I have had numerous requests for a Mac version of Gemology Tools Professional for years. Now I'm getting requests for it to be available on the iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablets etc. I looked into the cost for designing separate versions for all these devices and I'll just say it is WAY out of my league. But, I could make a web app where any device could use it.
I will have many questions in the coming weeks if some of you don't mind answering them. For now, I will just ask: if you are a GT Pro user what modules would you have to have if you used it on the web and which modules could you do without? Also, are you using tablets/smart phones and would you want to access a web site like mine on such a device?
As always, thanks for your input.
_________________ Information is King. Bill Wise Gemology Tools Professional http://www.gemologytools.com (if you use a Windows machine) http://www.gemologytoolsonline.com (if you use a Mac or iPad)
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
According to this morning's news, Apple is the most successful company on the planet. Easy to believe. I am writing this on my MacBook Pro, within arms reach of my iPhone and my iPad.
I currently can't use my GemologyTools Professional because it is not compatible with my new Laptop.
Of course, one could partition their Mac's hard drive like I did on my old laptop to run Window's programs like GTP and GemeWizard....by investing in Virtual PC for Mac. Virtual PC frequently crashes. I found it unreliable and don't even want to bother with it on my new Mac.
Yeah...it would solve some problems to have the program available online, but that would mandate an internet connection to access it. That could be inconvenient and expensive on both the front and back end.
I vote for rewriting the software so it is compatible with all platforms.
I have a laptop weighing in at 2 lbs, SSD, and LED screen. It is a PC and very mobile IMO. This gives me a very nice keyboard actually usable for typing as well as all the extension ports I would like. Mobility is nice but iPhone apps is not a necessity for me. I'm still strong enough to carry a couple of pounds around for many days but my eyes ar not made for reading large amounts of text on the iPhone anymore I also dislike the "touch-screen-keyboards".
But you can access the GT Pro web site with your laptop. The idea here is to make it available to virtually anyone with an internet connection. Also, as long as the current software will run it will be available as well.
_________________ Information is King. Bill Wise Gemology Tools Professional http://www.gemologytools.com (if you use a Windows machine) http://www.gemologytoolsonline.com (if you use a Mac or iPad)
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:42 pm Posts: 4091 Location: the Netherlands
<rant> Bill, tell me about it... the biggest headache of it all is that the three players, Apple, Windows and Adobe are constantly trying to push the other players out of the market by banning each others technology on their own devices. Android is really easy in that way: it just plays everything.
When I created something two years ago I had to make sure it worked fine in IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari (which plays flash on macbooks and macs but not on Ipads). That was half a challenge but do-able. Nowadays it also has to play nicely on android, ipads & iphones, windows mobile 6.5 & 7 which is making my life miserable cause it just can't be done in some cases... at least... by me, I'm sure that a $100+/hr programmer can rig something up but who has the money for that?
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
I vote for rewriting the software so it is compatible with all platforms.
I vote for a more open approach of apple towards Adobe flash... 75% of the websites on the web uses it... I have trouble understanding why a product that can't properly play 75% of the websites around is so freaking successful! Beats me completely... I know I wouldn't spend that amount of money on something that is so limited in its capabilities...
Analogy: here's a very slick looking microscope, no more focus wheel, you can 'swipe' the area of the object you are looking at and it will automatically focus on what is there and produce a super crisp photo of that area. Everybody has one so you gotta have one! It automatically syncs with all that stuff we sold you last year so you don't have to drag files from one place to another any more. There is one but though: you can only look at rubies and sapphires with it. Sorry, this scope doesn't do tourmalines cause we feel that tourmalines are no longer fashionable (and we don't produce tourmalines, the competitor does, shhhh). We can do this (read: ram this through your throat) cause we are the best selling company on the planet. Eat it... you became ours when you bought your first product and we will decide what is best for you from now on.
</end_rant>
(can you tell I have been battling with this issue for a while now? )
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
The reason Apple products work so smoothly, without viruses, crashes and general crap is that the software allowed is NOT open to every hack with a free evening and a laptop. I think Apple knows what they are doing.
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:42 pm Posts: 4091 Location: the Netherlands
I've never had a single virus on my pc and have been using one for a while now. Think before you install stuff and you're good...
Apple doesn't do it for your own good but for their own good: they want to keep total control of their app store. It's all about the $$...
But... I'm swimming against the current anyway... It isn't that Windows and Adobe place my comfort before their own profit... I better get good at html5 quick...
Kind of hate to say it but I'm doing this for my impending retirement. So, it is about $$ in a sense.
Barbra, just noticed you hit 11,000 posts!! Wow, congrats.
_________________ Information is King. Bill Wise Gemology Tools Professional http://www.gemologytools.com (if you use a Windows machine) http://www.gemologytoolsonline.com (if you use a Mac or iPad)
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