[Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
Does anyone have any recommendations for open source software for tracking Scout progress for their ranks? Our Scout Committee Chairman has used TroopMaster in the past, but the cost is horendous as far as I'm concerned (you have to buy licensing every year?!). Thanks, Alex ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
--- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I used TroopMaster in the past and it did not require me to purchase a new license each year. However that was about 3 years ago and they may have changed their pricing plan. The biggest problem that I had with TroopMaster was that it is not easy to share with the next scout master that comes into the calling. At the Church we are looking at sponsoring an open source project around scouting. Any interested people that would like to work on such a program? Tom TroopMaster changed their licensing to a subscription model with the new major version release last year. The upgrade price for users of old versions gets a 3 year subscription. I'd be interested in working on an open source troop management program, particularly if it worked on multiple platforms. I've run TroopMaster successfully under Wine on Linux and Virtual PC on OS X, but I'd love to have something native :) - Gary PGP Key ID: 071B173D Fingerprint: ED30 B048 6833 56B4 28C0 CE52 F12B 884A 071B 173D ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
RE: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
Hi there, That might work for LDS groups, but I doubt that other faiths want to use that website. Unless it is under the umbrella of BSA. Manfred -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Welch Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 8:43 AM To: LDS Open Source Software Subject: Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking Slide wrote: What would be great is if you could also have a plug-in type system for working with the various religious awards as well (Duty to God for LDS) which would then allow other Scouting groups to take advantage of it without tying it to just LDS Scouting. Yes, DTG is on the map to integrate into this program. The thoughts were to create some kind of a web based application so that parents, scout leaders and boys can all work together. -- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] (801) 240-1609 (858) 829-4614 - Cell -- NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. -- ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
This is interesting to me, though I don't know I have the skills needed to help much unless it's LAMP.If the church were to sponsor an Open Source project, would it be likely a good idea to have it web-browser-based with the church sponsoring a main installation, kind of like phpGedView and John Finlay's pgvhosting.net?Tom HawsOn 6/6/06, Slide [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:I would definitely be interested in helping on an open source project. It might not intercept my Ward's current need, but it might in thefuture and it will help other units out. What would be great is if youcould also have a plug-in type system for working with the variousreligious awards as well (Duty to God for LDS) which would then allow other Scouting groups to take advantage of it without tying it to justLDS Scouting./two_centsAlexOn 6/6/06, Bryan Murdock [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 6/6/06, Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I used TroopMaster in the past and it did not require me to purchase a new license each year.However that was about 3 years ago and they may have changed their pricing plan.The biggest problem that I had with TroopMaster was that it is not easy to share with the next scout master that comes into the calling. At the Church we are looking at sponsoring an open source project around scouting.Any interested people that would like to work on such a program? I'm interested.When I was scoutmaster the complete lack of a decent free application really bothered me.It shouldn't be that hard.In fact, I have the embarrassing little beginnings of a desktop scout tracking application here: http://ctm.sourceforge.net/ Mostly vaporware.I was too busy as scoutmaster to work on it, and now that I'm doing something else I sadly haven't had enough motivation to do much with it in a long while.I really think anything done needs to allow easy collaboration between scoutmaster, assistant scoutmaster, committee chair, even boys and their parents. That's where existing scout tracking software really fails.I searched high and low and there isn't much out there, especially open source.Here's the most active open source project: http://www.jaynorth.net/?view=scouttracker I believe the author has posted to this list before. Also along these lines has anyone see what the BSA is doing with this: https://scoutnet.scouting.org/iadv/UI/Home/ I haven't tracked down my ward's unit ID yet, so I haven't been able to check it out. There is another project that does most of what I figured an online scout tracking application should do here: http://etrailtoeagle.com I don't like that it's not free or open source though. Bryan ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss___Ldsoss mailing listLdsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss-- Tom Haws 480-201-5476OpenOffice.org v. MS Office:Kids love OOo.Wife didn't notice I switched.Get OOo free. There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for Gandhi ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
RE: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
Good point! ;) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Hanks Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 9:04 AM To: LDS Open Source Software Subject: Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking On Tue, 6 Jun 2006, Tom Welch wrote: could also have a plug-in type system for working with the various religious awards as well (Duty to God for LDS) which would then allow other Scouting groups to take advantage of it without tying it to just LDS Scouting. Yes, DTG is on the map to integrate into this program. The thoughts were to create some kind of a web based application so that parents, scout leaders and boys can all work together. Web-based would be great, but with the church's policy on non-official websites, where does that put the local unit that would want to install and use such a web-based app? -- Dan -- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] (801) 240-1609 (858) 829-4614 - Cell -- NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. -- ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
--- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dan Hanks wrote: On Tue, 6 Jun 2006, Tom Welch wrote: could also have a plug-in type system for working with the various religious awards as well (Duty to God for LDS) which would then allow other Scouting groups to take advantage of it without tying it to just LDS Scouting. Yes, DTG is on the map to integrate into this program. The thoughts were to create some kind of a web based application so that parents, scout leaders and boys can all work together. Web-based would be great, but with the church's policy on non-official websites, where does that put the local unit that would want to install and use such a web-based app? -- Dan These are issues that are currently being debated. More soon! Tom I have a couple of other concerns with a web-based app. One, of course, is the privacy and security issue. Do we want to create an application where we (in theory, at least) need to have signed permission forms from all of the parents, because we're putting their kids' information online? Password access controls are all fine and good, but the concern doesn't go away. There's also the issue of portability, by which I mean physical portability, not cross-platform portability. Running TroopMaster in Virtual PC is a bit of a pain, but having it on my Powerbook when I go to meetings with the Scoutmaster, the committee or the parents (regardless of the absence of an internet connection in the meeting) is half the value of using it in the first place. Granted, I could easily install a LAMP app on my Powerbook, too, but should that be necessary? - Gary PGP Key ID: 071B173D Fingerprint: ED30 B048 6833 56B4 28C0 CE52 F12B 884A 071B 173D ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
My thoughts were to create a central repository (whether hosted by the church or individually would be up for debate) and then we could provide several ways to access that data. 1. We (the community) could provide a SOAP or other interface to the data so that people could write thick client applications and synchronize their data with the central repository. I've actually done this quite successfully with some other applications and it works VERY well. So you can run independent of the server but when you go "back online" you can "sync" your data. If a person chose to never "work online" that would work fine as well. 2. We could create an application that only runs on a local machine but has good import/export capability so you can share your data with a new scout master or leader. This approach would not have the collaboration features but solves the privacy issues. Tom Gary Thornock wrote: --- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dan Hanks wrote: On Tue, 6 Jun 2006, Tom Welch wrote: could also have a plug-in type system for working with the various religious awards as well (Duty to God for LDS) which would then allow other Scouting groups to take advantage of it without tying it to just LDS Scouting. Yes, DTG is on the map to integrate into this program. The thoughts were to create some kind of a web based application so that parents, scout leaders and boys can all work together. Web-based would be great, but with the church's policy on non-official websites, where does that put the local unit that would want to install and use such a web-based app? -- Dan These are issues that are currently being debated. More soon! Tom I have a couple of other concerns with a web-based app. One, of course, is the privacy and security issue. Do we want to create an application where we (in theory, at least) need to have signed permission forms from all of the parents, because we're putting their kids' information online? Password access controls are all fine and good, but the concern doesn't go away. There's also the issue of portability, by which I mean physical portability, not cross-platform portability. Running TroopMaster in Virtual PC is a bit of a pain, but having it on my Powerbook when I go to meetings with the Scoutmaster, the committee or the parents (regardless of the absence of an internet connection in the meeting) is half the value of using it in the first place. Granted, I could easily install a LAMP app on my Powerbook, too, but should that be necessary? - Gary PGP Key ID: 071B173D Fingerprint: ED30 B048 6833 56B4 28C0 CE52 F12B 884A 071B 173D ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss -- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] (801) 240-1609 (858) 829-4614 - Cell --
RE: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
Hi Gary, Actually I think without wanting to start a legal debate about it this would be covered by you as a parent allowing your kids to be entered in the MIS already. Manfred. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gary Thornock Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 10:29 AM To: LDS Open Source Software Subject: Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking --- Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dan Hanks wrote: On Tue, 6 Jun 2006, Tom Welch wrote: could also have a plug-in type system for working with the various religious awards as well (Duty to God for LDS) which would then allow other Scouting groups to take advantage of it without tying it to just LDS Scouting. Yes, DTG is on the map to integrate into this program. The thoughts were to create some kind of a web based application so that parents, scout leaders and boys can all work together. Web-based would be great, but with the church's policy on non-official websites, where does that put the local unit that would want to install and use such a web-based app? -- Dan These are issues that are currently being debated. More soon! Tom I have a couple of other concerns with a web-based app. One, of course, is the privacy and security issue. Do we want to create an application where we (in theory, at least) need to have signed permission forms from all of the parents, because we're putting their kids' information online? Password access controls are all fine and good, but the concern doesn't go away. There's also the issue of portability, by which I mean physical portability, not cross-platform portability. Running TroopMaster in Virtual PC is a bit of a pain, but having it on my Powerbook when I go to meetings with the Scoutmaster, the committee or the parents (regardless of the absence of an internet connection in the meeting) is half the value of using it in the first place. Granted, I could easily install a LAMP app on my Powerbook, too, but should that be necessary? - Gary PGP Key ID: 071B173D Fingerprint: ED30 B048 6833 56B4 28C0 CE52 F12B 884A 071B 173D ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
On 6/6/06, Tom Welch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My thoughts were to create a central repository (whether hosted by the church or individually would be up for debate) and then we could provide several ways to access that data. 1. We (the community) could provide a SOAP or other interface to the data so that people could write thick client applications and synchronize their data with the central repository. I've actually done this quite successfully with some other applications and it works VERY well. So you can run independent of the server but when you go back online you can sync your data. If a person chose to never work online that would work fine as well. If you have read my sourceforge project vaporware description that's exactly the road I was thinking of starting down. Committee meetings and scoutmaster conferences are two of the places where the tracking software would be very helpful, but connectivity likely not available. I wonder if a think client is even necessary. Could the web application offer a csv file of data for download that could be edited with excel or oocalc and then re-uploaded? Bryan ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
Re: [Ldsoss] Scout Tracking
On Tue, 6 Jun 2006, Tom Welch wrote: My thoughts were to create a central repository (whether hosted by the church or individually would be up for debate) and then we could provide several ways to access that data. 1. We (the community) could provide a SOAP or other interface to the data so that people could write thick client applications and synchronize their data with the central repository. I've actually done this quite successfully with some other applications and it works VERY well. So you can run independent of the server but when you go back online you can sync your data. If a person chose to never work online that would work fine as well. Oh yeah, this has my vote! Follow the CVS/SVN model. I 'checkout' a snapshot of the latest data with my local client. I take my laptop to the committee meeting, informal meetup with the boy/girl and their parents, or whatever, and input any updates I find. Once I'm back online I login and 'commit' any local changes I've made. If a central web-app were provided by the church, who hosted the data repository, and provided an API into the data, then parents and leaders can use the web-app to see everyone's progress. The community could then build various means of downloading/updating/etc that data. The Palm/handheld crowd could have their clients, the Perl folks (woohoo!) could make Net::LDS::ScoutTrack, and build whatever apps on top of that, the Java folks could do their thing, as could the Python folks. And Bishop, bless his heart, just has to login to the church's web-app to see where everyone is at. Sounds good to me :-). ___ Ldsoss mailing list Ldsoss@lists.ldsoss.org http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
