Should I charge for this calendar?

[chris]

Just wondering if I should charge for new calendar script...

If so, would you pay?
How much?
Other than what there already is in the new version, what more would you expect from a "paid" version?

Any thoughts welcome

Chris

[Lora]

Chris,
I think it is pretty awesome that the script is FREE and it is super awesome that you support it for free.
Actually, I think the script along with it's support are priceless.

I guess if I had to pay for it, I'd like to see more image options to choose from for the calendar.

-Lora

[southernrob]

Yes, a small fee would be a good idea. (For you a big fee might sound like a better idea )
1.Maybe add to the admin side by having a function that writes css. So gives color choices, fonts etc so folks could customise it to their sites without getting their hands dirty.
2. date format to be chosen from admin to avoid anyone having to change files.
2.Range bookings ( being able to mark off 13 August to 25 august by clicking on first and last or whatever) as stated in another thread.
3. Search function. finding ids where no periods booked in a range, and or ids where not all dates booked in a range
4. Optional Price title on each date, + possibility to reserve/enquire through clicking on a date.

Just thinking of functions available in some other calendar scripts If all those were in you could probably go for 'the big fee'

If you charge a big fee you would have to encode, small fees probably not.

Best,
Rob

[chris]

Thanks for your replies

Lora:

I guess if I had to pay for it, I'd like to see more image options to choose from for the calendar.

What sort of image options are you referring to.
I don't know how much you have looked into the new version, but this version now only uses one image for all the "special" states such as the am and pm bookings.
It uses css background image properties to position it for each state.
What else could you imagine needing?

Rob:
A few interesting ideas there though, as you say, things like this should really be in a "paid" version.
When I initially published the availabaiity calendar, my idea was that it would be used be developers, like yourself, to include in clients websites be developing it further as required.
However, I have found that most users tend to be "novice" developers that just want something to "plug in" and have little or no knowledge of php and javascript.
That is why I have exteneded this version to include an (optional) administration panel.

1.Maybe add to the admin side by having a function that writes css. So gives color choices, fonts etc so folks could customise it to their sites without getting their hands dirty.

The problem here is not so much the css as the image used for the special states as mentioned above. This could be created by php but means quite a bit more code.
The issue is - where to draw the line?
Most of the calendars that I have seen in use have used the original images and colors so I assume that most users aren't actually interested in personalizing it to fit their website. Those that are, normally know how to deal with css.

2. date format to be chosen from admin to avoid anyone having to change files.

The new version has the option to format in dd/mm/yyyy and mm/dd/yyyy. However this is only used as the "title" attribites for each dates.
Are you thinking of something else?

2.Range bookings ( being able to mark off 13 August to 25 august by clicking on first and last or whatever) as stated in another thread.

As you say, this has been mentioned in another thread. My worry here is how to "know" whether the user actually wants all dates between the dates clicked or just the dates. I suppose I could add somesort of modal window question in such cases.....

3. Search function. finding ids where no periods booked in a range, and or ids where not all dates booked in a range

This is fairly straightforward mysql stuff, not quite sure if it is within the scope of the calendar. But again, I can see why "my" users would want this pre-done

4. Optional Price title on each date,

I actually helped a user on this forum do this for their website. The thread is still here on the forum (somewhere), those instructions won't (shouldn't) change with the new version.
However, actually defining a price per date is not really feasible (in administrative terms). The solution that was given was to create "seasons" - ie blocks of dates - where the prices where defined (if I remember rightly).
I can see how being able to define seasons would be useful.

+ possibility to reserve/enquire through clicking on a date.

When I finally get this new version ready for download, I want to include a few demos, one of which will be how to create a "public" calendar with this functionality.

Well, thanks for the coments and ideas.
The problem is, as I mentioned, knowing where to stop.
By adding all these features clearly this would be too large a project (it already is larger than I hoped) to be free due to the amount of work behind it. My worry there is that that would defeat the point of the script - my idea always was to create a simple availability calendar to display just that - availability.

Rob, any specific calendar script (other than mine) that jumps to mind?

Chris

[southernrob]

Hi Chris,

1.Maybe add to the admin side by having a function that writes css. So gives color choices, fonts etc so folks could customise it to their sites without getting their hands dirty.


The problem here is not so much the css as the image used for the special states as mentioned above. This could be created by php but means quite a bit more code.
The issue is - where to draw the line?

Perhaps you could have say six different color variants of the css images so that you could include a choice in the admin section
I did a calendar years ago that had high low and medium seasons as three price bands and had that as an 'alt' or 'title', I also included special dates so folks could also feed in a few special date prices - Christmas, Easter whatever. Actually stopped using it because it seemed to use more render time than it was worth.

The new version has the option to format in dd/mm/yyyy and mm/dd/yyyy. However this is only used as the "title" attribites for each dates.
Are you thinking of something else?

No, that's it

2.Range bookings ( being able to mark off 13 August to 25 august by clicking on first and last or whatever) as stated in another thread.


As you say, this has been mentioned in another thread. My worry here is how to "know" whether the user actually wants all dates between the dates clicked or just the dates. I suppose I could add somesort of modal window question in such cases.....

Bring back a keypress+ ? It would only be on booked or clearing dates

3. Search function. finding ids where no periods booked in a range, and or ids where not all dates booked in a range


This is fairly straightforward mysql stuff, not quite sure if it is within the scope of the calendar. But again, I can see why "my" users would want this pre-done

Tis, you coulkd take this out of my addon variant

+ possibility to reserve/enquire through clicking on a date.

When I finally get this new version ready for download, I want to include a few demos, one of which will be how to create a "public" calendar with this functionality.

Good, hardest part of it perhaps is giving a range option to send on as opposed to a single date.


No, no particular script, just went round looking at a lot of scripts and seeing what they had to offer.

NB One of the things I like the best about your calendar is the fact that only dates with special states are held in the db. Makes it nice and light.

Come on version 3
Best,
Rob

[chris]

Thanks for your comments Rob, I will bear them in mind though most new changes will have to be for a next version update as I really want to get this out now. I have a major new project starting on Sept 1st so I won't be able to touch this for a couple of months.

This morning I have been working on the install script which will create the database tables etc.
This new version now uses 5 different tables - things are getting more complex

I also want to add the idea of being able to predfine the states via a radio button (or select list) to save admin time - I think that it will be a good feature for this version.

I will try to get the zipped version ready for testing tomorrow - fancy giving it a go for me?

Chris

PS. you can see the new calendar in action (public view) here: http://www.gabinohome.com/en/advert/38099
The calendar there is based on the new css code - ie no images, and has some slight css adjustments to fit the design (ie smaller dates)

[southernrob]

I will try to get the zipped version ready for testing tomorrow - fancy giving it a go for me?

Of couse I would!

[southernrob]

Have you sent it?
I had a mail hiccup and might have lost it
Best,
Rob

[chris]

No, not yet, still working on it in client work breaks when I get a chance.

Chris

[rcph]

Hi Chris,
I have looked at the new version 3.0 as well as 3.01, it seems realy good and I do like it very much. I guess it is absolutly suitable to use these versions for f.e. small accomodation objects. My opinion is to leave the versions at present performance. There it is not neccessary to add anything else. Small aspect adjustments evereone can make ourselves via css.
As for the payment for the new version - it depends on you only and you consider this question as you think.
If someone needs more exacting and demanding version (f.e. choice of the look, adding comments, adding prices, on-line reservations...etc), there are available proffesional versions with a lot of facilities - for fee obviously. It is only a thing where to find them on internet. So that it is a reason why I reckon there is not a such a big need to create such project. But it depends on you and on your time.
During testing version 3 in Firefox everything was o.k., but there were problems with formatting and css function at IE (Internet Explorer).
You have mentioned the version 3 is ready to be used. I would like to ask you - is it possible to provide that version to test it?

Petr