Record Keeping Software

[BKF Admin]

Do what I do.
Use a dictaphone,when I get home I upload it to the computer and then use an Excel spreadsheet.
I then scrible in my notebook what jobs need doing/checking on my next visit.

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi beebreeder

I have used Pro Bee Diary and found it time consuming going through all the hive numbers etc.
Once I got used to the software it became easy to fill out.
Note; If you want to change any information on any of the headings go to 'Note Pad' and make any changes that will help you with what information you require on the programme.

Regards;

 

[Hivemaker.]

Kev
numbers on the hives,a notebook and pen/pencil work quite well.

 

[Poly Hive]

Even numbers on hives can get complicated.

Where does the number go when the colony is split?

I use a card on the CB. If the colony is split the the card goes with the queen.

I record a min of info as I found very early on that too much was just err... too much and confusing. Being a simple soul I am easily confused.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Like to keep it simple like you PH...the number on the hive stays with the queen,in the same hive.
Which reminds me,49 colonys checked for stores this afternoon,all looking good,out for one and a half hours,must record it.

 

[sphex]

I can understand why lots of people are saying that they prefer to keep it simple and just use cards, chalk, numbers, whatever. I like to keep it simple too. However I think it's an easy fallacy to assume that a computerised system is always going to be more complicated. This isn't always the case. Poly Hive's example is a case in point. With my software you just click "split colony" and it sorts it all out, keeping track of the parent and child colonies and where the queen goes. If you decide to unite colonies then it can deal with that too.

Most of the work I do, both in this and my day job, is about making things simpler. The other developers here can probably attest to how that's often the hardest bit of software development. Another example from my day job. I developed another specialist bit of software that replaces a notebook and pen. More complicated, you might think. Not in this case. They've estimated that it saves them literally hundreds of man hours every year. Now I'm not saying that Beetight will do anything like that. It's basically something I've done for the love of it. But I do think that it can save people time and effort. And if you don't want to use all of the features then that's fine. It lets you use as much or as little as you want.

 

[Poly Hive]

Sory to say sphex I am phone phobic.

I tried an Orange phone... guranteed to have great coverage over the UK... told them it was my life line whilst cycling in remote places. Did it work did it bu*****. 15 miles west of Aberdeen and it was useless.

Bought an Iphone so as to manage my online bookings whilst away. Did it work? Did it bu***** cost me a bomb.

Could I use a phone whilst wearing gloves covered in propolis? Definitely not.

No, sorry to say phones and I do not get on. Damn buttons are made for oriental female fingers not my hefty mits.

Card and pen. Sorted.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Same here spex,athough not phone phobic,just hate the bloody things and the only one i ever possessed is chucked in a drawer some place where its been for many years,most likely a collectors item,cannot be working bee's and pis**ng about with a phone.
Plus i find them most irritating when people who are supposed to be working spend half of there life with one of the things seemingly fixed to the side of there head.
But i'm sure your idea is good,and i am just in the very small minority about these things,these days.

 

[East Yorks New Bee]

Tried both the online and phone version of Sphex's program, must say I personally love it. I don't worry about using phone with gloves on, mine has a stylus which you can use even with boxing gloves on. The other thing I like is that you input it on your phone and it is there when you login on your account when you get home, so no transferring of data. I know I only have a few hive at minute, but will see how it goes when I increase my hive count. Keep up the good work Sphex

 

[sphex]

Tried both the online and phone version of Sphex's program, must say I personally love it. I don't worry about using phone with gloves on, mine has a stylus which you can use even with boxing gloves on. The other thing I like is that you input it on your phone and it is there when you login on your account when you get home, so no transferring of data. I know I only have a few hive at minute, but will see how it goes when I increase my hive count. Keep up the good work Sphex

Thanks! Glad you like it.

 

[beeboybee]

i also like it but i am finding that on a Iphone its hard to add hives and always seems to bring up an error message, seem to be a few problems but on the computer it works fine and really looking forward to any improvments.

thanks for your time

 

[sphex]

i also like it but i am finding that on a Iphone its hard to add hives and always seems to bring up an error message, seem to be a few problems but on the computer it works fine and really looking forward to any improvments.

thanks for your time

I'll have a look into that. I don't actually have an iPhone, so I have to do all the testing with the iPhone emulator. It does mean I need to be a bit more rigorous with the debugging. Glad you're liking it otherwise though.

 

[Onge]

If you get an app sorted for the iphone I will defiantly give it a go

 

[sphex]

If you get an app sorted for the iphone I will defiantly give it a go

For the moment I'm sticking with the mobile web app, rather than a native one. However I do think it should feel a lot like a native app on the iPhone. Point your phone browser to beetight.com and have a look. Let me know if you want an invite code.

 

[beeboybee]

will try and send you the error messages

 

[Onge]

Nice one can you pm me an invite code and ill try it out looks impressive from what i can see

 

[sphex]

I've just done an update which should fix a lot of the problems with the mobile version, as well as a few with the normal one. I've also added several hive types including Warre, TBH and 14x12.

 

[grizzly]

For the moment I'm sticking with the mobile web app, rather than a native one. However I do think it should feel a lot like a native app on the iPhone. Point your phone browser to beetight.com and have a look. Let me know if you want an invite code.

Sorry, just caught the tail end of this thread, i got an iphone recently too and have been searching for a Bee related app, will look further back on this thread in a mo.

I bet there are a lot of my generation out there, who will have iphones, who also keep bees, im sure you would do well.

Last year i wrote on post it notes after inspecting each hive, but when i got home i quite often forgot to update my folder, if i could sit in my car and update the phone before leaving, all the "i must just remember to jot that down" info will not get lost again.

 

[sphex]

Sorry, just caught the tail end of this thread, i got an iphone recently too and have been searching for a Bee related app, will look further back on this thread in a mo.

I bet there are a lot of my generation out there, who will have iphones, who also keep bees, im sure you would do well.

Last year i wrote on post it notes after inspecting each hive, but when i got home i quite often forgot to update my folder, if i could sit in my car and update the phone before leaving, all the "i must just remember to jot that down" info will not get lost again.

I hope so! If you want an invite code let me know. The easiest way is to go to http://www.beetight.com/contacts
I should point out that existing beta testers can also give out invite codes if they want. You have six to give out to anyone you think might want one. That said, at the moment I'm still giving them out to anyone who wants one.

 

[grizzly]

Cool - request sent.