I think making something like this is pretty good, but i don't think a native mobile is the best idea
From my pass experience(as the technican of the Campus radio), making a native mobile app is very costly and time consumimg, while the function that need native support (like push notification, local file access, and geo location) is not useful in this case.
For example, it cost USD99/yr of apple appstore, and USD25/yr for Play store
AND, one very important thing is that, even if you made an app, you still need to build a websever as an information backend of the app. Then, what's in my mind is, why not just make a interactive website.
It seems that this idea is better in a form of interactive website, which can display like a mobile app on a phone. This can be done by very little programming and coding if you use Content Management System like drupal (https://www.drupal.org/)(you don't even need to write a single line of code).
For the "Toughest challenge" raised by Barnard, as I know, the display board in the canteen is already controled by a computer. Though i have know idea about the data format, i don't think integrating the info from that computer to the web is the most difficult part.
Now here comes the most difficult part (from the technical point of view), making an app, or an interactive website, either way you need a webserver. Hosting a webserver is PAINFUL. I believe if the college or Clab can host domain, and provide web hosting for college students to host their project on the clab server, such that student can get rid of the server management stuff, then the whole project (and other web project) can be done much easier than the time being.
Comments
I think making something like this is pretty good, but i don't think a native mobile is the best idea
From my pass experience(as the technican of the Campus radio), making a native mobile app is very costly and time consumimg, while the function that need native support (like push notification, local file access, and geo location) is not useful in this case.
For example, it cost USD99/yr of apple appstore, and USD25/yr for Play store
AND, one very important thing is that, even if you made an app, you still need to build a websever as an information backend of the app. Then, what's in my mind is, why not just make a interactive website.
It seems that this idea is better in a form of interactive website, which can display like a mobile app on a phone. This can be done by very little programming and coding if you use Content Management System like drupal (https://www.drupal.org/)(you don't even need to write a single line of code).
For the "Toughest challenge" raised by Barnard, as I know, the display board in the canteen is already controled by a computer. Though i have know idea about the data format, i don't think integrating the info from that computer to the web is the most difficult part.
Now here comes the most difficult part (from the technical point of view), making an app, or an interactive website, either way you need a webserver. Hosting a webserver is PAINFUL. I believe if the college or Clab can host domain, and provide web hosting for college students to host their project on the clab server, such that student can get rid of the server management stuff, then the whole project (and other web project) can be done much easier than the time being.
The toughest challenge lies in the update of timely and accurate information. Who will be responsible and what is the incentive for doing so?