Encyclopedia For Fish On A Pda?

[CruX]

So after being in hospital for a fairly serious major operation in which my beloved tank suffered a little and unfortunately some of my loved ones met a fate worse than mine (I can't blame the mrs she had me to worry about and the children too and it just got a little too much for her) I find m self wanting to replace some of the fish. Only my memory isn't great at the minute and I don't like to impulse buy not carry a possibly outdated guidebook to the shop with me. With that in mind I wondered if there was a fish encyclopedia designed to be run on a PDA or mobile phone available, that way you could find relevent information at the touch of a button while in the shop and might make you want to make a decision a bit faster. I have thought of taking on this task while I wait to go back to work but would consider it pointless if someone already has done it. My question is to those people who have a PDA or a similar mobile phone, would you find a use for it?

Over to you.

*if this is posted in the wrong place please move it to the relevent location mods*

 

[gilaesther]

So after being in hospital for a fairly serious major operation in which my beloved tank suffered a little and unfortunately some of my loved ones met a fate worse than mine (I can't blame the mrs she had me to worry about and the children too and it just got a little too much for her) I find m self wanting to replace some of the fish. Only my memory isn't great at the minute and I don't like to impulse buy not carry a possibly outdated guidebook to the shop with me. With that in mind I wondered if there was a fish encyclopedia designed to be run on a PDA or mobile phone available, that way you could find relevent information at the touch of a button while in the shop and might make you want to make a decision a bit faster. I have thought of taking on this task while I wait to go back to work but would consider it pointless if someone already has done it. My question is to those people who have a PDA or a similar mobile phone, would you find a use for it?

Over to you.

*if this is posted in the wrong place please move it to the relevent location mods*

It would be SOOO worth it! Especially for people like me.

When I go with the intention of buying a fish, I want to come home with a fish - whether or not they have the one I originally wanted (unless I wanted something REALLY particular that is). If I could access something on my phone, that would be terrfic because then I wouldn't need to rely on certain store-persons' imperfect information when it comes to suitability and such.

 

[kewskills]

So after being in hospital for a fairly serious major operation in which my beloved tank suffered a little and unfortunately some of my loved ones met a fate worse than mine (I can't blame the mrs she had me to worry about and the children too and it just got a little too much for her) I find m self wanting to replace some of the fish. Only my memory isn't great at the minute and I don't like to impulse buy not carry a possibly outdated guidebook to the shop with me. With that in mind I wondered if there was a fish encyclopedia designed to be run on a PDA or mobile phone available, that way you could find relevent information at the touch of a button while in the shop and might make you want to make a decision a bit faster. I have thought of taking on this task while I wait to go back to work but would consider it pointless if someone already has done it. My question is to those people who have a PDA or a similar mobile phone, would you find a use for it?

Over to you.

*if this is posted in the wrong place please move it to the relevent location mods*

It would be SOOO worth it! Especially for people like me.

When I go with the intention of buying a fish, I want to come home with a fish - whether or not they have the one I originally wanted (unless I wanted something REALLY particular that is). If I could access something on my phone, that would be terrfic because then I wouldn't need to rely on certain store-persons' imperfect information when it comes to suitability and such.

Ditto

 

[mcdanielnc89]

^^ DITTO

 

[CruX]

Great replies thanks. I am certainly looking into the logistics of it, a question to the mods, what are the rules on recreating the information on this site for the project, life would certainly be a whole lot easier to cut and paste information for it and credit would be acknowledged of course. I would also happily let it be reproduced for free via here.

 

[Viettxboii]

Developed for pda's and phones would be useful, as everyone always caries one or another, and that would greatly help with purchases at an LFS, and if their suitable or not, that way if your lfs has crappy advice, go to your phone/pda xP
Not sure how it would be though, im not an expert on mobile phone apps though.

 

[idlefingers]

I think it would be good, so I've voted yes, but most [new] phones have access to the internet in one way or another so I'd probably still end up using google unless said app had an incredibly huge and comprehensive library

 

[CruX]

I think it would be good, so I've voted yes, but most [new] phones have access to the internet in one way or another so I'd probably still end up using google unless said app had an incredibly huge and comprehensive library

my pdaphone has access to the internet, but I find it a bit slow to find exactly what I am looking for and some webpages particularly this site doesn't display too well. Also in a lot of shops in my town I find the signal a bit pooh. The library I would like to include is basically the one on this site with permission from the data owners of course.

 

[LakeyGal]

Absolutely useful.....keep us posted on progress..

 

[jakeroberts]

that would be so useful

 

[Miss Wiggle]

provided the info on it is decent it's a good idea.

i just shop at a place where i trust the staff and know they have a copy of baensch we can look things up in if need be. however i appreciate we are relativley lucky to have a trustworth shop and a lot of people don't

 

[knight]

sounds like a really good idea.

 

[CruX]

OK the update is> I am making an eBook with the relevent information. Once this is done I will look for a way to convert it to the relevent platforms.

The only problem I am having at the moment is I need to obtain permission to reproduce the text from this site, and photographs. I have created a structure with all the navigation pages so far and I am just testing it before adding all the content. I think I can have a beta version up for testing in about 7 days providing I have the relevent permissions to reproduce information. I will be doing it in a navigation format like a webpage ie I will list all the items under the same way they have been listed on this site for ease and then alphabetically by common name within each catagory. I plan to also put a search capability in so you can search by common and scientific names which would be good if you are unsure of the clasification of the fish.

My only concern is the right to reproduce information and pictures, I am not doing it for any monetry gain and I plan to link in my sources of information so that should help my cause.

*Another update* The template just past bench testing on microsoft reader for PC, I am going to transfer the doc to my pda and test it while I am having my stitches out this afternoon, assuming it passes I will be adding content after the kids are in bed tonight. I just wish I still had my laptop as I can't sit at the PC for too long.

Thanks for all the replies and keep them coming, plus any suggestions for content etc. Assuming that it is a success I can increase the content to include aquarium plants etc.

 

[CruX]

Ok, been slow on updates but the eBook is coming along ok. It is designed for microsoft reader so it can be read on any device that can support the program. Windows, Windows CE/Mobile/pocket PC etc. I am not sure about sybion systems it is somthing to look into. MS Reader is free to down load and operate. I would also presume that any program designed to read .lit files would be able to read it too. I have chosen to 'borrow' information from Wikipedia and credit the wiki site. However I some times find glaring inaccuracies on there so once I am ready some testing from more knowledgeable people than me will be required, my plan is if people find the article wrong then I would like them to correct the article in and send it to me in total, instead of just sending me an email saying something is wrong.. So far I have covered Barbs within Cyprinids. I have decided to put Goldfish and Koi into the cold water section but put other cyprinids such as the White Cloud Mountain Minnow into the Danio section, which I plan to work on this weekend. Hopefully Cyprinids will be cracked this week with the back being broken with Barbs out of the way.

As always thoughts and comments welcome.

 

[MHunt]

I voted yes, it would be like a pokedex for fish! Very useful.