BB Stash
From Bob's Basement
Contents |
[edit] Summary
BB members would like to (and are generally encouraged to) contribute equipment and resources (physical as well as virtual things) to various projects. However we currently have no record of what equipment is available to us, making the task of getting the shared resources to the places they're needed.
With the added complication of the somewhat sparse geographic distribution of members in the group, this is a problem that needs solving.
[edit] Proposed Solutions
The are two approaches to tracking equipment
For both methods, each item is individually recorded in a database and an ID attached to the item. The database stores a list of projects which require equipment. Projects are allocated users.
Some users are allocated as administrators (or Store Keepers).
[edit] Centralised
All equipment is initially placed in a central place (somewhere neutral preferably) and recorded.
When a project requires a piece of equipment, they search the database and find the equipment. They then see the status (i.e. in or out of the store). If it is out, they can file a bid to have the equipment next.
When an item is returned, the next person who made a bid for it is notified. They can then organise with the Store Keeper when to pick up the item if they still require it. If they do not, then their bid is cleared and the next person notified, and so on.
[edit] Advantages
- Substantially simpler to implement than other solutions
- Easier to make initial inventory
- Location of free equipment is always known
[edit] Disadvantages
- Somewhat beuraucratic
- Requires a shared storage space
[edit] P2P
Each user has 3 pages: Project Inventory, Bids, Transfers
Users may bid on a piece of equipment for one of their projects (selectable) - an admin then selects the bid for the equipment and notifies the winner of the bid of their success.
Once this has been confirmed, the winning user is sent an email notifying them of the email address and location of the equipment. The item is then moved to their Transfers page. The user who currently holds the equipment is sent a notification of who will receive the item. They too will have an outgoing item in their Transfers page.
Once both users have confirmed that the item has changed hands, the "holder" of the item is changed.
[edit] Advantages
- No central space is required
- Items travel direct as opposed to via a midpoint
- Allows members further from London to get items more easily
[edit] Disadvantages
- Much harder to implement
- Potentially confusing
- Cost of transporting items may be more.
