SS.org mobile phone app

[Stealthdjentstic]

I would ask one of the mods to get a hold of him. Or post on MLP

 

[PetrucciVai]

Oh okay I'll do that. Whats MLP?

 

[MFB]

Mylespaul.com

 

[PetrucciVai]

Hey guys, just a quick update for ya:

I finally got in touch with the site owner, Alex, and he didn't seem to have a problem with me making an SS.org app which is cool, but he basically said "no login functionality", which I think mostly defeats the purpose. Sure I can make an easy to use "reader" type app but if you can't reply/post things the functionality is pretty limited...

So at this point development has slowed down quite a bit. I've been toying with some iPhone development here and there so an iPhone version is definitely do-able alongside the android version, but if there's little to no interest in an app without login functionality I don't see a point in finishing

What do you all think? I'm open to any/all ideas at this point. If anyone wants to try and get in touch with Alex further regarding including the ability to log-in in my app go for it, but I have yet to hear back to him... (clearly a busy dude )

 

[BIG ND SWEATY]

why did he say no login function?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

why did he say no login function?

This. I can read like this just fine in this format, but typing is a bitch.

 

[PetrucciVai]

why did he say no login function?

You know... I wish I knew. He's real hard to get a hold of. I asked him myself (because the method I have in place now logs the user in the exact same way as the browser does, I can't see why it would be a problem) but he has yet to get back to me

 

[MFB]

Didn't I see a few posts of yours that were sent from the prototype version of this? If so, then how did YOU login to post them?

I know I definitely saw someones post saying "Sent from Sevenstring.org App for Android"

 

[PetrucciVai]

Didn't I see a few posts of yours that were sent from the prototype version of this? If so, then how did YOU login to post them?

I know I definitely saw someones post saying "Sent from Sevenstring.org App for Android"

I'm not sure where you saw that signature in a post... I've definitely never seen it before

But I do have a prototype version of the app running on my personal phone that DOES have log-in functionality. The question here is whether or not the site owner (Alex) would approve of me releasing an app that has said functionality. The option is there and works though....

Maybe if I get a 100% working beta version and make a video showing off the app the community can convince Alex to let me release it as the official SS.org app

 

[Sephael]

Security concerns over harvesting user IDs and passwords would be my guess as to why he wouldn't want an app having log in function.

 

[Robrecht]

A dedicated SSO app would be the best, and it's very cool to hear that you already have a functioning beta. I do, however, understand the site owner's reluctance to give a third party access to member data, especially on a forum of this size -- just imagine the potential privacy disaster. You'd have to come to some kind of agreement, I guess.

Another possibility might be for someone to create a mobile template for the forum that kicks in automatically when a mobile browser is detected. It could have larger navigation controls and other small screen optimisations; it wouldn't be as good as an app, but there would be no security concerns.

 

[PetrucciVai]

A dedicated SSO app would be the best, and it's very cool to hear that you already have a functioning beta. I do, however, understand the site owner's reluctance to give a third party access to member data, especially on a forum of this size -- just imagine the potential privacy disaster. You'd have to come to some kind of agreement, I guess.

Another possibility might be for someone to create a mobile template for the forum that kicks in automatically when a mobile browser is detected. It could have larger navigation controls and other small screen optimisations; it wouldn't be as good as an app, but there would be no security concerns.

Yeah, security concerns are obviously a huge risk for the site (hence why theres no mobile app running with Tapatalk as of yet) but the thing is that because I don't have access to the SS.org servers in any way (and no VBulletin API to access) I'm forced to browse the site with basic HTTP requests and sort through the HTML to get the data I want: aka exactly how a normal internet browser accesses the SS.org site Obviously not the best way to go about it, but technically I'm not doing anything more than a web browser does, so hopefully this will help Alex realize there's no reason to restrict me from having log-in functionality.

Meaning I can get the app done faster and released to you guys!

 

[Sephael]

Not having access to server side data doesn't prevent logging and harvesting of user names / passwords from people using the app, ala key loggers etc, that is the concern

 

[PetrucciVai]

Not having access to server side data doesn't prevent logging and harvesting of user names / passwords from people using the app, ala key loggers etc, that is the concern

Ah, right, very true. I hadn't even thought of that. I wonder what would be the best way to go about that? I mean I suppose there's always a slight threat of that happening with any app that requires a login/password to use, unless you can prove it to not to be true somehow. Maybe releasing the source code would do the trick?

Very important thing to consider, thanks for that

 

[MFB]

I'm not sure where you saw that signature in a post... I've definitely never seen it before

But I do have a prototype version of the app running on my personal phone that DOES have log-in functionality. The question here is whether or not the site owner (Alex) would approve of me releasing an app that has said functionality. The option is there and works though....

Maybe if I get a 100% working beta version and make a video showing off the app the community can convince Alex to let me release it as the official SS.org app

Found the post I was referencing before, it was the very first post on page 20 of the Jackson X Series thread, here's how it looked :

Wow thats a beauty that is


Posted from Sevenstring.org App for Android

 

[PetrucciVai]

Found the post I was referencing before, it was the very first post on page 20 of the Jackson X Series thread, here's how it looked :

Interesting... Turns out this is from another app in the Play Store (not mine) with only 10+ downloads. Originally I searched for an SS.org app before I started mine (or at least I thought I did) but never found anything.

That's cool that someone already made one I guess... but (no offense to the developer) it needs some work. Searching for the dev in the google store you can see the exact same app adapted to work for a few hundred other forum sites. I'd rather create an app that's a bit more tailored to ss.org itself, as well as follow the android design guidelines a little closer. Nice to know there's some competition out there though

As far as I can tell (fingers crossed) there is no iOS equivalent out there, either. So that might give me a leg up as well

 

[FireInside]

I saw that sig as well. I just figured someone was messing around.

 

[PetrucciVai]

Hey guys, just stopping in for a quick update on the progress of this bad boy.

Development slowed to a halt once school/work kicked in, but I've recently picked up on the progress and now have the time to put steady work into the app. I made a picture album of some screenshots to show off, just because I don't have any sort of demo video (and haven't set up a system for beta testers or anything like that). I plan to do both of those things eventually! Just not in the middle of my studying tonight.

I also will probably make a new thread for future updates/requests once I can release a beta copy for people to play around with, but as of now I haven't quite got replies working 100% (so I don't think there's a reason to release a beta if you can't reply to any threads!)

Check out the pictures here. Also please feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments you have. I'm making this app for you guys (besides my own personal use of course) so if you've got input, let me know! I tried to stick with the general color scheme of the site, as well as follow as many android design guidelines as possible (the final colors/design might change a bit, we'll see). I also decided on the side/scroll-out menu for the main navigation throughout the app (and its got a sweet fade-out effect that looks sexy).

Also (this is important): if you have any desire to be a beta tester (aka get a copy of this sweet app before I release it for real) please email me at mitchare@gmail.com and tell me. Once I get some more stuff set up you'll be the first ones to get a copy to play with

 

[JosephAOI]

Search function? Can you give likes and rep easily? What about quoting posts, ect.?

Looks really good so far man!

 

[Sofos]

Have you talked with Alex about logging in with the app?

also, instead of the android logo, you should put the 777 logo, or find some way to implement the site logo.