[sandbox] Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

http://maemo.org/community/brainstor...tor_for_maemo/

Hi

Hopefully I have got the protocol right for this "brainstorming". Well, anyhoo, there is from point of view a need for a ballistic calc for N900. I've used "Strelok" for my different phones from http://borisov.mobi/ and found quite handy. I sadly lack any ability create anything, but if someone decides to like this idea for a niche app to a niche device (at the moment only, hopefully), I'll be glad to help in any way I can.

And the term "killer-app" isn't just there for the pun. The existence of this kind of app is for some users the major deciding factor when buying a device.

The utility would be a helping tool for range use, hunting and etc.

Re: Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

Probably because they can't use a simple calculator. ;)

Re: Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

I'd suggest you write a very simple app in Python. I know you said you didn't know programming, but the maths here are pretty simple as is the ui (and you could start by just doing the calculation and outputting it in the terminal).

If you're interested, I'm sure people will be happy to help with code snippets, etc. First thing you should do though is to find a page which list the governing equations (assuming they are any more complex than basic A-level maths) and the relationship with the various bullet/grain types (which will presumably change the initial velocity and drag for the bullet), presumably these are tabulated somewhere as people must have done this before the invention of mobile phones?

Re: Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

Heh, a range card, a pen and some paper go a long way. There are some actual uses for on the spot calculation aid though. In some cases there's a lot of variables where having an app doing the math for you keeps you from having to set up a miniature office.

Not a bad idea. I've been a desktop linux user for a long while and got the N900 for the "ease and freedom" to customize things to my needs. This project would do me good, be an experience to learn from and it'd finally give me the push to learn an actual programming language to do things with, instead of hacking things up with a shell script.

Might take a while though : )

Re: [sandbox] Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

Please do not start to argue about the senses of this proposal, ask "why" to understand it.

It came to my mind that all these little gadget apps is what users attract. If useless or not maybe they are just fun for someone, maybe they are handy for someone or just another button on the desktop...

For me it isnt handy, for me a spreadsheat tool like origin would be handy. Matrix calculations, Fourier-Transformations and so on... but for the others stuff like Physics is a closed book of secrets.

Now to the app, a simple solution was presented python with desktop widget, easy going.
My idea goes a bit more in the professional direction. A graphical UI where you are able to manipulate: direction of shot, angle of shot, starting speed of bullet, wind and its direction, level of shooter. This tool should include realistic ballistics with air resistance. What you see: A tiny person on the screen, 3 rotational arrays, one to manipulate the direction of the shot, one for wind and one for shooting angle. Textboxes for level position, bullet and wind speeds.

This is not thought to an end so please pick it up and propose a solution.

Re: [sandbox] Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

Well, if it's okay to throw around some ideas and random thoughts:

Here's an extreme example of how people use these calculations http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubb...=952270&page=1 , please disregard the flame-war at the end.

If I could actually code an app, there'd be selectable profiles for different bullets, as this is a major part effecting on the end result, profiles for weapons, barrel lenght, rifling twist, sight offset and other pre-filled profiles.

There'd be two modes:

The first, accuracy/sport mode.
In this pic you can see some of the the values that'd be needed to filled in by user input:
http://www.finnaccuracy.com/kuvat2/i...202008m_tn.jpg

Range, speed, atmosphere, direction in relation to terrain (shooting at an upward or downward angle), direction in relation to earth's rotation and so on. Some of the data could be pulled from the hardware on the N900, or from a weather/map site. Basically a nitpicking OCD-mode.

The second, a hunter mode.
A simple, quick to read layout that'd function as a range-card, nothing cluttered. Press the volume key to scroll down a list that'd give you different leads, windages and elevations for you target.
"How do I hit that deer thar yonder?"-mode.

One big feature not implemented in any other portable app I know of, would be the possibility for importing trajectories, gun profiles and other data from a software package called Quickload/Quicktarget.

This is probably the MS-Office for shooters, a very, very wide spread program, which saves data in simple text or csv format:
A second unique feature would be a range diary, that'd allow you to crosslink different data. Your score/results for the day, load, shooting conditions and so on, and a pic of the grouping.

If one could devise a way to extrapolate from a picture taken from the results, with the N900's camera, how far, say five bullet holes are compared to each other on a piece of white paper with, say a 10 mm rectangle printed on it, one would have an instant hit app. No more need to buy accuracy/zeroing targets and near instant result readings with out measuring with a caliber.

This group measuring against a known sized target pattern is in use on some ranges already though, but I know no affordable mobile solution.

One other idea which might be a bit risky for the N900, would be to use the accelerometers to measure and graph recoil. This'd require a solid way to attach the device to either on the shooter or the firearm.

Geez, the list is pretty long one for all the ideas. There are more and different needs for different sports and users. I think I'll start the project, when I have time for it, from making a list of what I need, try things out for the math on excel and after that works out, see how I could port it to N900 and on what language and form.

The way I'm looking at this is that I have need for a tool and the tool is the end result for me. If some else wants to use the tool I might end up hacking together, then fine, feel free.

If one would look at this from "making money" point of view and had the actual skills to develop this, one could make a profit. Charging 10 to 20 dollars or more per license wouldn't make the target buyer group even blink if the product would deliver what it'd promise, some of the filthy rich ones might even buy the N900 for it (when marketed right). After all, people having a need for this kind of app are people spending several thousands of dollars/euros on firearms and optics, more on different shooting/hunting paraphernalia, and even more on ammunition.

Thanks for all interest you've shown and sorry for me not tagging the thread properly.

Re: [sandbox] Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

please include that this tool should be for snipers and people who do ranged shooting within your proposal. This has nothing to do with educational stuff I thought of in the first place. 'killer-app' is the right word...

Re: [sandbox] Ballistic Calculator for Maemo
 

Damn, I should watch my jokes a bit better, and that one showed poor taste in my part. I'm an avid sport shooter myself, focusing on the technical side and sporting performance of firearms and tend to forget how other people might view things. The link to snipershide.com was to show how the data is applied and how it is collected, radar measurement of a projectile's trajectory reference for maximum accuracy, etc.

Now, actual "sniper" use of this kind of an application, even agains't some people claiming other wise for their similar offeringsm would be a poor idea. Any fielded military personnel have other procedures for ranging, calculation and etc, which differ from sporting ones.

I apologize if I have offended anyone, especially with the snipershide.com linkage and that the application would be meant for sport shooting.

I was as usual just focuzing on the facts, means and results interesting me and was blind to any other undertones or uses one might see in the application, it's uses or the general military/idiotic chatter on snipershide.com. On the educational side, I would disagree, but this isn't the correct forum or thread to discuss about it.

Again, I'm very sorry if this idea for an app has offended anyone.