revUp - Updates and news for the LiveCode community
Issue 108 | April 7th 2011 Contact the Editor | How to Contribute

App Showcase
Watch and learn as Three Men Write an App.

by Heather Nagey

Dolce HayesRunRevLive.11 in San Jose, CA, this April, features a whole day track devoted just to showcasing the creation of an app. Why? What can you expect to learn here?

Well... There's more to creating applications than just writing code. Lots more. In fact, arguably, actually writing the code could be the quickest and easiest part. We'll find out!

Ideas
First, you need a great idea. Great ideas are hard to come by. Often someone else has got there first - although this doesn't necessarily mean you can't do it too. If you have a new twist on an old idea you can be very successful. However, as we know at RunRev, producing the idea can be tricky, and requires a brainstorming session and lots of research. Watch our three man team go through the birth of an idea. How do they go about it? How do you go about it? Do you have a different way of doing it? Chime in and let them know!

Planning
Ok, great. You have the Next Great App idea. What's next? Do you charge straight into coding it? Well, not if you're smart. As they say in the building trade, measure twice, cut once. Now you need a plan. Design, layout, functionality sketched out with some idea of the order of implementation. There could be lots of different ways of approaching this stage - see how our team do it. Do you have a better way? You'll be able to ask questions and follow along.

Writing the code
Now we're really getting down to it. By now, our team is splitting up into writing the code and designing the interface elements. With Scott Rossi doing the pretty, and Michael McCreary on the code, Ben Beaumont will be assisting in both areas as required, testing, keeping you all updated on where they are at, and generally compere'ing in his own inimitable style. Throughout the day you will have access to the code as it is being written, and see the stages of design. You can see how its done, but you can also feed back and offer suggestions.

Testing
The final stage will be testing, checking, and fixing any issues. I'm sure the audience will be pressed into service here! How much do you enjoy finding bugs for other developers? It's like washing up in someone else's kitchen. Way more fun than at home.

At the end of the day, we should have a polished, functioning app, and you should have an insight on some ways of approaching the whole process from start to finish.

Your Team
The app showcase will be led by a three man team of experts, each with their own strengths.

Benjamin Beaumont
Designer / Programmer

Ben is the Product Manager at RunRev and has his finger in lots of different pies. He started with the company 6 years ago and has worked as a programmer, graphic designer, project manager, in marketing and most recently as the company's Product Manager on RunRev's LiveCode product line.

Michael McCreary
Software Architect / Programmer

Michael is a senior programmer at RunRev. A classic "backroom boy", his talent as a software architect makes him the ideal developer and team lead with a keen interest in well structured carefully considered software projects. His proven track record of delivering quality products makes him the perfect choice for the App Showcase.

Scott Rossi
Designer / Programmer

Scott Rossi provides user experience design services from Los Gatos, California, and specializes in custom interface design. Over the last 20 years, Scott has worked with a range of companies including Apple, Hewlett Packard, Intuit, Logitech, and Sony. His website shows just how talented he is at producing exciting user interfaces.

Not got your ticket yet? There's still (just) time.

Heather

About the Author

Heather Nagey is the Customer Services Manager for RunRev Ltd.

 

Main Menu

What's New

sanjose