backendless backend

[7yl4r]

At a minimum, we need to store some things for the user study, but additional functionality (including user account info and personalization/customization options would be great).

I'd like this backend to be entirely cost and maintenance free, thus I am exploring platform-as-a-service options. Currently attempting to use google cloud storage free tier, but another (maybe better) option may be to use something like pouchdb and a free host like

• https://www.iriscouch.com/
• https://cloudant.com/

Amazon simpleDB is another alternative.

It is also possible to use things like google drive, google forms, or google fusion tables.

All user interaction with the "backend" desired:

private actions:

• user submits email
• user participates in study and data is submitted

public actions:

• user saves config/preferences
• user saves model or program state

The best plan at current seems to be:

• google forms submit data to spreadsheet for private actions
• public actions handled through google cloud storage or other free PaaS provider

[7yl4r]

implementation of google cloud storage has failed. Efforts are retained in google-storage branch (f76b86c273fc177856ca05a059ab9601adbb01c4). Pouchdb is next up I think.

[7yl4r]

submission of everything to google forms might be the simplest way for handling study data. This looks like a good (but old) example.

also:

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6077054/google-docs-form-redirect-after-submission
• http://sneakysheep.com/google-docs-form-tool-version-2/

Actually, start here: http://spamtech.co.uk/tips/automatically-submit-a-form-using-javascript/ and http://stackoverflow.com/a/8558731/1483986

[7yl4r]

"user submits email" to join mailing list or to request username can also trigger an email notification using the "form notifications" add-on for google forms.

[7yl4r]

submission of data to google forms now implemented; removing critical status.