dave wrote:so wait a second. this only makes sense if you're putting your kJams on a public web server, for anyone to access at any time from any location (their home for instance).
Funny, I was just having a conversation about this very idea with a friend of mine, coincidentally named Dave. He thought that would be a great idea, were there a way to sync up your library and playlists XML or however its currently stored on a web server, and allow singers to make modifications to their lists before coming in to sing for the evening (as in earlier in the week, or whatever)
I attempted to explain that most of that would be pretty easy, conceptually, and perhaps even easier still were most of it to be re-written in SQL. He seemed to think it would be rather simple, yet, like an afternoon's work. I then told him to get in contact with you.
The only huge issue I see (and it's not really huge) is getting the playlist edits synced back to the server machine (the one that kJams is actually running on, with the music and whatnot) in a reasonable fashion, and having something on the web side that indicates that no further edits to tonight's lists will be reflected in the rotations.
In a related small stroke of brilliance, my friend Dave also thought it would be a great idea to write (part of) the web side of this as some kind of MySpace/Facebook app. (Most of my regulars use these services, etc)
Here's my kludgy take on the model for this somewhat distributed computing kind of idea.
<blockquote>
Website <===> SQL SERVER <===> MySpace App
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Consoles <===> Kjams on Laptop <===> iPhone
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Data Store (hard drive, ext. hd, NAS device, whatever
</blockquote>
(== meh - vertical lines go down the center, connecting SQL, kJams, Data)
The idea being that while connected to the SQL/web server, the actual control of kJams could be done via the web interface. If this connection is unavailable (no internet in the actual venue), control shifts to the kJams machine, and uses its most recent copy of the SQL database to function. Of course, that DB would be updated by iPhone or network consoles in the venue, and the next sync with the web SQL server could be a bit delicate. However, this model would allow for a lot of different kinds of setups, depending on the physical infrastructure available to the KJ.
I know that it might look like I'm trying to rewrite your perfectly good piece of genius, but I'm really just brainstorming a bit. Baby steps - I have a domain parked and waiting for just such a venture.
>>Sedge