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Critique My App: yourmuni for easier bus riding in SF and soon other places

1 points by mihasya 18y ago

Just a small app using Django and the Google App Engine for improving the workflow provided by nextbus.com. Write up here: http://mihasya.com/blog/?p=203, source here: http://github.com/mihasya/yourmuni

asimjalis 18y ago
Is the site layout optimized for the iPhone?
- mihasya 18y ago
  Yeah, but it works on most other phones its been tried on (limited audience so far, but I know it works well on the G1, as well as on some basic browser phones with small screens) By the way: any feedback as to how it looks on non-smart phones + screenshots would be really appreciated.
mihasya 18y ago
Hmmm I guess if you submit a link, the "text" field gets ignored. It uses Django and the App Engine. Data is just a scrape of nextbus.com. The write up is here: http://mihasya.com/blog/?p=203 http://mihasya.com/blog/?p=203 Code is here: http://github.com/mihasya/yourmuni http://github.com/mihasya/yourmuni
aristus 18y ago
It's nice if you already know the routes, names, etc. But what if I want to go to Golden Gate Park and only have a vauge idea how to get there, transfers, etc?
- mihasya 18y ago
  Well, at least at this phase, I'm solving the very specific problem (dogfooding like crazy here, btw) of having a very set routine that can involve N number of busses where N > 1. Instead of having to look up departure times for each bus individually, you just set a bookmark. Now every morning, I just click "To Shuttle" and have everything I need to know. Stuff like directions is already handled by Google Maps, though I realize that's not available on all phones.
okeumeni 18y ago
Between the ‘pick a direction’, ‘pick a stop’ and displaying the actual time, if you could show some location graphic it would be nice. Also I will suggest you use Google Maps or any similar service to give it some colors. Great idea!!!
- mihasya 18y ago
  I like that... I'll have to see if there's a way to locate the stops short of just maintaining a database. I'll also need to be careful with browser detection - I don't want to be loading a Google map on an edge connection. I'm trying to walk a fine line with having a nice user experience and making it usable on ANY mobile device.

1 points by mihasya 18y ago

asimjalis 18y ago

Is the site layout optimized for the iPhone?

mihasya 18y ago
Yeah, but it works on most other phones its been tried on (limited audience so far, but I know it works well on the G1, as well as on some basic browser phones with small screens) By the way: any feedback as to how it looks on non-smart phones + screenshots would be really appreciated.

mihasya 18y ago

Hmmm I guess if you submit a link, the "text" field gets ignored. It uses Django and the App Engine. Data is just a scrape of nextbus.com. The write up is here: http://mihasya.com/blog/?p=203 http://mihasya.com/blog/?p=203 Code is here: http://github.com/mihasya/yourmuni http://github.com/mihasya/yourmuni

aristus 18y ago

It's nice if you already know the routes, names, etc. But what if I want to go to Golden Gate Park and only have a vauge idea how to get there, transfers, etc?

mihasya 18y ago
Well, at least at this phase, I'm solving the very specific problem (dogfooding like crazy here, btw) of having a very set routine that can involve N number of busses where N > 1. Instead of having to look up departure times for each bus individually, you just set a bookmark. Now every morning, I just click "To Shuttle" and have everything I need to know. Stuff like directions is already handled by Google Maps, though I realize that's not available on all phones.

okeumeni 18y ago

Between the ‘pick a direction’, ‘pick a stop’ and displaying the actual time, if you could show some location graphic it would be nice. Also I will suggest you use Google Maps or any similar service to give it some colors. Great idea!!!

mihasya 18y ago
I like that... I'll have to see if there's a way to locate the stops short of just maintaining a database. I'll also need to be careful with browser detection - I don't want to be loading a Google map on an edge connection. I'm trying to walk a fine line with having a nice user experience and making it usable on ANY mobile device.