00:06:12 #startmeeting 00:06:12 Meeting started Tue Sep 29 00:06:12 2015 UTC. The chair is camm. Information about MeetBot at http://wiki.debian.org/MeetBot. 00:06:12 Useful Commands: #action #agreed #halp #info #idea #link #topic. 00:06:38 This is out first Stage 3 meeting for the Ushahidi group 00:06:46 ugh, typo in the first message 00:07:01 So let's do a roll call 00:07:08 Cam Macdonell - MacEwan University 00:07:23 Josh Dehlinger - Towson University 00:07:29 Alan Rea - Western Michigan University 00:07:33 Lori Postner - Nassau Community College 00:08:08 Hi Robert 00:08:27 just in time for roll call, let's do that one more time 00:08:28 Hello all 00:08:33 Cam Macdonell - MacEwan University 00:08:47 Robert Duvall - Duke University 00:09:05 Lori Postner - Nassau Community College 00:09:28 Alan Rea - Western Michigan University 00:09:37 Josh Dehlinger - Towson University 00:09:55 awesome, thanks everybody 00:10:28 #topic Courses we're thinking of using Ushahidi for 00:11:02 So, I use Ushahidi in Software Engineering, a junior/300 course 00:11:29 I am thinking of using it for a senior level capstone course 00:11:34 I plan on using it next Spring in my Mobile Commerce Development. It's a senior course for Android Development. 00:11:40 I am hoping to use the Ushahidi apis in my Mobile App Development class/sophomore year/200 level 00:12:31 i am currently using it as a part of an independent study class with 2 students to adapt into one of our existing citizen science projects 00:12:41 great 00:13:07 and, planning on using a small assignment in a software design/architecture in a graduate-level software engineering class later this semester 00:13:10 JDehlinger: what is an existing citizen science project? 00:13:15 JDehlinger: since you're the (only) one currently using it, can I ask you to elaborate a bit 00:13:50 sure 00:14:50 we have a sponsored project that developed ios/android apps as client to enable citizen scientists in maryland and virginia to report and map an invasive grass species - wayvleaf basketgrass 00:15:16 Nice 00:15:22 we spent most of the effort over the last 8 months on the mobile apps and only a bit on the display/visualization side 00:16:01 the current, rough site - http://heron.towson.edu/wavyleaf/home/ - used CakePHP but was pretty terrible 00:16:12 were you aware of Ushahidi before starting the project? 00:16:34 unfortunately not 00:16:58 but, we are now making progress migrating over to Ushahidi v2 00:17:19 great 00:17:28 why did you choose Ushahidi v2 instead of v3? 00:17:57 based on talking with Cam at the workshop and it seemed to provide more of the mapping/visualization stuff 00:18:43 Ya, I would go with v2 if I wanted something to work shortly 00:18:54 and/or work with mobile apps 00:19:06 V3 is still rather bleeding edge 00:19:39 and I don't think there is working mobile client for iOS/Android yet 00:19:48 Indeed. I've been playing with both and I'm favoring v2 right now even for next semester. So unless v3 makes some major strides... 00:20:05 we already had php scripts on a sever for our mobile apps to connect to a database that we dont want to redo...so our students are looking at what we can do to keep what we have and use v2 00:20:08 Of perhaps my class will want to write some of the mobile code for v3. I'm open to either. 00:20:42 I think v3 can be interesting for people interested in coding 00:20:56 for those interested in building a useful tool, v2 will be much more stable 00:22:06 that's great Josh, anything else to add? 00:22:37 not now...we hope something is up in the next 2-3 weeks 00:23:15 shameless plug here - if you are developing course materials that are you piloting, please consider giving the foss2serve team a proposal for funding 00:23:31 I'd be happy to help with the process and/or answer questions :) 00:23:33 there are Ushahidi v2 apps in both App Store and Google Play that users will be able to download and connect to your servers 00:23:58 yes, yes, take advantage of your citizenship and apply for funding :) 00:24:02 I assume if we are mostly interested in fixing bugs/making patches then v3 would be the better one to use. Perhaps some easy issues could be saved until the Spring for students to work on? 00:24:03 Thanks Lori. I was thinking about doing that. 00:24:19 great! 00:24:44 rcduvall_duke: yes, if you have students who want to hack, then I would go with v3 since there will be lots to do 00:25:44 particularly on mobile since they could possibly be cutting new ground (not right for every student obviously) 00:26:17 welcome robert 00:26:20 I have some advanced students who I might consider offering an ind. study to do tht. 00:26:29 I had problems getting in. 00:26:46 no sweat, can you quickly introduce yourself 00:27:03 Regis University 00:27:08 Anything else? 00:27:12 name :) 00:27:20 Details … Rob Sjodin 00:27:40 perfect, we also have Lori, Josh, Robert Duvall, Alan and me :) 00:27:48 Great 00:28:18 We are just discussing courses we are targetting Ushahidi for 00:28:30 rsjodin: what course might you use Ushahidi in? 00:29:13 Software Engineering, taught in the Fall (now), but I may be able to do something this Spring. 00:29:33 are you trying to incorporate Ushahidi this term? 00:29:38 In an Mobile Phone course. 00:30:07 No, not this term. I’m actually doing something for Colorado Young Leaders. 00:30:14 right, I remember that 00:30:32 Developing a Learn Management System for them in the SW Eng Course. 00:31:36 But there’s a Mobile course this Spring, that perhaps we could target Ushahidi there. 00:32:17 Ok, so we have 3 people looking at Mobile Courses (Lori, Alan and Robert) 00:33:14 any other comments/questions related to courses? I think that was a good initial discussion so far 00:33:46 not at the moment, but I'm guessing I will in the next few weeks 00:34:13 None right now, but I know I will have them. 00:34:33 yes, just keep in mind that there are other people working and I think it would be great 00:34:39 at the moment I can get data from the Ushahidi api but am having trouble using it - need to play around more (and read more) before asking any questions 00:34:44 if those with overlapping interests ping eachother regularly 00:35:07 sure thing lorip 00:35:48 #topic my plan for the next 3 weeks regarding Ushahidi 00:36:08 I'm definitely willing to have ideas/challenges bounced off me as long as they reciprocate. 00:36:31 awesome 00:36:33 Even if they don't it's OK ;} 00:36:48 my plan is to: figure out how to display lat/long info pulled from a map into an android app 00:37:45 are you trying to centre a map on a particular location, or plot long/lat points on a map? 00:38:13 my plan: develop a small assignment in software engineering to ask students look through U v3 design documentation and reflect/write about the architecture decisions 00:38:34 that will be my second task - right now I need to figure out JSON - (Rob, your slides have been very helpful!) 00:39:04 lorip: ah, so you need to fetch the long/lat from the Ushahidi API? 00:39:12 yes, that is my goal 00:39:21 Normally I charge a lot of $$$$ for that, but for you guys is FREE :) 00:39:30 THANK YOU! 00:39:57 lorip: have you installed the Android version of Ushahidi? 00:40:21 My students will try to replicate our install experience and get something basic up and running. 00:40:27 no (worried about sounding crazy), do I need to? 00:41:25 Only if you want to pull up the results on a phone instead of a Web browser. 00:41:49 I set it up in an AVD. It wasn't too much of a challenge. 00:42:02 lorip: you don't need to, you can use the API without it, but by trying out the Ushahidi android app it will show you what is possible 00:42:24 ok, that makes sense 00:42:36 and it will have a map in it, so then you can look at the code and see how it does it 00:42:40 docrea: any chance you have install instructions you'd be willing to share? 00:43:08 docrea: what is AVD? 00:43:15 I can try to replicate what I did, but I don't have anything right now. 00:43:21 Android Virtual Device 00:43:52 docrea: was there something on the Ushahidi site that was helpful? 00:43:57 You can run it from the Android Studio to emulate a phone instead of pushing it to an actual phone 00:44:05 The AVD allows you to run the app in an emulator, along side the IDE. 00:44:09 lorip: do you have an Android phone? 00:44:33 yes, all my students have Android tablet which we use as deployment devices instead of using an AVD 00:44:56 ok, so you can simply install Ushahidi from the Google Play store to play around with it as a first step 00:44:58 There are some basic instructions on the Ushahidi site. I had to pull the code down from GitHub and do some tweaking so it's not plug and play unfortunately. 00:45:32 step 2 would be to build it from source off of github.com in Android Studio 00:45:36 Having a device is even better. You would still need the Ushahidi app though. 00:45:48 What Cam said. 00:45:50 that's good to know - I'll try the app first 00:46:15 Ya, you will need to *point it* at a V2 installation to fetch data from 00:46:16 lorip: Feel free to ping me with questions. 00:46:32 docrea: that is appreciated, thank you 00:48:05 here is a task for everyone: please join one of the Ushahidi community channels 00:48:24 they all "cross post" so it doesn't matter which you use 00:48:43 there is a gitter channel, IRC and others 00:48:55 will do 00:49:00 yep 00:49:15 not Skype, that's a dead-end 00:49:34 Can do. 00:49:46 ok 00:49:50 Ok, time to wrap up - shall we meet 3 weeks from now? 00:49:57 works for me 00:49:57 Yes 00:50:25 Ok, October 19th at 8pm EST 00:50:45 Sounds good. 00:50:49 Works for me. 00:50:59 great. 00:51:18 Any last questions? 00:51:34 I can do that 00:51:52 I have a meeting that night - need to double check the time 00:52:21 None from me. Thanks for leading us along Cam. 00:52:24 it goes 'til 8:30 supposedly - I'll try to jump on late 00:52:43 I'm good - thanks Cam 00:53:18 Later all. 00:53:21 Ok, thanks for taking the time everybody, we will see you on October 19th at 8pm Eastern 00:53:23 night all 00:53:37 Later 00:53:40 bye 00:53:48 Thanks all 00:53:51 #endmeeting