10 minutes on my little web app for parents.

1. The Geo-Aware Parent
Matt Machell for Multipack Presents
Feb 2011

2. It started when I
became a dad

3. What if I had a web app to
find child-friendly places?

4. So I made a prototype
using Javascript

5. Python
• code.google.com/edu/languages/
google-python-class/
• diveintopython.org/

6. Let’s Build This With :
Pylons
• More mix-n-match than Django
• Good docs but some gaps
• pylonshq.com
• pylonsbook.com

7. Up and running...
python go-pylons.py mydevenv
source mydevenv/bin/activate
easy_install sqlalchemy
easy_install mako
paster create -t pylons parents
paster controller locations
paster serve development.ini --reload

8. Geo-locating
• Code is really easy
• Slow on desktops without GPS
• Now in FF, Safari, Opera and IE!

9. if(navigator.geolocation){
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition
(function(position) {
var lat=position.coords.latitude;
var long=position.coords.longitude;
window.location=window.location+'?
geo='+lat+','+long;
}, function() {
//failure
},
{maximumAge: 75000});
}

10. Haversine Formulas
• Cos the world isn’t flat

11. Geocoding
• Need to match name to lat/long
• Need to match lat/long to name
• Need to match postcode to lat/long

12. Geonames Rocks!
• Web Service APIs in JSON/XML/etc
• Country specific targeting
• Postcodes
• www.geonames.org

13. Interface
• Part of my “New Dad Site” blog
• Lightweight HTML5, mostly forms
• CSS3 transitions tied to :invalid

14. Some Assembly
Required
• finder.newdadsite.com
• @shuckle / @newdadsite
• eclecticdreams.com