Official Launch of Hive Tracks

[BigDru]

I like it so far. Yes there are some additional things that would make my record keeping better for me. I don't feed extensively so when I do, it is usually a jar on a simple enterance feeder. I would also like the option to do spread sheets or graphs.

[Buffalolick]

What is your business model? Will the site be free to users going foward or just during launch/trial phase? If free will it be advertiser supported or is there another entity that will pay for access to all this data?

[mxr618]

I'm loaded up. Would like to see:
1. a way to differentiate langs from nucs.
2. an inventory system for unused frames, deeps, mediums, etc. I can't ever remember how many unused frames I have and what I have in hive parts before I split and need to make more woodenware and place an order.
3.Would like to see a function where you can track the amount of honey in lbs that comes out of any given super.
4. Would also like to see a revenue/cost section...how much did you pay for your equipment? How much did you sell your honey for (if you did)?

I'll have more feedback shortly.

Tom

[mhenson]

It will have ads one day and the data will be mined for geographic trends but NOT for personal info. We have a Google-esk ideal of "do no evil" and a "build it and they will come" business model. Actaully, it started out as an app to fill our own needs and grow from there.

[mhenson]

These are all excellent points Shelly. Thanks for taking the time. I will address the password in e-mails thing now.

The speed thing is something we are working on all the time. When we get out of debug mode it will be faster but not as fast as it shoud be.

We have plans for weight and are working on an "instrumented hive" that will connect to Hive Tracks by wireless and record this and much more automatically.... that's a big deal and is down the road a ways.

[wolfpenfarm]

These are all excellent points Shelly. Thanks for taking the time. I will address the password in e-mails thing now.

WEll doesn't work for me, i setup a acct, never got a email and it won't let me login.

[rweakley]

Site is working wonderfully for me. Quick response time. Pretty intuitive to use. I would like to see a foundation type of foundationless and I will repeat the call for local bred queens as an option, MUTTS for lack of a better term. Also repeat call for blackberry version as well. Thanks for this, I'll just have to remember to use it so it will be useful.

[pom51]

I would like to see the ability to use the abc along with number to number the hives and supers
example brood # B10 1
deep super ds 10 1
ss 101
for i number all my hives first number are the number of frames the second part of number after the space is hive number. this is the way that i keep up with my hives works good for me

thanks

[mhenson]

Please send an e-mail to support@hivetracks.com with the user name you attempted to use and I will see what happen.

[mhenson]

New Feature added: Hive Tracks now has a way to "Test Drive" before committing to an account. Thanks for the feedback. This was an often requested feature. You will only see the button to test drive the app if you are not already logged on.

[TripleH]

Hi,
I think you have a terrific product in development and encourage you to continue...it's great! Thank you!

During this beta period you must get swamped with all sorts of "input" as to what people would like to have HiveTracks do for them. I was in the framing business for 30 years and worked with a software vendor in that industry to supply my input. Well as a new beek since early this year here is my 2 cents.

In the hive building section:
-Are you defining the IPM bottom board as a screened bottom board or is that something to add to the list.
-Additional items to consider adding to the component list
- robber screen with an add/remove date and type/brand
- mouse guard/screen with an add/remove date
- SHB traps with an add/remove date and type/brand
- pollen traps with an add/remove date and type/brand
- propolis traps with an add/remove date and type/brand
- venom collection
- royal jelly collection
The reason for the "with an add/remove date and type/brand" feature allows beeks to experiment with different equipment and track the results.

I also agree with the previous poster to expand the # of choices in inspections that can be answered with a range of answers (ie: mites, foulbrood) and give the option for both text answers - low medium high and numeric counts and/or percentages tagged to a time of year and a way to track the results after the diagnosis for the efficacy of the treatment method.

As I am learning there can be slightly different definitions for beekeeping terminology from one beek to another. It would be helpful to be able to mouse over all the buttons, categories, hive components, and inspection terms and have the definition pop-up. It would also include variations on the name/definition. This would be a feature that could be turned on or off. It allows users to understand the definition as presented in HiveTracks and relate it to possible alternatives they may be more familiar with.

For those who choose to use a PDA/Smart-phone device it would be a bonus to be able to have voice to text capability thus allowing a hands-free feature during inspections.

In addition creating a way to insert video into HiveTracks. Both during inspections and also as a live streaming remote from multiple bee yards in scattered locations.

History of quantities of various harvested items honey, wax, pollen, propolis,
venom, royal jelly. depicted as a choice of either graph or chart for multiples within a year or annually.

Tracking for all costs: tools, equipment, feed, medications, etc.

I realize the enormity of such an undertaking and applaud your efforts !

Thanks for reading and all the best,

Tim Hayes

[Dave Meldrum]

I commend you for doing this. I know it is a lot of work but I think this will be the trend for beekeepers, especially as smart phones become more popular.
A thought; Add "Swarmed" to the inspection, This happens to me often enough to be significant and I like to look back at swarm dates for hives.

[BigDru]

It will have ads one day and the data will be mined for geographic trends but NOT for personal info. We have a Google-esk ideal of "do no evil" and a "build it and they will come" business model. Actaully, it started out as an app to fill our own needs and grow from there.

What good does this do for the average hobbist bee keeper if its not for personal info?

[mhenson]

Wow! What an excellent post Tim. Thanks so much for taking the time. Some of the features in your list are quick and some of big development commitments. We are going to continue collecting input for the next month or so. We will have a “Grand Opening” next week at the Eastern Apicultural Society summer meeting right here in Boone, NC. I’m sure tons of feedback will be generated there too. Later in August we’ll sort and rank the feature requests then go back into development. Please keep posting your comments and watching the site. We are making small improvements all the time. We plan to make Hive Tracks an essential part of the restoration of bees of beekeeping around the world.

Sincerely,
Mark Henson
Founder of Hive Tracks

[Barry]

It will have ads one day and the data will be mined for geographic trends but NOT for personal info.

Hi Mark -

The issue that online apps create for me is, who will end up having access to, and using, all the personal information that gets collected?

Regarding the fee/free issue of the site, as long as you are committing to everyone, the site will remain free, I have no problem with you soliciting the membership for input.

[mhenson]

Thanks for bringing this important issue to the surface Barry. I have something to say about it:

We are committed, devoted protectors of privacy. We are doing this work (a ton of work) for the better good of the Honeybee and those who love them. We have worked for almost 2 years developing first a prototype then the real thing with no income. Sure, I want and need to get some sort of income stream going; otherwise I will not be able to keep this up. Clearly money is not what motivated Hive Tracks. I (Mark Henson) am the founder of Hive Tracks. I’m saying right here right now officially and without equivocation… www.hivetracks.com is FREE and will stay that way as long as I have something to say about it (and right now I have everything to say about it

Hive Tracks will NOT abuse personal information. We will NOT divulge who posted what without prior, explicit permission. We will NOT sell e-mail addresses. Every single page on the site is protected with SSL. We WILL mine the data for trends in diseases, treatments, pests, practices, weather patterns and so on. This again is for the good of the beekeeping community and more specifically our members. That means we will collect and make public stats and trends but names, addresses and contact information of the data contributors will remain anonymous. We will do this by publishing trends at the zip code level (thus our requirement of a zip code at sign up time.) This way our users can tell what is going on in their area but no personal data is disclosed.

Does this sound reasonable?

Thanks again for the input,
Mark Henson
Founder of Hive Tracks

[mhenson]

I think you have misunderstood my point BigDr... Hive Tracks does allow you to enter your address, e-mail and other personal info. which you can manage at the site. The point is that we will protect it. You then enter your hives and inspections and stuff. The value is the way we make your information useful, easier to use and access and better organized than it would be in say a notebook or on scraps of paper (as was my case before Hive Tracks)

[mhenson]

Thanks Dave. New features are in the works (starting in August) including a record of swarms. Stay tuned!

[mhenson]

Sorry folks... Hive Tracks was taken off line for about 35 mins to be updated. It should be back up now.

[Ethfol]

I just wanted to say keep up the good work!!! I can't believe you would offer something you have put so much time and effort into for free! The beekeeping community need's more people like you! Look forward to seeing how this site progresses!!
Again, WAY TO GO!!!