iPad Storage and User (scorekeeper) ideas

[FTMSupport]

It is based on the number of pitches in the game, the number of substitutions made during the game, the number of notes made during the game, etc. 100k is an approximation that is probably valid for a 9 inning game with standard substitutions (i.e. you are not doing a lot of substitutions). Chances are with a 6 or 7 inning game, you are making more substitutions (youth games tend to substitute a lot more to make sure all players are playing), so you could still wind up at about 100k.

[OhioTex]

Jason -

1) I lean to data transparency and good communication. imho, the value add should be in the use and judgment, not on the availability or not.

2) Like the front number jersey or pant idea, very common in girls fast pitch softball uniforms. yes what a help. good luck on that one.

3) I agree with KISS and the idea that a one touch export after each game is easier than data sharing..

4) on database size and data rate plans for your league .....
Given your league size, I would think you could get by with the 250MB/month per unit, aka less $, 3G data plan (at least to start, and then see). the building 'export' data base may become an issue over time if not managed down somehow, perhaps the league version will have some features for this.

FYI - when I scored games this summer (~30 games in July), I did not come close to the 250MB limit, do not think I even got half way. unfortunately I can not go back and see my exact data consumption history, but as a reference point, I iscorecasted each and exported each after each and was under 350MB (plus my ipad is not dedicated to just scoring).

doing some rough calculation using FTM numbers, come to similar conclusion.. for a unit assuming 50 games/month, 100k/ per game for iscorecast, 150k/game for email, and then 100K expanding per game for export. I come up with roughly 150Mb a month for each unit, even given math /estimate errors, well under 250MB. (at least to start)

that said, at some point the "building export database" looks like it could become an data hog and issue if not somehow managed or downsized. (FTM ideas?).

Perhaps the league version could have some different database export/ management structure some way to off load data history from the individual devices to a master server. This not only would help for data base transmission size but address the logistic issue with league play, that the same device id will not always be able to score the same team. leaving you to have to data share after every game, which is not ideal KISS

FYI because I started with the itouch and my team web sites are all assigned to my itouch not my ipad -- I backed into a team independent data off load management process for my iPad, that keeps my ipad export much smaller and faster than my wifi itouch export. Basically I score with my ipad, export, and then data share retrieve from my itouch. And then export my itouch to team web site updates. can then clear from my ipad. Though this is a “double export”, my ipad database export stays light and my itouch database holds the master history for all my teams and games and as such is a slower export. I suspect the league version will have some way to address to accommodate league needs.

[Jaskegreen]

OhioTex,
Thanks for doing the math. It's exactly what I needed to see. I can take that back to the board to say this is the plan we need for each month of the season.

As for data sharing and offloading, I'm planning to have one device dedicated to each field. I'm wondering, though, if I should have all teams and all players and all games loaded on each device, maybe just for the sake of backup (having to use one of the ipads on the another field). I think I remember reading somewhere about plans to manage data overlap, so hopefully FTM has something in the works or has already tackled this.

Cheers,
Jason

[OhioTex]

Jason -

Of course subject to change once we see how league software works in practice, but for planning purposes now… i think you will want to plan to have “all 'active’ teams” in each device. (Dedicating an iPad to the field makes sense, but would be a logistical nightmare try and ensure a subset of the teams play on the same field each time, creating schedules is hard enough without adding that complication to the mix). Assuming somehow the league software will let you update league teams from any league device. Which is different than today where a team web site can only be updated from its home device.

You probably have already thought of this, but it should be enter once and data share the rest. Once you enter all the data into one iPad, data share each team to the other device, that will cut down on data set up entry. data sharing is probably only about three or four key strokes per team transfer per device. I have not done iPad to iPad bluetooth, but even if web shared, should be quick transfer. (sure would be easier if you could type in on the web and import, but typing into the ipad is at least easier than the iphone)

That said, leagues are a different story, currently leagues are not part of ‘data sharing’ so you will have to enter that manually in each device. When you do data share, remember to have the right leagues enabled so the shared teams ‘adopt’ the correct leagues, otherwise you will have to go in and manually re assign all the teams to right leagues on each device (yuck) .

Mentioned “all 'active' teams" in the first paragraph, because of the database growth issues, and other league characteristics, i think leagues are going to want/need to have a different archive process than we have today. after each 'active season' i can envision the need for leagues to archive the season and then clear each device for next season. Cutting down on clutter and database size. Today that would need to all be moved to a fourth dedicated archive unit, or perhaps down the road on an FTM server option.

All in all, I suspect FTM will have to invent a league admin web page to simplify/manage some unique league management tasks and assign teams to web leagues. The good news is the structure should be applicable to other iscore sport lines, basketball and football, with baseball continuing to be the lead offering

[FTMSupport]

League websites are handled differently than Team websites. With League websites, there is a database maintained on the server for the league, and devices "feed data up to the league database". Once data has been sent to the server, you can delete it from the device, and the league database will still hold the data. You can also data share from the "league database" as though it were another device (i.e. devices can pull the rosters in from the central league database). There are also Admin pages specifically for managing a league.

[OhioTex]

Smart.ftm, I like that

Jason, that should help in a number of administrative ways and let you iscorecast live each game and still stay under the lower 250mb data plan I bet.