Live Messenger client without too many odd (or "bloating") options and slow loading times?

[whitebread]

How about a decent Windows Live Messenger client without too many odd (or "bloating") options and slow loading times?

That would be cool :)

What, if anything, would you be interested in doing for the project?

Any suggestions for a name for the app?

[Jub]

That would be cool :)

What, if anything, would you be interested in doing for the project?

Any suggestions for a name for the app?

I suppose I could help with some interface design, but I'm afraid I'm not of much use when it comes to Objective-C.

Name... I don't know if there's an app already called Messenger, but if not, it's a good and simple name. Unless trademarked, of course.

[whitebread]

I suppose I could help with some interface design, but I'm afraid I'm not of much use when it comes to Objective-C.

Name... I don't know if there's an app already called Messenger, but if not, it's a good and simple name. Unless trademarked, of course.

Edit: Nevermind, stupid name (by me)

Edit 2: Perhaps we could call it NeoMessenger (after Neowin :p)

[Jub]

Edit: Nevermind, stupid name (by me)

Edit 2: Perhaps we could call it NeoMessenger (after Neowin :p)

Or NeoTalk. :D I'm a sucker for short names.

[whitebread]

Or NeoTalk. :D I'm a sucker for short names.

NeoTalk is good :)

[whitebread]

What do you think of these icons? I am by no means an expert in Photoshop. I just quickly did them up. Just to get feedback, and as sort of a "placeholder".

Be honest. I know they probably suck :p

[Jub]

Be honest. I know they probably suck :p

Personally I don't think it sucks, but the gloss in the icon needs to go. Also, I'm not entirely sure how the circle will do in iOS considering the icon will get rounded corners already - but that's not a difficult thing to find out. :p

[whitebread]

I'll go ahead and setup a GitHub repository. Do you like GitHub? Or do you prefer somewhere else?

[Jub]

GItHub usually does the trick. If you prefer a private repository there's always Assembla - an excellent (and, surprisingly, free) SVN/GitHub host.

I'm quite surprised at the mute response this thread has, it could be fun! I'll definitely be using the app if it sees the light of day.

[threetonesun]

I'm just learning Obj-C, but I'd be interested in pitching in, especially if you need some documentation help.

[Jub]

Did you lose interest, whitebread? :p

[n_K]

Good luck getting that out on the iphone!

Palringo used to be an MSN client but they dumped MSN, not sure if MS told them to or whatnot.

How about you make a jabber application instead that's got the MSN messenger authentication built in? :)

[whitebread]

Did you lose interest, whitebread? :p

Not at all! Just been waiting to see what all happens in the thread. I guess I should update you guys... My bad :blush:

I created the shell of a project and also created a GitHub repo. I'll post a link here shortly.

[whitebread]

OK, so I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to go about building this project. To be honest, I don't think I'm skilled enough to write an MSN Messenger app :(. I just don't know how to write networking code like that :( :blush: .

What if we all collaborated on a Neowin app? An RSS reader, but far more advanced... With Push notifications whenever a new article is posted. Stuff like that. I've built an app like that myself, but I think if we as a community collaborated it would turn out MUCH better :D.

First, I should note that it would obviously be unofficial. Neobond has said that an RSS reader app is fine. What do you guys think?

[whitebread]

I present to you my take on a potential app icon for a Neowin app:

Normal (57 x 57):

Retina (114 x 114):

[SirEvan]

If you're interested, I just started working for a local Gym to do a social app/fitness tracking app for their members...they want it to be heavily socially integrated. I'm working on the Android version, but know next to nothing about objective C or coding for IOS. I don't have a lot started, some mockup screens, proximity notification (It looks like you're at , do you want to check in?" I was going to work with them to get a rough product up, then try and find an IOS developer who could port it or cross develop for the Iphone market.

[whitebread]

If you're interested, I just started working for a local Gym to do a social app/fitness tracking app for their members...they want it to be heavily socially integrated. I'm working on the Android version, but know next to nothing about objective C or coding for IOS. I don't have a lot started, some mockup screens, proximity notification (It looks like you're at , do you want to check in?" I was going to work with them to get a rough product up, then try and find an IOS developer who could port it or cross develop for the Iphone market.

I'd LOVE to try and help you out. PM me more details if you like (or post them in the thread here -- up to you). :D

[El Marto]

Been a full time "professional" iOS dev for 2 years. would love to chip into something collaborative.

[SirEvan]

I'd LOVE to try and help you out. PM me more details if you like (or post them in the thread here -- up to you). :D

I meet with the owners of the gym every thursday, first meeting was two weeks ago.????I'm still waiting on more ideas for them on what they want, but I can tell you the following so far:

*Heavy social integration:??The gym is a small, close knit group of members.??Everyone is friends pretty much, and the owners want to be able to have them interact more.??They have roughly 200-250 members or so so far (only been around for a year), but they would like to see the ability to have their members check in when they get to the gym (and post to Facebook if so desired).??Along these lines, we came up with the idea of the possibility of when you check in, that the app could show you who among your friends was already at the gym.??(ie: You just checked in, along with Mary, Bob, Joe, Mike).

* Attendance/social integration:??They wanted the ability for instructors of their classes to be able to take attendance, and post to face book. (example: Judo class, instructor begins class, says that Mike, Robert, Sarah, and Jill are attending).??This would post an update to their Facebook page, tagging those people the instructor picked as being in the class at that time.

*Fitness goals/tracking:?? Theres an app on the android app store called Cardiotrainer (I already use it) that does something like what they are asking.????They want people to be able to log the exercises/classes they do, along with the ability for the app to tell them roughly how many calories they burned (each class is an hour long, so they are going to come up with an approx. number of calories you would burn in that class, say 800/1 hour of kick boxing).??This info would get logged to an SQLite DB on the device, as well as push to a database they have running.?? Along these lines, they would like to have a "what if" ability, where they could enter say "I want to loose 10lbs in 1 month", and the app would recommend a plan for them based around the gyms offerings (take 2 kick boxing classes, 1 krav maga class, and 1 strength training class).?? This is not primarily a fitness app though, so a lot of their numbers will be guessed.

They have some other ideas as well, but want to roll those out at a later time.?? I don't have a basic UI guideline yet, should get some better ideas of home screen/menus, etc as well as other features from them this Thursday, I can provide more info then.?? I haven't signed a contract yet with them (I'm not doing the job for payment, as like you, I'm trying to teach myself more about Android/Java development for my resume) but since I don't know the first thing about IOS dev, Something may be workable if you can get a port going.??I know Objective C is totally different than Java, but I keep all the work I do on my private SVN server, I could either grant access or post to Github for collaboration with anyone that wants to try a port or parallel development for the IOS platform.????I can either start a thread for it, or PM you more info after my meeting on Friday,??I hope to get some UI layout ideas.

The only things I've worked on so far are some sample screens for them to get ideas started, and more recently, Initial work on a proximity alert that will pop up an alert when someone is near the gym (auto check-in)...when they are within 150 meters of the gym (the parking lot) it alerts them.????I've got to work on converting the notification to a popup with a yes/no button.????There is no time frame for this, so nobody feels rushed developing it, and eventually one of the owners wants to work on it himself, I just have to get him up to speed on the basics, then he'll start working on it as well.

Some things I need to learn myself in order to complete this though are Servlets (for posting/getting data from a central Database), Facebook integration, and a few other things, most of the rest I already know from working on one other android app, as well as from my desktop Dot.NET work.

[whitebread]

So here's the question: for the collaborative project, should we try to do the gym thing for SirEvan? The WLM client? Or the Neowin client? :)

[SirEvan]

So here's the question: for the collaborative project, should we try to do the gym thing for SirEvan? The WLM client? Or the Neowin client? :)

ALL 3!!! haha. Honestly, I wouldn't mind taking an idea you guys come up with and doing something in reverse for android, or at least get as much done as I know how to do. GUI's aren't my strong point but I can get something started. I just started working with the guys from the gym, so I won't have a rough layout/functional requirements until later this week. If you guys end up going with the WLM or Neowin client, I can either look for a dev later, or have the owners source someone out to do the IOS port once completed.

[whitebread]

ALL 3!!! haha. Honestly, I wouldn't mind taking an idea you guys come up with and doing something in reverse for android, or at least get as much done as I know how to do. GUI's aren't my strong point but I can get something started. I just started working with the guys from the gym, so I won't have a rough layout/functional requirements until later this week. If you guys end up going with the WLM or Neowin client, I can either look for a dev later, or have the owners source someone out to do the IOS port once completed.

I'd love to do all 3. At least the Neowin app and the gym app. I'm not sure I could do a decent WLM chat app :(