Believe it or not, I'm starting to do some prototyping and architecture work for the next CoasterBuzz. This is largely a spare-time venture for now, since I decided earlier this year to pick up a day job, so I can't give you any ETA on a new site.
That said, for you club members, how would you feel about having to re-do your track record? The dilemma here is that the existing coaster database sucks and doesn't effectively cross-reference much of anything, so it's less useless. If I had a clean slate to work with, I'd have a lot more flexibility. Having to port the data would not be very efficient without solving a lot of problems and creating one-time use code. I'd rather make things more useful.
You know if you could somehow do it, Have it edidable by the user and rankable and use Mitch's formula to get a overall CB rankings it would be neat.
As for Track records, Well. Id be more likely to rejoin for the feature if it was more complete. I know it'd take a ton of time to put every park and defunct coaster of the last 50 years in it but it's hard to get a accurate count unless you've done it yourself.
I keep a copy elsewhere so it wouldn't be too big of a deal for me to re-input. Sometimes in order to progress, you have to let go of aging practices.. that goes for a site database as well.
Here's an idea for you, though. *IF* possible, at least initially, keep the DB and create a way for each user to "port" the information over.. so you don't have to sit there and update everyone's information.
Either that, or keep the old DB in a read-only status (for people who maybe don't have their TR saved anywhere else). Another idea would be to write a script/procedure that would grab everyone's track record and send them a PM with that info so they have it.
I keep all my data in an excel spreadsheet for the most part, however, this track record is actually more up to date than that spreadsheet :) If we get a few days notice before the wipe I don't see an issue with it.
Heck, it's your site, so technically it's your data to do with what you please :)
If you are doing what I think you are doing I think it would be pretty cool, though!
I like the feature, but I'd certainly like to see it easier to reference, and not "double add," as it sometimes does. Once a coaster is picked, it shouldn't allow it to be picked again.
No problem with whatever you do with regards to the track record. I have a seperate listing and it wouldn't take much effort to enter it on something new.
One of my beefs with just about every track record site I've run across is the inability to add an entire group of coasters together. Have one button to add an entire park's worth of coasters or have check boxen next to a list of all of a park's coasters.
I have no problem with losing my data, I can pretty recall most of it by memory. Like Gonch said though, if you're thinking of some of the ideas for the new version we think you are...that would be great!
