iPad app for Ward Administration

[jonesrk]

I think this is coming soon to beta.

I think it's there.

That was a fast 'soon'. It wasn't all working when I checked with my post.

It looks like a good start. One could print each organization and it would work. It would be nice to see them all on one screen, but I'm not sure if it could be done without making each photo too small to be usable except on a very large screen.

If there are any suggestions for how to make it more usable in a council/bishopric scenario would be welcome by the team. One thought I had is some way to pick multiple groups to see.

[jonesrk]

On the advice of ryan jones, I visited the new http://beta.lds.org/directory and it looks very good. It allows you to browse the leadership directory with added photo capabilities. What I would like to see is the ability to run reports like we do in mls, such as Members without Callings, Unordained Deacon aged boys, etc. these reports coupled with the ward directory at a glance would be very powerful in a bishopric meeting setting.

Some of those reports are in the works. I don't know what kind of time frame they are looking at though.

[FutureJack-p40]

I mentioned the iPad just because of it's unique portability and video out capabilities, not to mention the easy itunes deployment scheme.

I applaud you for your devotion to Apple's products and business models. It's rare to see such devotion -- wait, no it isn't but that's beside the point.

The iPad offers little more in terms of portability than a commodity-grade laptop or netbook by any other manufacturer, at considerably higher cost. Whether something is 1" thick or 1/2" thick actually doesn't matter, does it? As for video-out.. nearly every laptop made since the dawn of time has supported video output. And finally, I don't think the Church would want to have software out on the iTunes store that has the capability to decrypt its official records -- doesn't that seem risky to you?

I guess I'm really just trying to understand (I really am and not just for the sake of causing trouble) the motivation for suggesting an iPad/iProduct app on the very day it was announced and before any units have actually shipped.

[kennethjorgensen]

What I would like to see is an app that could use the wards exported data to then arrange it in a graphical, organizational diagram, allowing councils (specifically Bishoprics/Presidencies) to view, ponder, discuss and prayerfully come to decisions over individuals in the stake/ward/branch. With the invention of the Apple iPad (which has video out capabilities) the app could be connected to a handheld projector and run in meetings to view and discuss scenarios and then turned off, protecting privacy and saving time and energy that could be better spent elswhere.

Having been in that exact position I know exactly what you mean about the usefullness of having such functionality. I also love gadgets and technology but sometimes I think we complicate things a bit too much. The Apple iPad does not add anything unique here that other platforms cannot deliver and it is no more useful/better than a laptop or notebook in this situation.

If the bishopic really feel it would benefit them then I am sure they would do like we did and that is to cut out stickers with names of callings and get pictures and names of people cut out too. If they feel they dont have time then be proactive and make it a project to do for one of the Aaronic Priesthood Quorums. Youth love to do things that will be useful and used by others.

[FutureJack-p40]

Perhaps I was wrong for communicating my initial conclusion that adhansen5 was just being an Apple fanboy for posting an iPad app suggestion the same day it was announced and long before any units have actually shipped.

It has been my experience that most people who work in IT/software development/technology live within a certain geek culture and would not take offense at such comments. I have now learned that it probably not the case within the microcosm that is LDS Church technology.

It was never my intent to offend anyone, and as I am not nearly as eloquent and diplomatic as the moderators, I will in the future attempt to keep such reactions to myself.

[jbh001]

What type of video out? I think what's desired would not be possible with SDTV. I think you'd need at least HDTV if not computer monitor grade video.

Apple's website says the following about the iPad's video out capabilities:

• Support for 1024 by 768 pixels with Dock Connector to VGA Adapter; 576p and 480p with Apple Component AV Cable; 576i and 480i with Apple Composite Cable

Apple offers both composite video out cables and component video out cables (as do other manufacturers), and apparently plans on offering a Dock Connector to VGA cable as well.

[jbh001]

What I would like to see is an app that could use the wards exported data to then arrange it in a graphical, organizational diagram, allowing councils (specifically Bishoprics/Presidencies) to view, ponder, discuss and prayerfully come to decisions over individuals in the stake/ward/branch. With the invention of the Apple iPad (which has video out capabilities) the app could be connected to a handheld projector and run in meetings to view and discuss scenarios and then turned off, protecting privacy and saving time and energy that could be better spent elswhere.

I think the most logical way to implement this is to somehow add that functionality to the LUWS (LUWS 3.0 anyone?).

But as I read what you describe, I picture the core functionality similar to dragging and dropping pictures around similar to the method for moving iPhone app icons around. Or, if you will forgive the Star Trek analogy, like moving icons on the LCARS system as shown in this link (from about time index 0:24 to 1:00). I think that could be a great way to visualize "what if" scenarios.

This might be possible to do in the Internet as some module of LUWS using Adobe Flash. But a snag there is that the iPad has no plans to support Adobe Flash. That means that currently you would need to figure how to implement it in Javascript and HTML 5 in order for it to be part of both LUWS and the iPad. But the bonus of implementing it that way is that, theoretically, by being standards compliant and free from proprietary technology from the start, it would work on any HTML 5 compatible browser on any platform.

[FutureJack-p40]

But the bonus of implementing it that way is that, theoretically, by being standards compliant and free from proprietary technology from the start, it would work on any HTML 5 compatible browser on any platform.

Any platform except IE, that is (due to its lack of support for the HTML5 <video> and <canvas> elements). And if I'm not mistaken, IE is the Church standard browser, is it not? I'm afraid that if you want to implement something that is as broadly-universal as you desire, you'll be stuck with good old XHTML and JavaScript.

Cheaper and better to just stick with the Church's predominant platform (PC/Win), IMHO.