This AGPLv2 application will be designed to bring the control and data management capabilities of an RDBMS to the average user in a simple, easy to use OS independent application. The content will be delivered in an easy to use and manipulate format within the convenience of a modern browser. The initial focus of the application will be on cataloging a comic book collection but the ability to catalog other collections can and will be added at a later date as resources become available. If you want to catalog or track a specific collectionit all that will needed is a SQL table structure that follows simple guidlines to be discussed at a later time. Once completed, the framework and templates written in PHP/AJAX, will be capable of using interacting with this table sturcute with minimual changes.
The application will use Postgres for the storage of the necessary data objects. Developers will interact with the data through the use of PHP, SQL, and AJAX. The user will be provided with a web application allowing the entering of values into the various tables, columns, and rows, with a minimal amount of typing, to track the data and organize it graphically so that they may be able to see the extent of or missing areas of, their collection. Advanced users and developers will be able to manipulate the structure of the database as well. Print, export, and import capabilities will be available in a format compatible with other programs including Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, Google Docs, or Open Office Calc as development continues.
This will be available as a stand-alone application run from a hosted web server or the user will have the ability to install it on their machine through the use of a virtual appliance and access it locally or across a network. If they wish to build the server themselves the code base for the application and corrasponding website is also be available for download under the same license.
There are other websites and programs that do these tasks quite well but none function as both an on-line service and a standalone program that share a common interface and have the ability to sync with each other and other public databases. While many other sites are low cost or free and provide other benefits such as a marketplace or forum, none provide the core collection service as both a downloadable pre-configured application stack and an on-line service with an Open Source license. The standalone programs provide good functionality but none are released under an open source license and most require a yearly fee to receive comic issue updates on top of the fee charged for an upgraded version of the initial software. Many of the interfaces to these programs are unnecessarily complicated as well, due to their feature lists. This application will have a minimalist approach to the user interface but without sacrificing the abilities inherent with a database or the design. The goal is to keep the interface as clean and simple as possible only allowing the average user as much control as the need, more advanced users or those that desire more features will be able to implement them on an as needed basis.
For infomation on how to help, suggestions, or the current state of development you can check out the site http://collectablesdb.net or github.com/CollectablesDB
Matt
