FillLPG NextGen

[FillLPG]

Hi Guys

FillLPG has become more popular that I ever imagined. I'm keen to implement new features that everyone has requested so I'm currently developing a new website from the ground up.

Here are some of the things I'm currently working on:

1. Phone number storage
2. Dedicated detailed opening hours
3. Multiple currency support
4. Https secure access
5. Scrap requiring email authentication

I've created this post as I'm keen to make sure that I incorporate as many as your ideas from day 1, and also to help you to steer the direction and features of the site. (I obviously reserve the right to ignore anything I can't do, or I'm worried would compromise the site )

It's not going to be ready in the next few weeks, so don't hold your breath, I'm doing all this in my "spare" time!

My first question to get your feedback is regarding signing in:
Currently many sites are offering the ability to sign in using 3rd party services (such as Facebook, Google etc). Would people find this useful, or are you happy to continue using accounts created specifically for the site?

[Andy_]

I never use these "sign in with your Google account" and I'm happy to create separate accounts. But perhaps that's because I'm old (35) fashioned and paranoid.

Very useful app by the way, I use it all the time.

Now we just need 3g coverage in remote areas so it works when most needed

Cheers

[Gilbertd]

Now we just need 3g coverage in remote areas so it works when most needed :-)

I'll second that one but it's probably something that is out of Richard's control. However, 4G is being rolled out at a very rapid rate and the propagation at 800 MHz means a huge geographic area can be covered by a single base station, far more so than the pathetic range of 3G transmitters on 2.1 GHz.

Anyway, to answer the questions:
1. Is that for the sites? Might be useful if somewhere is in the habit of running out so you can call them to make sure they have LPG available.
2. Definitely. Not only for the Calor and Flogas depots but for normal filling stations. One I was using on my way back from Glasgow last year was a Morrisons which was only open until 8pm on a Sunday but 24 hours the rest of the week. Could catch someone out, as it did me.
3. If the map is going to be opened up to include Europe/ROI, it could be useful. Stations close to the channel ports and on the main roads leading away could be useful to those that are heading off to Europe. However, it would also mean we'd get jealous of the Belgians who only have to pay €0.418 per litre.....
4. Why? Not sure what difference it would make and why it is needed.
5. I'm also happy with a sign in with my email address. In fact, I'd be stuffed if I could only sign in with a Google account as I think I created one some time ago because I had to but have never used it since so have no idea what it is.

[Brian_H]

Hi Guys

FillLPG has become more popular that I ever imagined. I'm keen to implement new features that everyone has requested so I'm currently developing a new website from the ground up.

Here are some of the things I'm currently working on:

1. Phone number storage
2. Dedicated detailed opening hours
3. Multiple currency support
4. Https secure access
5. Scrap requiring email authentication

I've created this post as I'm keen to make sure that I incorporate as many as your ideas from day 1, and also to help you to steer the direction and features of the site. (I obviously reserve the right to ignore anything I can't do, or I'm worried would compromise the site )

It's not going to be ready in the next few weeks, so don't hold your breath, I'm doing all this in my "spare" time!

My first question to get your feedback is regarding signing in:
Currently many sites are offering the ability to sign in using 3rd party services (such as Facebook, Google etc). Would people find this useful, or are you happy to continue using accounts created specifically for the site?

Personally i'm happier using a dedicated login. At a push google would be an acceptable alternative. What would be useful is to be able to access a profile to change displayed info (eg the name shown when you post an update etc). If you can accomodate both like the way ideascale does that might work?

I'd also query the why on point 5 that Gilbertd has mentioned.

Re the opening hours if you can make it simple to enter a 24h opening stations hours that would be helpful (certain other sites have a completely cack-handed way of doing it where you have to enter hours against every day rather than just setting a value to it being 24 hour opening)

On point 3 raised there is already the option to add stations in Europe, but not with a useful way of entering the price (hence the cluster of stations round Dublin, a few in Poland and one near Paris).

Given the issues round passwords becoming leaked (not so much of a problem till people keep reusing the same password everywhere of course.....) then the https access would seem sensible if its realistic to implement and give some benefit to boosting security in doing so.

[FillLPG]

Yep the phone numbers will be for the stations.

I'll probably just show the stations of the country you're in by default, and have the option for showing those in other countries.

I will add the ability to change your display name on the new site. All I really need is the ability to check who has done the updates/modifications in case we get any malicious modifications. I'm not interested in collecting extra information on people like their birthday (it's no use to me) p.s. it's my birthday tomorrow

If people are interested in having a member point scoring system, similar to Waze, I might introduce that too for fun.

If you've been a member since the beginning you probably wouldn't have had to verify your email when you signed up. New users have to do this at the moment to try and add some security (for some reason we seem to get people trying to hack the database on a daily basis), but this causes problems with email getting lost in the spam filters etc. The new site will be much more secure so this won't be such a problem.

The https is more of a behind the scenes changes to make the site more secure (Google are also dropping sites in the rankings that aren't https secure). The users wont notice a difference, but it will make those people who pick ludicrously simple passwords a little safer too There are some LPG station websites that dont even *Go* as far as encrypting the passwords

I'll stick a simple 24 hour tick box to make them easy to enter.

[Brian_H]

Yep the phone numbers will be for the stations.

I'll probably just show the stations of the country you're in by default, and have the option for showing those in other countries.

I will add the ability to change your display name on the new site. All I really need is the ability to check who has done the updates/modifications in case we get any malicious modifications. I'm not interested in collecting extra information on people like their birthday (it's no use to me) p.s. it's my birthday tomorrow

If people are interested in having a member point scoring system, similar to Waze, I might introduce that too for fun.

If you've been a member since the beginning you probably wouldn't have had to verify your email when you signed up. New users have to do this at the moment to try and add some security (for some reason we seem to get people trying to hack the database on a daily basis), but this causes problems with email getting lost in the spam filters etc. The new site will be much more secure so this won't be such a problem.

The https is more of a behind the scenes changes to make the site more secure (Google are also dropping sites in the rankings that aren't https secure). The users wont notice a difference, but it will make those people who pick ludicrously simple passwords a little safer too There are some LPG station websites that dont even *Go* as far as encrypting the passwords

I'll stick a simple 24 hour tick box to make them easy to enter.

Happy Birthday to you then!

[Active_Lad]

Something I would pitch for is a mobile friendly Website. Since there isn't an iPhone App, the current site is almost impossible to use with a Safari browser on an iPhone. Using the GPS functionality to find the closest station when using the mobile app would be a godsend.

[Gilbertd]

Since there isn't an iPhone App

Isn't there? I'm one of the minority using a Windows phone and there's an app for that. Usually WP comes after iPhone and Andriod. One thing I will say is that simply connecting to the website with a browser from a phone doesn't seem to work particularly well at all, whereas the app works superbly, even integrating with the inbuilt sat nav.

[Active_Lad]

Sadly not or at least if there is, it doesn't have LPG in the name! My understanding is that there are a lot more hurdles to get over when developing an app for the iPhone so whilst the community is much greater than WP or Android, the costs are much higher which tends to put off a lot of community-based developers There is a guy who has tried to develop a paid for app but the 5 reviewers all gave it 1 star including "Hopeless" and "Rubbish" so probably won't be shelling out 79p for that!

[Brian_H]

Sadly not or at least if there is, it doesn't have LPG in the name! My understanding is that there are a lot more hurdles to get over when developing an app for the iPhone so whilst the community is much greater than WP or Android, the costs are much higher which tends to put off a lot of community-based developers There is a guy who has tried to develop a paid for app but the 5 reviewers all gave it 1 star including "Hopeless" and "Rubbish" so probably won't be shelling out 79p for that!

There isn't currently one which relates to the iphone. Richard is in the process of redoing the site to improve it across all platforms though, I think Dave is looking into developing an Iphone one but is currently tied up with improving the android one.

The windows one appears to have unfortunately hit a dead end in development as noone has heard from the developer in some time. It has some issues (deleted stations and no facility to update prices) which it would be nice to get sorted, but don't think anyone is currently in a position to do so.

[Gilbertd]

It has some issues (deleted stations and no facility to update prices) which it would be nice to get sorted, but don't think anyone is currently in a position to do so.

Not sure what you mean by deleted stations but I've just checked and you are quite right, there is no facility to update prices, I'd never noticed before. I tend to do any updates from the laptop and use the mobile app when I am somewhere I don't know to find the nearest/cheapest station so had never tried to do it and found I couldn't.

[Brian_H]

You will find that there are pointers that dont exist on the website that show up on the app. Hence why some stations have a few pointers clustered together. And stations like bp brackley on the a43 are still shown despite having been removed as the pumps were removed last year.