I'm a webdev student. You might be able to do this easy by running a raspberry pi serving a webpage that interacts with a MariaDB (SQL) database. I have a pi hooked to a wifi router that acts as a private server, you could do the same and just visit the website to insert/query the database and print reports.
I'd be glad to help develop it, if you don't mind that my schoolwork takes first priority (in final semester). After the page is tested, the total hardware cost would be under $100. 1 Rasp pi, an ethernet cord, a wifi router.
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Student to student, I think it would be a fun project and a great addition to my portfolio we're making for graduation. I can do SQL (databases) or MongoDB (different kind of database) and HTML/CSS/JS/PHP for the webpage, and I'm okay at Linux/Debian SysAdmin. I serve webpages with Apache2
and PHP, but I know the MEAN stack too if your app needs more (I doubt it) and can set up Fail2ban and UFW firewall.
I'm a webdev student. You might be able to do this easy by running a raspberry pi serving a webpage that interacts with a MariaDB (SQL) database. I have a pi hooked to a wifi router that acts as a private server, you could do the same and just visit the website to insert/query the database and print reports.
I'd be glad to help develop it, if you don't mind that my schoolwork takes first priority (in final semester). After the page is tested, the total hardware cost would be under $100. 1 Rasp pi, an ethernet cord, a wifi router.
<edit>
Student to student, I think it would be a fun project and a great addition to my portfolio we're making for graduation. I can do SQL (databases) or MongoDB (different kind of database) and HTML/CSS/JS/PHP for the webpage, and I'm okay at Linux/Debian SysAdmin. I serve webpages with Apache2
and PHP, but I know the MEAN stack too if your app needs more (I doubt it) and can set up Fail2ban and UFW firewall.
If it's a common problem, why hasn't it already been solved?
What sort of problem is it that you think a coder would be able to help?
If it's a common problem, why hasn't it already been solved?
What sort of problem is it that you think a coder would be able to help?
In essence it's a data/inventory management problem. The two main issues I found with the commercial solutions, are a lack of awareness, and a lack of customization/tailoring to their target audience. Biology researchers are not very computer savvy in general and aren't going to go out of their way to find a solution unless it smacks them in the face, fits within the University budget requirements, and can operate inside the less than friendly security guidelines, both physical and IT.
In the many discussions I had with my mentor in graduate school, he couldn't figure what the existing solutions actually did based on their advertising, and didn't see anything to motivate him to send a grad student to figure it outcand so kept moving on and stuck with the tried and true(ish) standard.
As is, the standard is to use Excel spreadsheets to manage almost everything, print out the pages and write on them while you're doing your work away your desk. When you get back, type in your notes and update the sheet. That breaks down when you're managing hundreds of things.
My idea breaks down into three parts, a mobile management device like a Fire tablet, a QR code printer and a computer database updated by the mobile device. I'm 28, the aging out generation of lab running researchers are in their 70s now...
In essence it's a data/inventory management problem. The two main issues I found with the commercial solutions, are a lack of awareness, and a lack of customization/tailoring to their target audience. Biology researchers are not very computer savvy in general and aren't going to go out of their way to find a solution unless it smacks them in the face, fits within the University budget requirements, and can operate inside the less than friendly security guidelines, both physical and IT.
In the many discussions I had with my mentor in graduate school, he couldn't figure what the existing solutions actually did based on their advertising, and didn't see anything to motivate him to send a grad student to figure it outcand so kept moving on and stuck with the tried and true(ish) standard.
As is, the standard is to use Excel spreadsheets to manage almost everything, print out the pages and write on them while you're doing your work away your desk. When you get back, type in your notes and update the sheet. That breaks down when you're managing hundreds of things.
My idea breaks down into three parts, a mobile management device like a Fire tablet, a QR code printer and a computer database updated by the mobile device. I'm 28, the aging out generation of lab running researchers are in their 70s now...
standard is to use Excel
Well see there is your problem right there.
I'm assuming you'd want to use the QR codes as an identifier of samples, or something? How many data fields are we looking at? Are there some that are unique to specific cases?
Using tablets to identify the codes sounds like it'd be expensive for a school-run lab, but could maybe get away with a phone app.
> standard is to use Excel
Well see there is your problem right there.
I'm assuming you'd want to use the QR codes as an identifier of samples, or something? How many data fields are we looking at? Are there some that are unique to specific cases?
Using tablets to identify the codes sounds like it'd be expensive for a school-run lab, but could maybe get away with a phone app.
standard is to use Excel
Well see there is your problem right there.
I know right?!
Part of the logic on the tablets was to allow the tablet to live in clean areas you can't bring stuff into without a sterilization cycle. Without specifying exactly what that area is, the QR code was more to allow rapid identification of samples, and to pull up the database entry for that sample. "What sample is this again, and what do I need to do to it again? Oh! Right."
Research Labs have a larger budget then you might think. Our discretionary purchase limit is 5K at least where I work/worked. If you need it, you need it. Over 5K, you fill out a sole source form, and then you buy it.
>>standard is to use Excel
>Well see there is your problem right there.
I know right?!
Part of the logic on the tablets was to allow the tablet to live in clean areas you can't bring stuff into without a sterilization cycle. Without specifying exactly what that area is, the QR code was more to allow rapid identification of samples, and to pull up the database entry for that sample. "What sample is this again, and what do I need to do to it again? Oh! Right."
Research Labs have a larger budget then you might think. Our discretionary purchase limit is 5K at least where I work/worked. If you need it, you need it. Over 5K, you fill out a sole source form, and then you buy it.
Sounds a bit like something I'd started working on for home inventory. Of course, I didn't need a clean room. The QR codes were to be able to scan a box to pull it up online (with a URL). I used a CMS (Drupal 8) with a custom node type and fields, and included one for having parent/child relationships (e.g. you could have an item within a box within a box).
The website was functional and I used a tablet, but data entry felt a little slow (something I could have eventually improved by making a more responsive client-side interface rather than the web server generating a web page each request). It was nice to be able to use the search function. Having pictures of my items was also a nice touch I thought.
After some work, I decided a spreadsheet would be more productive for my purposes. I'd start with an empty box, write a number its sides with a marker (e.g. "Box 12"), and write everything in a spreadsheet. It saved me some development time, and I'm still able to determine quickly enough where I've stored some random thing I rarely use (e.g. the other day I needed a SVGA cable and located it in Box 20).
I'm not sure about how to find someone good. I've helped with hiring other developers before, and it can be difficult to find good ones. You might want to try on guru.com or freelancer.com.
Sounds a bit like something I'd started working on for home inventory. Of course, I didn't need a clean room. The QR codes were to be able to scan a box to pull it up online (with a URL). I used a CMS (Drupal 8) with a custom node type and fields, and included one for having parent/child relationships (e.g. you could have an item within a box within a box).
The website was functional and I used a tablet, but data entry felt a little slow (something I could have eventually improved by making a more responsive client-side interface rather than the web server generating a web page each request). It was nice to be able to use the search function. Having pictures of my items was also a nice touch I thought.
After some work, I decided a spreadsheet would be more productive for my purposes. I'd start with an empty box, write a number its sides with a marker (e.g. "Box 12"), and write everything in a spreadsheet. It saved me some development time, and I'm still able to determine quickly enough where I've stored some random thing I rarely use (e.g. the other day I needed a SVGA cable and located it in Box 20).
I'm not sure about how to find someone good. I've helped with hiring other developers before, and it can be difficult to find good ones. You might want to try on guru.com or freelancer.com.
I'm not sure about what to do in terms of hiring programmers other than the obvious things people might already suggest, but I do think you should at least take an introductory programming class and maybe an introductory database class. Not to necessarily develop it, but so you can better communicate with your people, have an idea of what needs to be done and the scope, and maybe be able to pick up on if you're getting screwed around a bit.
Like then maybe even if you have your guy or your team locked in, and he's like "I think this or that language or framework would be best for this project" then you should get your feet wet with it. If you were a manager of a larger company and you have people under you to spoon feed you all the details, you can get away without going into the weeds but small teams need to be as hands on as possible.
I'm not sure about what to do in terms of hiring programmers other than the obvious things people might already suggest, but I do think you should at least take an introductory programming class and maybe an introductory database class. Not to necessarily develop it, but so you can better communicate with your people, have an idea of what needs to be done and the scope, and maybe be able to pick up on if you're getting screwed around a bit.
Like then maybe even if you have your guy or your team locked in, and he's like "I think this or that language or framework would be best for this project" then you should get your feet wet with it. If you were a manager of a larger company and you have people under you to spoon feed you all the details, you can get away without going into the weeds but small teams need to be as hands on as possible.
I took a C# class, and have been slowly working on that, but I work a full time job now, and it got pushed to a back burner. With the job market as it is, and what's been going on at work, I'm trying to keep an eye out and develop this on the side incase something happens. I'd like to be self employed again.
I took a C# class, and have been slowly working on that, but I work a full time job now, and it got pushed to a back burner. With the job market as it is, and what's been going on at work, I'm trying to keep an eye out and develop this on the side incase something happens. I'd like to be self employed again.
A little background. I'm a programmer at a company that would be described as a "technology start up". We're in a similarly niche field so I might be able to give you some advice.
It will be harder than you think. We are now starting to get some traction in industry, but it's a long road. Been going over a decade with some very lean times. E.g. we all (about a dozen staff) went about 6 months without pay one year, there was so little money that we couldn't afford to buy toilet paper for the office.
What I would look for is:
people from other companies who have done similar things to give you advice. Not necessarily the exact same field, but other niche fields.
avoid ad hoc development, at least for the core architecture of the application. Instead get a good lead dev with software engineering ability/ experience. Rare as hens teeth though. Getting the architecture right, or at least not horribly wrong, the first time will save heaps.
don't outsource anything. Every time I've seen that tried it turns into a streaming pile of shit.
getting a good team together will be paramount.
figure out how your going to fund it. Can you get R & D finding from anywhere. I'm not much of an expert in that area though, spend my tin be stick in the code.
if you're trying to hire devs, a written test with problem solving and coding questions is really useful. It will scare away ~80% of applicants, but that's a good thing.
Feel free to ask me anything else.
A little background. I'm a programmer at a company that would be described as a "technology start up". We're in a similarly niche field so I might be able to give you some advice.
It will be harder than you think. We are now starting to get some traction in industry, but it's a long road. Been going over a decade with some very lean times. E.g. we all (about a dozen staff) went about 6 months without pay one year, there was so little money that we couldn't afford to buy toilet paper for the office.
What I would look for is:
- people from other companies who have done similar things to give you advice. Not necessarily the exact same field, but other niche fields.
- avoid ad hoc development, at least for the core architecture of the application. Instead get a good lead dev with software engineering ability/ experience. Rare as hens teeth though. Getting the architecture right, or at least not horribly wrong, the first time will save heaps.
- don't outsource anything. Every time I've seen that tried it turns into a streaming pile of shit.
- getting a good team together will be paramount.
- figure out how your going to fund it. Can you get R & D finding from anywhere. I'm not much of an expert in that area though, spend my tin be stick in the code.
- if you're trying to hire devs, a written test with problem solving and coding questions is really useful. It will scare away ~80% of applicants, but that's a good thing.
Feel free to ask me anything else.
If you know enough to scope out what you need I've had success using upwork.com
You get what you pay for though. Do plenty of research on feedback from other gigs that people have completed
If you know enough to scope out what you need I've had success using upwork.com
You get what you pay for though. Do plenty of research on feedback from other gigs that people have completed
[Sorry about the link but this is the best one I could find. ](https://external-preview.redd.it/ORK94oXHwEJAlJm3J2dwKUbVTcxnWIPnAcVGBArnRBE.jpg?auto=webp&s=5e066a17ffe4dd09f1e1861bdce1204972434241)
What kind of horseshit infographic is that? Ruby hasn't been relevant in years, and Python should be rated much higher due to its use in AI/ML.
Also don't fucking start with Python, that shit will teach you all kinds of bad habits if it's your first language. Start with C or Java.
What kind of horseshit infographic is that? Ruby hasn't been relevant in years, and Python should be rated much higher due to its use in AI/ML.
Also don't fucking start with Python, that shit will teach you all kinds of bad habits if it's your first language. Start with C or Java.
[ummm](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-l49oXXoAIPuOC.jpg)
If you're going to be a useless retard who scoffs when someone who knows what the fuck they're talking about says something, you should go play in traffic.
If you're going to be a useless retard who scoffs when someone who knows what the fuck they're talking about says something, you should go play in traffic.
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