Check out my new Scout management/tracking website

[scoutgroove 10]

Good morning all! In follow-up to my previous thread (http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=283768#id_283941), I just wanted to let everyone know that after a lot of hard work, I've created an early version of my new Scout management/tracking service that I truly hope will make things a little easier for those who are inclined to try it.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback, good or bad. I would love to hear anything you have to offer!

 

Take a look at http://www.scoutboost.com

[Beavah 205]

Yah, I always have to wonder how people who profess to be scouts or scouters can be so lazy, clueless, or rude as to SPAM a scouting forum with an advertisement for their commercial service. It's like "oh, it must be OK because I'm offering a scouting product". No, it's not.

 

If yeh want to post a commercial link here, have the decency and honor to pay Scouter Terry for an advertisement so as to support the site. Don't be a freeloader off the work of others. Leastways, not if yeh expect to get scouts or scouters as customers.

 

Beavah

[scoutgroove 10]

Wow.

 

I was looking for FEEDBACK, not customers. If anyone here wants a free account, please let me know what email you sign up with and I'll gladly make it free, forever. Sheesh.

 

I sure hope other members of this community are kinder than you are. I've been reading here on the forums for ages. Way to make someone feel welcome when he reaches out for some honest feedback from fellow scouters.

[artjrk 11]

As they say Feedback is a Gift.

 

Here's a few observations:

Why the need to track progress on a merit badge? As a Scoutmaster the only time I saw the progress of a Scout was when I gave him the signed BC to get Started and when I signed it off as completed. I do see the benefit though of tracking what MB each scout may be working on at the time.

 

Can you compile reports to see how many scouts have or have not completed certain advancement requirements? This can benefit the PLC to know what skills can be worked on to help the greatest number of scouts.

 

Can you track items like number of nights camped and whether they count towards different things like Camping MB or OA eligibility?

 

Can PLs be given access to view advancement status of members within his patrol only?

 

I do like the easy and well thought out interface.

[scoutgroove 10]

Thank you so much for the feedback artjrk. That's exactly what I was hoping for

 

Part of what I was hoping for was to make sure I was headed in the right direction. One of the things that is certainly missing are reports, such as the one you mentioned.

 

I think a report that outlines which scouts in a Patrol haven't completed a particular set of requirements would certainly be helpful. Thanks for that suggestion.

 

What do you think about giving the PLs the ability to log in to pass off requirements on MBs? Do you think they would be inclined to use that feature, or that over-doing it? Even in small groups of scouts, I've found that its easy to lose track of who has passed off what when someone doesn't show up one day. I know that should be their responsibility to track, but in reality they always seem to need a little help.

 

I think one other thing that would be helpful would be to keep a history of who has what responsibility/role within each Patrol. What do you think? Along those same lines, I agree that it would make sense to be able to track campouts and activities. That should probably be at the top of my list for things to work on next.

 

Also near the top of my list is the ability to restrict (as you alluded to) access to different users. So, for example, PLs could only see members of their own patrol.

 

Thank you so much for the feedback. I appreciate you taking time out to have a look. I would love to hear anything else that comes to mind!

[Beavah 205]

Has nuthin' to do with kindness.

 

You are selling a commercial product. You are taking advantage of da forum service to both advertise your product and do market research and testing for your product without paying. That's what's called "spam". It's unethical. It's discourteous. It's dishonorable. For a scouter, it's shameful.

 

You want to do market research or testing on your commercial product? Do it like every other business does it. Pay for it. Yeh only get the community to assist for free if you are goin' to GPL the code or otherwise offer da service for free to everyone, eh? And even then, it would still be wrong to spam someone else's bulletin board for your R&D.

 

Beavah

[scoutgroove 10]

No need to be rude Beavah. Do you really think I'm trying to become a millionaire off of some scouting product? Come on. All I ever hope to do is pay for hosting costs. I don't need lectures from someone who doesn't know me nor my intentions about ethics.

 

I have invested months of my personal time building this. I have invested hundreds of dollars, so far (which will undoubtedly turn into thousands) because I want to build something useful for scouters to use. Not for a profit, but to simply (hopefully) one day break even on some very real hosting and maintenance costs. I don't work on this full time. It is essentially a hobby. I am not trying to market here. There are far more productive ways to market a site than post on forums. Sheesh. If you're not interested, continue on your merry way. You don't need to be rude to one of your own members that has been following and reading posts on here for years, regardless of whether I've actually posted much. You are clearly not interested. That's fine.

 

I welcome anyone else who would be willing to provide honest feedback.

[Beavah 205]

LOL. I'm rude? From a spammer? Well, now, there's this thing about pots and kettles... I note that you've only posted here with respect to soliciting for your business enterprise, and your registration date is the same as your first post.

 

Again, none of what yeh are talkin' about matters, eh? Doesn't matter that yeh spent your own money and time. Everyone here spends months and often more than mere "hundreds" of dollars on scouting. We contribute without compensation. We don't try to make money or "just break even". We use Scouter Terry's resource to assist fellow scouters because we took an Oath to help other people at all times.

 

What you are doin' is spamming a bulletin board. If yeh actually do computer work and yeh don't know that, then I reckon your service isn't worth much, eh? . But since yeh do computer work, then there's little doubt that you know exactly what you're doin', and you know that it's unacceptable, and you're choosin' to do it anyway. That's dishonorable. Lots of folks who have lurked or even posted regularly could benefit from havin' fellow scouters contribute to their side business. Heck, I reckon there are a few scouters here who are out of work or strugglin' in the economy. But they're not spamming da forums for research.

 

If you're sellin' somethin', and yeh are, then you're engaged in a commercial enterprise regardless of whether or not you're currently making a profit. And if you're engaged in a commercial enterprise, yeh play by the rules.

 

That is my honest feedback.

 

Beavah(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[scoutgroove 10]

Yes, you are rude. Not to mention entirely self-righteous. I'm sorry I rubbed you the wrong way. Despite what you think, my intentions were not to spam. Its clear all you want to do is argue, so I'm done. Discussing this any further with you will get us nowhere.

 

For anyone else that comes across this post, I am sorry if it came across as spam.

[shortridge 184]

Here's my feedback, for what it's worth.

 

I have never seen the need for any computer software to "track" or "manage" Scouts. They have their Handbooks, the PLs should know each of his Scouts' skills, abilities and personal goals, and the troop and patrol scribes keep track of any other details. The adults submit advancement reports when a Scout is ready to advance. Unless you have a troop of 100+ Scouts, it can all be done on paper with a minimum of fuss and effort.

 

Never do anything that a Scout can do himself. It applies to paperwork just as much as to setting up a tent.

[scoutgroove 10]

Thanks for your candid thoughts shortridge, I appreciate it. You certainly have a good point about "Never do anything that a Scout can do himself."

[nldscout 18]

Here is my opinion.

 

1. To clunky.

2. Why do you need an email to put a scout of leader in there if your not harvesting the info to sell it?

3. Who are you? Name, Address, Phone number.

4. Its not a secure website, but you want me to give you all my Info.

5. Way over priced. Woth maybe $1.OO A MONTH

 

 

Only an Idiot would use this.

[scoutgroove 10]

nldscout:

 

1. Can you elaborate?

 

2. Email addresses and all account information are not required. They are for your own use only. All account information is encrypted and highly protected. Of course it would never be given to anyone else.

 

3. Why does it matter? If you want to call me to have a decent conversation, I'd be happy to share that info.

 

4. What gives you the impression that the information you enter is not secure? Your information is encrypted. If you are speaking of an SSL certificate for the site, I do have plans on adding one.

 

5. And how did you arrive at that number ($1)?

 

Why so hostile? "Only an Idiot would use this" is an outright insult, not constructive criticism. Seriously, I expected more respect from a group of fellow scouters, no matter how suspicious you are of my motives (as I have mentioned repeatedly above).

[scoutgroove 10]

I mis-typed #2. I meant to say "Email addresses for people you add to your account/units are not required", period (except when signing up because it doubles as your username to make it easier to remember.

[sailingpj 18]

Ok, but you cannot add a new person to to the unit without an email address. You site allows you to add a person without a name, but not without an email address.