The Bandicoot Blog

For those of you unfamiliar with the term rush, here's some bad google stock photos: Looks like our little AOL messenger guy there owes the other two money. Good luck with those stubby 2d legs, pal. ANYHOO. These images are important because it is an accurate depiction of what team Bandicoot will be doing with our brains and our computers for the next three weeks. Sprint numero uno went extremely well! But we can't get cocky.  The responses were all positive. The idea is solid, and the functionality we have now earned us little to no criticism.  Right now we are most concerned with making the app more efficient when it comes to finding certain products. We want the time period between when you log in to Augie Marketplace, and when you discover in the first chapter of you gen chem textbook that you should be an English major, to be as short as possible. We also realize that today's youth are flighty creatures with short attention spans. If it takes t...

The time has come. Like a hibernating bandicoot emerging from its underground abode to hunt its ferocious hunger away, Augie Marketplace is almost ready to be unleashed on the public (in a controlled setting of course. So more like a hunting bandicoot in captivity, being oogled at by parents trying to keep their kids from jumping into the enclosure). Now, I may know absolutely nothing about bandicoots, as displayed in the last paragraph, but I do know this app is coming together gorgeously. Let me explain. Our core functionality is looking good, meaning we are finishing up sprint 1 with a bit of breath left. A new user can: 1) Create a profile (gotta have that social media presence. Won't be long before the Kardashians all have profiles) 2) The profile can be added to the database (don't want to lose track of any of those cheap book options) 3) Add a book to be sold (complete with all its info, such as title, author, and tensile strength) 4) Search for a book you are...

For about five seconds, I considered simply posting the lyrics to Jaden Smith's "ICON," and leave it at that. Because that, ladies and germs, is exactly how influential I believe this app will be: Jaden Smith level influential. Jokes aside, things are going well. Augie marketplace has a fully functioning database system (run through the aforementioned Firebase) and a gmail login system, a sweet profile management system (look out Facebook) and an evolving look that will make the app smooth as a baby's bottom (I'm a sort-of professional - don't you judge my similes). We are definitely looking forward to the upcoming demo at the end of week seven. But for now I would like to give you a bit of a precursor - our official icon for the app. This is essential to making the app recognizable, as well as maintaining its visual connection to the great academic institution that is Augustana College. We are proud of our school and the knowledge it has bestowed upon u...

The blogpost names do not improve from here on out, folks. But the Augie Marketplace sure does! To be fair it isn't too difficult of a leap from non-existent to existent when it comes to an Andorid app. But we are proud of how far our little project has come along. We are pleased to say the little code seedling we planted has grown into a beautiful android flower. We in Team Bandicoot realize one of the most subtle and overlooked aspects of any app is its aesthetic presentation. When we started this project, rule number one was simplicity and elegance, to provide the user with a comfortable shopping environment. This app is certainly utilitarian, and we want to honor that, though not at the expense of its image. So, here's a first look at our mockup, created in microsoft word, and what we have so far created in Android studio. This level of simplicity was what we shot for. Pretty, no? Simple, and the user experience would be one of familiarity. The app is so easy to g...

I'm a sucker for a cliche blog post name. So sue me. Team Bandicoot has hit the ground running. Which if you are familiar with the anatomy of bandicoots, is tough. They have tiny little legs. Anyhoo: STEP 1 - The profiles Augie Marketplace will boast an easy to set up and maintain profile system, providing security to our users, while still allowing them to link up with other students of interest. For this purpose we will be using Firebase, which utilizes a Realtime Database system.  First and foremost, ol' Augustana College loves their google platforms. Everything we do here in Rock'nRoll Island is based off a school issued email and password. It is essential that Augie marketplace can be accessed in the same way.  So even before we attack the Firebase Database system to achieve real-time syncing  between our clients, Avash "Firebase Face" Shrestha is working through a google sign in system so we can keep those Augie students happy and comf...