PJ Poster Exchange Site, feedback.

marjen · February 2014

Ok so I have been spending quite a bit of time the last year or so trying to track down all the prints I am missing from shows I have been to. As all of you know who have done this, it can be a PITA. You have to look through a lot of different posts here, dig through posts sometimes to find listed items. Searching takes you to threads but still requires a bunch of clicking around. When you post what you want it gets buried quickly and we all try and bump our way back to the top. Additionally it usually also requires multiple trips to expressobeans. That site has great content but the interface is horribly antiquated and slow. For a site that is about art, the actual images are very small and the site is mostly text. I know its a volunteer run sight so I am not expecting it to be beautiful, but its getting a little long in the tooth.

SO I have spent my career in the web development world and got the idea instead of complaining about it to try and build something better. So I am looking to see if anyone thinks they would actually use a site dedicated to storing your collection online and allowing you to find prints others are selling? I have created a partially working mockup online:

http://www.madcamdesigns.com/sites/pjsite/

(REMEMBER it is a mostly non functional site, all images and results are hardcoded)

The site would be very simple in what it does. Once you create an account you could search for and add prints to your collection. In the demo clicking on the find icon will show what that interface looks like (then clicking on the list image icon to the right of "marjen" will take you back). Adding prints to your collection as either "have it" or "want it" would be as simple as a single button click. As you add items to your collection it grows. Visually the prints are front end center along with Artist info. Clicking on the i button (in the demo, click the i button from the pitt munk print) would bring up additional info about the print itself, how many people have it in their collection (with link) and how many want to sell (with link).

At the top is your profile pic and name, the number of prints in your collection, the number you have for sale and the number you are seeking. In the demo the collection and search icons work and take you to different screens.

Anyway I guess I would consider taking this on as a little project is there is any interest. I would need to try and find someone to help with the tie in to the database as that is not my area of expertise. But I think this could really help make peoples search for prints easier and also give people a place to keep track of their collection online. I would most likely make it a free site with donations welcome if you make a sale or just like using it so I could keep it going.

Feedback time. Worth it or not?

EnterThanman · February 2014

I think it's a good idea and people would use it as an additional resource if it caught on. I don't think anything will substitute here + expresso beans but the more places to connect the better IMO.

MedozK · February 2014

Great design. Sure its worth it, if you have the time to deal with the design and up keep. I would use it.

jlaustin · February 2014

I like this vey much. Would definitely use it!

Wish I could do cool things like this.

:-bd

ezekiel rocks · February 2014

Yeah I think it could be great. I'd use it

cockage · February 2014

great idea. im more than happy to help out with anything youll need....

im not a web designer but ill do my part....

DH286643 · February 2014

I dig it!

marjen · February 2014

Going see if I can find a good source to get all the data without entering it manually. I think that would be the hardest part of the project.

footsteps38 · February 2014

looks good i would use it

HesCalledDyer · February 2014

Excellent design! I dig it.

marjen · February 2014

Thanks for the positive feedback. I am going to try reaching out to a couple of existing pj sites to see if they can help with the data. Also might try expresso beans.

Wobbie · February 2014

That would be a great resource!

pdalowsky · February 2014

looks excellent, Id be in.

if it can generate enough traffic then it will succeed. that's the only tricky part.

pdalowsky · February 2014

could you possibly help the expresso beans guys to redevelop their site?

on2legs · February 2014

Thats cool... nice job!

marjen · February 2014

could you possibly help the expresso beans guys to redevelop their site?

You know I reached out to someone over there a few days ago and never heard back. I just sent 2 messages to what look like the principal technical volunteers. That was my original thought. It would be a LOT easier since they already have all the data. It would just involve integrating my design against their back end. It also helps since that is not my strong suit. Hopefully i hear back from someone there.

ajaxbro · February 2014

It would be cool to have a feature similar to discogs where you can see the market value of your collection along with selling and buying.

MedozK · February 2014

ajaxbro said:
It would be cool to have a feature similar to discogs where you can see the market value of your collection along with selling and buying.

^^This^^

on2legs · February 2014

Your design on ebeans would be awesome.

I imagine it would be like when the guy who invented peanut butter teamed up with the guy who invented chocolate.

2-feign-reluctance · February 2014

pdalowsky said:
could you possibly help the expresso beans guys to redevelop their site?

No doubt.

marjen · February 2014

I imagine it would be like when the guy who invented peanut butter teamed up with the guy who invented chocolate.

Thats one way to look at it, lol.

Worst case I did hear back from a programmer friend of mine who might help me out with the database code. I worked with him for years, he does good work. Hoping I can talk him into a pro bono arrangement.

PJ Poster Exchange Site, feedback.

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