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Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:27 am
by johnshaw
What we've been told is that your Stake President can call a General Authority. That's the most recent way we've had a Church employee on this board let us know how the wards and stakes can influence priorities.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:50 pm
by russellhltn
kerrybird wrote:So.. who makes the decision on when the home visits reporting will go online? How can I give them my input?
Probably something along the lines of Presiding Bishopric. Or, if you want to go up the chain of command, to your Area Authority. It's not like there's some admin people that get to make up their own rules.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:39 pm
by brado426
jdkinkle wrote: 2 -I know some have already developed a website that has already done this, though it cost money, and I feel it should be free.
Hi,

I run the ReturnAndReport.org site. It was free for many years, but the site grew and it became unsustainable without some sort of external funding. It costs money to run the site and the fee that I charge is next to nothing. The fee pays for:

1. Technical support for tens of thousands of people
2. Web hosting
3. Development
4. General support

If I didn't charge some sort of fee, the site would not be operating today.

ReturnAndReport.org allows you to generate assignments files with a third-party utility. We do not encourage or require members to upload any official Church data.

Thanks,

Brad O.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:21 pm
by JDKinkle
So after some research, I realize that I can write the web app where no data is EVER sent to the server. Thanks to HTML 5 local files can be opened and saved. It is not currently implemented but will be soon.

The question I pose(mostly to russellhltn), is this good enough?

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:44 pm
by russellhltn
That might satisfy the letter of the directive, but there's still the question of the appearance. I'd think it would be better if you could make it a free-standing downloadable app. The technology it uses isn't important.

I also think that you'd quickly run into support issues when people discover that what they entered on a "web page" on one machine isn't available on another.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:41 pm
by brado426
This is the 3rd-party app I was talking about. It is a downloadable, free-standing app.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/hvthelper/

Brad O.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:44 am
by JDKinkle
I'd think it would be better if you could make it a free-standing downloadable app. The technology it uses isn't important.
I disagree. I feel third party software isn't necessarily better for a variety of reasons.
1)You need to trust the software to not be malicious just as much as you need to trust a website.
2)For me it's not better to worry about different builds. I want one app to be easily cross platform.
3)Downloading and installing an application takes time. I want as few steps as possible to get the job done.
I also think that you'd quickly run into support issues when people discover that what they entered on a "web page" on one machine isn't available on another.
I will make it clear there is no "cloud" component to it.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:08 am
by brandonreed08
I think this posts actually proves one thing, if the church allowed the membership with coding skills to help these implementations would move forward much more rapidly. The Lord should not have to command in all things, nor should the church have to hire in all circumstances. There are members who are absolutely willing to help at no cost.

Modular solutions rather than proprietary ones end up the victors in the end. Clayton Christensen , a member and Harvard Business School Professor, makes this very clear in his research of disruptive innovation. So if we want to see the work of the Lord hasten we should all pray that such modular are will come to pass. Such as allowing widgets by third party developers to be put on the Church's site. This is the Lord's Church after all and the Lord has stated that anything we pray for that is good and expedient will come to pass.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:39 am
by johnshaw
brandonreed,

This was tried and failed miserably. When you ask those with coding skills to crowdsource development, but not allow them to move at a pace to keep them interested you lose their interest. It is similar all over, those who are innovative and disruptive are not on board with the party line and rather than bring about much good on our own.

It is clear the Church and our leaders (particularly since 2010) but even much earlier with Counseling with our Councils, are anxious to expand the scope of those contributing, rather than a single Bishop being the only person to make decisions in a ward, but that transition is slow and painful.

Re: HomeTeaching Organizer App Beta Version

Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 12:09 pm
by russellhltn
brandonreed08 wrote:I think this posts actually proves one thing, if the church allowed the membership with coding skills to help these implementations would move forward much more rapidly.
It's not a coding issue, but a policy one.