Friday, April 15, 2011

A custom inventory solution

I recently had the awesome opportunity to work on a platform specific web application for an Abbotsford dentist.  This may surprise you, but it was pretty awesome!
I don't know if you've heard of a company called the Apple hardware and software consortium?  Well neither had I, but they put out this line of products preceded by a lower case i, which I'm guessing is in reference to the internet.   These are things such as the iPod touch, the iPad toucher, and the internetPhone (4, 3, 2, or 0), and all make strong use of a touch with their user interfaces.



One of the problems most troublesome in writing applications for the web is the variety of platforms and browsers available, and worse - in use.  Developers, at least those with any sense of pride invested in their work, spend a great deal of time and energy ensuring that everything looks and works the same in as many browsers as possible.  And while this has gotten easier over the years, it is still very much an issue.

But guess what?  I put all that aside!  The inventory system (it was an inventory system, by the way) was meant solely for interaction via the ipad, ipod touch, and the iphone.  Whether this is to say that I invest no (or at least very little) pride in my work, I can't say. (Don't worry I totally do.)

I derive great enjoyment from the opportunity to design and program interesting user interfaces - in attempt to increase usability and general simplicity.  This project definitely gave me the opportunity to focus on that. I got a chance to use CSS attributes I'd long avoided (border-radius for rounded corners), and unrelated but even better: I think I've finally nailed down the division of responsibility/abstraction in a way that I'm not only satisfied with, but am happy with!


The first version is now complete, and I am toying with some ideas for improvements and additions, pending usage data.

(The logo is a joke btw)