It would be great to have an iPhone/Android app for this site. I find myself wanting to check it once in a while, but the forum is really hard to read on such small screens.
Tapatalk has some decent options out there. Way easier to see and interface with than this site on the Chrome browser-app.
I think it would boost the site a LOT. Folks fishing inshore/nearshore and in freshwater can snap a pic and immediately start a report post about their day (updating the thread while they fish even if they wanted to). Most of the places around here have plenty of 3G/4G access.
That’s a good idea Matt, but how expensive are those apps? This site has remained largely unchanged for the last ten years. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I only ask because I don’t know. I’d support it though.
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
www.baturinphotography.com
I like this idea, but I also like looking through my pictures and editing them when I get home from fishing. I feel like it helps me process my trip and remember it better.
I made the mistake of buying a Windows phone.
I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for an app for my platform.
We just bought a new Kia with the UVO system (powered by Microsoft). You would think there would be an app for it in the Windows phone App Store. Nope, only Apple and Droid can do that.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
quote:
Originally posted by 23Sailfish
That’s a good idea Matt, but how expensive are those apps? This site has remained largely unchanged for the last ten years. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I only ask because I don’t know. I’d support it though.
You also have to consider that the technology we use to access this site has changed drastically.
Give you one scenario that I could have easily replicated three times this Spring.
Yesterday, I was just hanging out at the boardwalk at Shem Creek. There’s a family there (four adults, a few kids). They are from the Edisto area and come here to fish a lot. At least two of them carried smartphones.
They were asking me for inshore fishing advice, and in my limited experience, one of my best pieces of advice is to learn from this site. So I tell them about it.
If I could just show them the CF.com App on the Play Store (or iTunes App Store) and do it right there, then you will likely have people downloading the app on the spot and joining up. They could EASILY search the forum for “Fishing Folly Pier” while they are literally standing on Folly Pier.
So, is it expensive? I have no idea, but probably so. Please show me one worthwhile business venture that is a cheap purchase. 
What I do know is this— there are several “localized” (statewide) hobby related discussion forums I know that have been using Tapatalk, and none have regretted it. I see users post on them daily from Tapatalk.
I, personally, have never and probably will never be posting stuff from the smartphone’s web browser on this site. But with an app, it cleans everything up and makes it far easier to read.
The phrase “this site has remained largely unchanged for the last ten years” isn’t totally something to be all that proud of , Charleston has chang
I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for old beat up Dacron…
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
www.baturinphotography.com
There are some things happening that may address some of the things you are talking about Matt. This database has become quite large over the years so we are looking at some things that would allow us to keep all of the years worth of reports and other things people like to reference. It is a big task that has been going on in the background for a little while now. Thank you for your input and ideas, we always welcome them.
That sounds great Andy. To answer some of the questions above, Tapatalk is free for a forum to use. Just have to install the API on your board. SSWA uses PHPBB3 and uses Tapatalk. Like Andy said I would think the biggest challenge would be converting the wealth of posts from the existing database to a new database for a more recent forum platform.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
President, Summerville Saltwater Anglers
I say keep the inshore and offshore reports history… everything else, after a year forget about!
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
www.baturinphotography.com
You would lose half of your member base if you start deleting threads older than a year. That’s got to be a joke, right?
The striper board has 10 plus years of good info that we keep referencing. Not to mention lots of great fish targeting help in the various local sections.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
Wilderness Ride 115
quote:
Originally posted by 23Sailfish
I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for old beat up Dacron…
I’ve never used it, but I’ve bought a few old reels spooled up with it. I was shocked at how tough it was. I assume it was pretty near zero stretch like mono.
quote:
Originally posted by Apickett
There are some things happening that may address some of the things you are talking about Matt. This database has become quite large over the years so we are looking at some things that would allow us to keep all of the years worth of reports and other things people like to reference. It is a big task that has been going on in the background for a little while now. Thank you for your input and ideas, we always welcome them.
Glad for you to respond Andy. You run a pretty good forum here that I’m thankful for. We have a lot of great people here, and a few bozos to keep it interesting when the fishing is slow lol.
quote:
Originally posted by 23Sailfish
I say keep the inshore and offshore reports history… everything else, after a year forget about!
Naw man. Perhaps if your software can do a search for posts that only have one or two (or none) responses, delete those. But I find myself searching this forum (via google, honestly) for old threads. I learn about as much doing that as I do in the open discussions.
I believe there are ways of archiving them, many forums do this. If you want to
If y’all want two good examples of forums running Tapatalk (or their own proprietary forum app), look up ReefCentral.com and Androidforums.com.
Both of them (although esp. AndroidForums) have an immense number of individual discussion forums. ReefCentral is especially busy in terms of traffic, and runs on sponsorships like this forum does.
Andy, if cost is prohibitive, perhaps you can do like some forums have done and offer “premium membership” to average joes like myself. I have no need to advertise anything here, but a $10-50 a year donation generally buys someone on many forums the status of “premium member” or “I support CF.Com”, and generally it buys you better site searching abilities, larger PM inboxes, and perhaps random drawings for door prizes donated by sponsors (lures, spools of line, etc).
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.