Suggestion App for ScubaBoard

[ScottishTapWater]

It would be great if there was an app for this forum (if there isn't already, I couldn't find one).

If there's an open API I could use, I'd happily make a free one if people were interested.

 

[dlofting]

I fail to see how there would be any reputational damage from an app that is clearly marked as unofficial stopping if I’m honest with you.

It could be as clear as literally putting “(Unofficial)” in the app name.

People are people. Some will be upset if something they use and like is no longer available. They'll blame everyone from Scubaboard to the software gods.

If you're going to build it you need to factor in the time and cost for updates.

 

[tursiops]

I've never heard of TapaTalk, I'll take a look and see if it works.

Ahhh, youth.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Now that someone brought up the user demographics issue, as one of the old guard in the computing realm (BS comp sci 1985) I'll say I only visit SB or other such discussion forums on my phone very occasionally, mostly when traveling. Other than that, I use a computer with a full keyboard and screen that are easy for my fat fingers and old eyes. I like apps, just not for having long discussions of the type that the forum format is so conducive to.

Similar computing "old guard" (BS comp sci 1988), and I use it on my phone ALL THE TIME. I also use the full web version as well. I do find the mobile version on Safari on iOS to work surprisingly well. But with that said, I would welcome an app as well. I used to use tapatalk when it was supported there and that was nice.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Similar computing "old guard" (BS comp sci 1988), and I use it on my phone ALL THE TIME. I also use the full web version as well. I do find the mobile version on Safari on iOS to work surprisingly well. But with that said, I would welcome an app as well. I used to use tapatalk when it was supported there and that was nice.

I don't mind working on my phone if I'm just browsing posts (and I recall using Tapatalk), but if I'm going to write more than a few sentences, I need a real keyboard to compose it.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I don't mind working on my phone if I'm just browsing posts (and I recall using Tapatalk), but if I'm going to write more than a few sentences, I need a real keyboard to compose it.

I don't disagree there, but I do also make significant used of voice-to-text followed by editing.

 

[rmssetc]

Please consider unintended consequences of an app.

Besides any reputational affect (assuming that app users would notice & understand the word "Unofficial" in the app title ignores behavior found all over the internet) and implied commitments to on-going development & support, an app is likely to generate a significantly higher and different back-end load than the same user reading SB via a browser. This is particularly an issue if the app is accessing SB 24x7 in order to receive notifications, and the app's network traffic is happening a higher rate than a human with their fingers on a keyboard. This may be a discussion to have with the SB maintainers, particularly if accessing SB via the API also eliminates (reduces?) the ad revenue for the site.

Also, as a Compsci 1987 curmudgeon, while I'm all in favor of open-source and more community interest and development of Scubaboard, I'd never use an app.

 

[Rilelen]

As a gentle voice in favor of an app….we’ve talked a lot about scuba diving as an aging community of divers, and how to bring younger divers into the hobby. Right now those younger divers seem to be congregating at Reddit’s r/scuba. I’m a college prof - the young folks are on apps, whether we like them or not; I’m not sure many are even aware of the existence of old-school discussion board websites like ScubaBoard (yeah, we’re old school at this point!). I don’t think it’s an accident that OP is himself in his 20s, and sees the need for an app where many of us older users don’t.

If we want to bring younger divers into the fold, making Scubaboard accessible to them is a huge potential service we can do as a community. Long-time users here probably won’t use or need an app - if we did, we wouldn’t still be here (aka “survival bias”). But if we want to bring younger divers into the fold, and keep them here, an app is one relatively easy step in that direction.

 

[Miyaru]

Which functionality would an app provide, that's not provided by the webserver (web-based mobile pages)?

Over the last decade, html5 has been developed to eliminate the need for a separate app, which requires both an android and ios version. Stylesheets and javascript/jquery have been developed with a strong focus on mobiles. One of the most-used products for that is Bootstrap - pages are designed mobile-friendly and reactive, so they display nicely formatted regardless of your platform and browser.
Push notifications can be sent to your device (desktop/tablet/mobile) if you choose so.

If there's no answer to my question, then an app would be nothing but a webbrowser with a SB logo, and it would always be behind on technology additions in new mainstream webbrowser versions.

 

[Miyaru]

Looking at the docs, the API seems like a reasonably stable target. So, unless/until there's a XenForo v3, I don't anticipate there being much of maintenance burden.

Given I'd likely be doing it for free, the commitment would be "I'll do my best" rather than anything firm, but if the owner was amicable to the idea, we could just open source it then the entire burden wouldn't have to fall on me alone.

Here's the documentation:

REST API | Developer Documentation | XenForo

Developer documentation for XenForo

xenforo.com

REST API endpoints (2.2)

This document assumes you have already created an API key and setup the necessary headers for your request. Learn more about using the API.

xenforo.com

 

[Tracy]

I've never heard of TapaTalk, I'll take a look and see if it works.

It is an older app that works great with Vbulletin systems. I used it a lot during the big forum days in early to mid 2000s.

They supported scubaboard until the xenforo switch.