BonsaiNut mobile app?

[YAN]

Hello guys,

I know nothing about app creation, costs, rules or any.....

but why not create one? It would be more organized, instant notifications, faster and so on.

I know I can’t speak behalf of others but even it was paid I personally don’t mind paying a fraction of price we’re paying for this hobby for an app with this much info and help.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have no trouble with using my phone's web browser, Chrome, accessing BNut. It displays well on my phone. I can add photos easily from my phone. I don't see how an app would help except to make it unfamiliar and difficult to use.

IBC had a mobile app, that rendered the website unintelligible. I would have to force my phone to use the web version in order to navigate sub-forums on IBC. I don't see an app doing anything but harm, because if you know how to navigate BNut from a laptop, if you create an app that changes how you navigate BNut it will irritate all us old fogies who learned the old way and hate new tricks when the old is working just fine.

 

[zanduh]

Forum apps are typically really bad because they try to save phone battery by stripping out functionality to the barebones and then slowly working back up to full function.

However, I would not at all mind an app where people could just post progress pictures of different projects. Being able to follow a bunch of people easily instead of having to find threads would be nice.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Though I am not against developing an app, I'm not sure what the objective would be. For example, answer the question: my bonsainut app would do this ______________.

I am always trying to make the site work well on numerous platforms and numerous display resolutions. 64% of our traffic comes from cell phone visitors/members. I can't count the hours that I spend looking at the site via cell phones, even though I administer the site via PC. The site has responsive formatting so that it will change the site format based on your device and display... but it is nigh impossible to find the sweet spot for ALL devices and ALL displays. I am always tweaking things based on the changing tech environment. My biggest gripe is with our Google ads, which, even though they pay for the site, can be extremely intrusive and ugly on mobile devices. And the universe is always changing... and change is not always good (just ask Windows 10 users, LOL)

A forum site works uniquely well (in my opinion) for bonsai, due to the nature of the hobby and the long periods of time involved. On this site you can often find threads that span five or more YEARS and track the development of specific trees. Coupled with the ability to store images indefinitely, we can (and are) creating an informal bonsai archive that allows people to search and find specific records of trees and techniques over time. Not sure what functionality an app would bring to the table to complement what we already have.

 

[canoeguide]

I know nothing about app creation, costs, rules or any.....

As a developer, I can tell you that this would be a *giant* pile of work. Someone could make a "fake" app that basically just wraps bonsainut in a browser to look like an app, but that doesn't really add anything that you can't already do.

 

[Clicio]

Though I am not against developing an app, I'm not sure what the objective would be
...
Not sure what functionality an app would bring to the table to complement what we already have.

None.
I happen to have Android and iOS cellphones, Mac and Win computers and an iPad tablet.
Bonsai Nut works flawlessly in all of my devices via web browsers.
Please, leave it like it is now.
Working.

 

[ShadyStump]

I was thinking something along these lines earlier today, only an app that would pull certain info from any given forum and display it on your phone outside the browser.
Essentially, it would be notifications and "read/view only" support for any forum you logged it into. I ditched the idea almost as fast as I thought of it because forum architecture can vary wildly so the app as I imagined it would only work on a fistful of sites.

 

[Paradox]

The web site works fine on my phone via Chrome. No need for an app taking up space on the phone.

 

[YAN]

I know nothing about app creation, costs, rules or any.....

Ok I’m glad i started with that sentence, it saved my life.

never thought about all of you guys said, i was just thinking loud (and typing it and accidentally created a thread ! LOL)

my respects to all of you.

 

[leatherback]

I do not need an app
buuuttt...

I could see added value to have an app that makes the forum available for offline viewing. Say, you are on a plane (It WILL happen again! Promise!) and you want o browse the forum. Havig a cache would be nice. But.. Considering the images.. It would need A LOT of space to even cache only the threads updated in the last week or so.

 

[roberthu]

This is one of the easiest forum to browse on iPhone and still have all the functions I like. Not sure how much better an app can be.

 

[shimbrypaku]

I have no problem with the site on an iPhone
I would not change anything

Just my opinion

 

[Hoyonokuma]

Hi everyone.
I'm new to posting, albeit visiting the site on a regular basis, as it is by far the most resourceful place you can find about the hobby on the internet.

Taking the chance to throw my 2 cents there:
What about an interactive Map function (colored by hardiness zones) that allows you to pick a spot and shows you what kind of regional plants are best to be used as a bonsai there? (thinking about Plant Net aplfor instance)
May as well list a few examples sorted by variety, using the pictures of the uploaded bonsai here on the forum (a self-updating list from the 'identify my bonsai' page?).
Or even show you which online members come from that area, for practical purposes (open quick chat with selected member like: "hey nut, i have this beast procumbens with scale foliage to repot, and shitton of beer in the basement. Wanna come over?")

Anyways, no pun on the browser version intended. I love how kind, active, and knowledgeable people are in here, and I'll always be here reading about one's Pomegranades development or the 2million seeds challenges.

FS

 

[j evans]

I like it the way it is. Just my vote.