On Sat, 21 Apr 2001, you wrote: > > > > Surely the core item is the hive, a collection of which is a 'yard' or an > > apiary. > > > What is a hive? The wood? The bees? The queen? Go into a yard made up of > 50 hives, two deeps each with 100 new queens. Now split each hive into > two with new queens going in each box (killing the old queens). > I have written a lengthy post, but I believe that the issues presented here are relevant to the subject. I beg apology from those who feel that the Bee-L is not the appropriate forum for this discussion. The above questions point well to the issues which a software developer must handle. Here are the problems(opportunities, issues, or whatever term is most popular for the day) for the prospective software developer. First, decide _which_ information needs to be stored, produced, and analyzed. (Type of hive? Components of a hive - i.e. are supers assigned to hive, or component of the hive? Placement of hive? Hive attendants- human, here? Inventory - to what detail? Treatments - how much information? Production data - to what detail? Misc. visit information? ad infinitum) Next, decide _how_ information is to be entered(most the time users differ on this point. Computing experience is an issue, as well as the computing device(s) used. Laptops, desktops, and palmtops are signficantly different in their presentation requirements and resource availability). Next, decide how to handle treatment information, re-queening, hive creation/splits(if you don't think this is difficult, look into the archives and see how many different opinions there are on splits and re-queening). Next, decide how to handle the tracking of production yields - and prepare to handle the financial interface to other programs. Next, decide which factors are to be transfered to a split hive(I suspect that this would differ from person to person) Next, choose the appropriate database structure to accomodate the above anwers. Next, choose an appropriate programming tool/language to write the software. Make sure, though, that you are prepared for any changes in the next version of Windows. Finally - or almost finally - write and debug the software. Finally - try to market the software. We have seen on this LIST that the beekeeping industry is under an incredible flux, with the changes in allowed pest treatements, introduction of new pests. Add to this the limited number of available customers for such a software, any person taking on the task of creating software for the bee-keeping industry is courageous - and should be commended and encouraged in their endeavor. With this in mind - a significant point to be pondered remains. What do we expect/desire the software to do for us? Do we expect the software to enable a commercial bee-keeper to employ lesser skilled persons, hoping that the computer will endue them with knowledge and ability? This may seem silly, but I have seen it happen in large corporations and in small offices alike. Will the information be used to more accurately track the effectiveness of new treatments/hive technology? This application will probably work well. Do we hope that if we deliver a handheld computing device to an employee it will make them more productive? This may not be the case, as there are a great number of fantastic employees who fear/distrust/dislike computers, or simply don't want to use them. Do we want to use a computer to assist the manager in their activities? Probably a great tool for this task also. Meanwhile, some of us who work in the computer field work with bees to get away from computers and seek only paper and pencil for aids. But, alas! It is quite complicated to live a simple life in this age. Best wishes to all, Tim Rich "Make sure what you are doing is right with God - then do it with all your strength." George Washington