Friday, May 23, 2014
Sunday, April 27, 2014
The Humble Beginnings of BusFinder.PH | The Ideas' Disclosure to Others
It is now mid July. The time is fast-approaching. In school, Jeffry had to look for group mates for their Web Development subject. On this subject, student enrolled are required to look for existing companies and make them websites, either just informational about the company, reservation of their services, or a system for online orders and buying. With his classmate Georjayne E. Auza, a CSS enthusiasts and a designer, they agreed to team-up for this subject.
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| A screen shot of Google Maps markers formed Google's letters made by Jeffry Manhulad on August 8, 2013. Here's the link on this photo at Facebook>> http://goo.gl/vN2t56 |
This was the time when the idea was disclosed to others. Jeffry had no plan to disclosed the idea before, because he planned to execute it on his own. But these two team mates wanted to present some unique project to their subject teacher, who is also the Dean of the College of Information Technology of Liceo de Cagayan University, he was Dr. Andrew P. Ponte.
With their passion to present new and unique ideas for their projects, Jeffry disclosed his idea to his team mate Jayne. Jayne also agreed to make this as their project for the WebDev subject. The project's title was "Map Localization Using Google Maps API"
Thinking that this project is time-consuming and is very broad and complicated for the WebDev project, they trimmed-down the project. Instead of a bus tracker that uses GPS-technology, they first presented a mapping service that uses Google Maps JavaScript API. The Dean accepted the proposal and suggested some additional features on the project. The team agreed and started working on the project in the first week of August 2013.
During a consultation, the Dean suggested that the team should add something in the project. He said it would be nice if we will add a feature that will enable the users to send messages to one another. The team accepted the suggestion and added a feature that users can not only map and add a place but also send messages to each other.
On October 16, 2013, the team finished their project and have finally submitted their final output to the Dean, and have passed the defense. On the day of the defense, the team disclosed to the Dean about their plan, that their project is just a starting point of a more bigger project. They told the Dean that they have this 'Track a Bus' planned project and are planning to partner Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. (RTMI) to implement this plan. The Dean was very supportive and even told them he can borrow GPS device in the Research and Publication Office of Liceo de Cagayan University in order for us to continue this unique project.
The team promised that they will continue the project and maybe in the next semester, which is their thesis-1 subject.
Next: The start of Thesis-1 (Capstone-1) Project Proposal
Try our main project's main feature HERE
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| During the last weeks of August 2013, the Mapping Service of Jeffry and Jayne is running and is near to completion. This screen shot is taken on August 30, 2013, and is posted by Jeffry in Facebook with a caption --"It's kinda hard working with Google Maps API. But at least prepared for the tracking a bus project". Here's the link on Facebook>>http://goo.gl/2APQIu |
During a consultation, the Dean suggested that the team should add something in the project. He said it would be nice if we will add a feature that will enable the users to send messages to one another. The team accepted the suggestion and added a feature that users can not only map and add a place but also send messages to each other.
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| A photo of their CD containing the soft copy of the project's documentation and the code of the project. This is manifested in a post on Facebook by Jeffry Manhulad, October 18, 2013, two days after the final submission. See the main feature of this project here. |
On October 16, 2013, the team finished their project and have finally submitted their final output to the Dean, and have passed the defense. On the day of the defense, the team disclosed to the Dean about their plan, that their project is just a starting point of a more bigger project. They told the Dean that they have this 'Track a Bus' planned project and are planning to partner Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. (RTMI) to implement this plan. The Dean was very supportive and even told them he can borrow GPS device in the Research and Publication Office of Liceo de Cagayan University in order for us to continue this unique project.
The team promised that they will continue the project and maybe in the next semester, which is their thesis-1 subject.
Next: The start of Thesis-1 (Capstone-1) Project Proposal
Try our main project's main feature HERE
The Humble Beginnings of BusFinder.PH | The Starting Point
The known beginning of BusFinderPH is also the exact date stated in the photo above. July 13, 2013 is the day when BusFinderPH's backbone creator Jeffry C. Manhulad and a number of Licean IT students attended the Philippine Transit App Challenge organized by Google Developers Group (GDG) and Google Business Group (GBG) Cagayan de Oro held at Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City. This is in cooperation with government organizations such as the MMDA, the DOTC, and the Local Government of Cebu City, Philippines.
On this event, speakers and developers explained the need of our transportation industry, the need to cope with the fast-changing technology nowadays. They encouraged professional and student developers to create and submit an idea that can help transportation industry in the Philippines. They also explained and taught attendees the latest technology and resources for making applications, including available Google Technologies that is free and reliable.
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| Right: Jay Ginete. Speaker during the Transit App Challenge at Capitol University, and Left: are shown three workstations with Licean students Haroun Sirad (White Shirt), next workstation is Leani Amplayo (Only Hands are Shown), and Jeffry C. Manhulad (Shirt in Black). |
Without knowledge as to what will happen during this events, the student-attendees from Liceo de Cagayan University just listened to the speakers because they aren't prepared to submit an entry, and specifically they do not have this unique ideas in their minds. But somehow, with that event, they can learn something, and can be an entry for the next event.
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| Front: Mr. Bryan Carl Chug, CEO and Founder of Aestrea Software Development. Speaker on Google Maps API |
Inspired by the expert speakers, the BusFinder's backbone creator Jeffry listened and started thinking of ideas that can be his entry for the next year's transit app challenge. He was so interested in Google Maps which is delivered by the CEO and Founder of Aestrea Software Development, a company based in Makati City, Philippines. He was brought to Cagayan de Oro by GDG Manager Ms. Josan Astrid Dometita who is also the creative designer of Aestrea Software Development.
That was the starting point where the backbone idea and concept of BusFinder.PH was born. Jeffry drew the basic concept of BusFinder.PH in a paper, that was the first time ever BusFinder.PH is written.
After the event, with all the knowledge he had learned, he finalizes the idea and concept by studying Google Maps API, GPS technology, and incorporated all his knowledge learned during GDG events he attended.
Truly, BusFinder.PH's backbone is a product of what we had learned during Google Developers Group - Cagayan de Oro (GDG-CDO)'s events.
Try our main project's main feature HERE
Survey Summary of BusFinder.PH
Know where you belong in our survey! Look at the survey results summary of BusFinderPH. This is to let you know about the updates of BusFinderPH. Check the links out below. Also invite your friends to answer and participate in our survey to let us know your problems and experience in bus commuting, and eventually, we will be solving your problems. Put your emails so that we can send you notifications when we launch our service! With BusFinderPH, you can travel in your own convenience!
List of Survey Releases:
1. Survey Summary April 26, 2014 Release
2. Survey Summary April 27, 2014 Release
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Progress Report | Things We’ll Achieve Next Week (4th Week)
By next week, Team BusFinder.PH shall buy Domain, and web hosting site, and will conduct the testing of the application in preparation for the soft launch very soon. We shall also update the start-up’s information, the about us, and contact page for Blog shall be finished.
The Team should finish all next week’s deliverables and shall avoid being reminded in the Foundation’s FB Group :)
Progress Report | Things We've Done for This Week (3rd Week)
Team BusFinder.PH has interviewed Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc., and has just said they will allow us to use their buses to implement the system. They further told us that regarding the reservation system, it is in conflict with their company’s policy because they want fairness to their commuters, that they do not allow reservation. But Team BusFinder.PH explained to the management that it may not be considered as unfair because the reserved seats are payed and that there is a fee for doing so. The company then understood and so far, they will allow the conduct and testing, and that promised to talk with us again when the prototype is completed for presentation.
As per Ma’am Diane’s comments on the team roles, BusFinder.PH also updated the team roles and made it more specific.
>>Things We'll Achieve Next Week
Other than that, Team BusFinder.PH launched their email gathering this week together with their new survey system using Google Form, and have so far collected more than 50 emails, numbers, and names of possible early customers and users. The unofficial summary can be found here>>http://goo.gl/a0Y1He and the form survey system is here>>http://goo.gl/lBbXbG
We have also launched the official blog of the Team BusFinder.PH and is now available at www.busfinderph.blogspot.com.
As per Ma’am Diane’s comments on the team roles, BusFinder.PH also updated the team roles and made it more specific.
>>Things We'll Achieve Next Week
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