PriusChat Mileage Database - ideas and input for features needed!

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by SageBrush

I won't contribute to a database that Jason can sell, shut down, or make the data inaccessible.

Let's be fair, now. I've already stated one of my priorities right now is allowing contributors to download their data into a spreadsheet format so that they can always have copies. This is in addition to daily automated backups.

I don't see why I could ever want to simply shut down the website or make the data inaccessible. For the aforementioned reasons I am not interested in selling and—even if I ever was—you'd have your data downloaded and safe. That's not something ever offered by Internet Brands at GreenHybrid.

[SageBrush]

I suspect that other than four or five basic pieces of information, all other possible data fields will be filled by only a minority of people, and different ones at that. I suggest that the database have a a number of empty fields that can be populated with any of a long list of pre-determined labels that are remembered for each user. I honestly do not think that useful statistical inquiry will result from any of it, but each user has their own fav data field they want to input, and anecdotal information has it's merits.

The basics:
Distance
Fuel economy

Auto populate from initial setup, web lookup (though allow editing)
Date
Temp
Location (Zip Code, or long/lat)
Percent City driving
Typical highway driving speed
Estimate of city congestion (E.g., range of cars ahead at stop light)

[bwilson4web]

Hopefully without 'picking a scab,' the options are:

1. Individual spreadsheet/database - how most folks start
2. Government web database - aka. Fuel Economy
3. Private web database - a growing list can easily be assembled of variable quality

It has always been my practice to make sure I have a backup mechanism for any private database. I then look at whether having access to the mileage of others improves my understanding of my own data. If there is no 'value added engineering' in seeing and analyzing someone else's mileage data, I'm not interested. For example, analysis of temperature effects on mileage was much easier with the old Greenhybrid database. But I'm also interested in exploiting opportunity.

Some web sites are reasonably flexible in adding functionality and others 'dance to a different tune.' So I put a lot of stock in having an open discussion of technical issues with a skilled developer, which is sad to say, often a too rare opportunity. Now if we have access to a skilled builder, someone who has already gone through 'lessons learned' and whose ears work as well as their fingers, I would recommend using that resource because soon enough this window may evaporate.

Bob Wilson

[SageBrush]

I keep a table of data too. I think it would quite nice if the PC database could be easily populated with people's historical data. KEEP IT SIMPLE for the import: just a text file with a line per data entry of three fields that include date, distance, and fuel consumed.

I sincerely hope that people will also be able to export data, and not just personal information. Optimally once could say grab all the data from a zip code range, in keeping with the spirit of the database (from my POV, anyway) of letting people thinking of getting a Prius get a fair range estimate of future fuel economy for their local situation.

[bwilson4web]

In a perfect world, the table would have pull-downs for standard fields. This would make it easier for those who do want to track temperature, speed, or other variables and get consolidated results. But this would be an extremely advanced, relational database and drive the designer mad.

Bob Wilson

[Mike Dimmick]

To handle our crazy failed metric conversion, it would be very useful for UK users if you could input:

- Distance travelled, in miles
- Fuel consumed, in litres
- Cost, in pence per litre (£ per litre would also be OK)

and show results in both miles per imperial gallon (commonly-used unit) and litres per 100km (metric unit used by the rest of Europe).

Don't necessarily assume that the last digit of the price is a 9. Usually it is, e.g. today I see petrol priced at 93.9p/litre, but during the bubble I saw some prices like 115.4p/litre.

[Nortnarg]

I use Gasbuddy.com for fuel data now, and like the simple interface. Quick and easy. One thing that I did not see mentioned, is the graphs. Nice to see the fuel cost and MPG in graph form. If PriusChat offers this I would probably change sites as I am here a lot. Of course the point system GB has is nice with the chance to win free gas.

[sfvb]

Originally Posted by SageBrush

I like the idea of aggregating data from different websites, but I won't contribute to a database that Jason can sell, shut down, or make the data inaccessible. I certainly will not visit Jason's website to enter data.

Not to be argumentative, but seriously, how is Jason's database any different than whatever Danny comes up with? Either one could sell, shut down, or make the data inaccessible.

Steve

[Rxmxsh]

So, I noticed the original post from Danny is quite old. I assume this project is no longer something that's being worked on? I'll be honest and say that I didn't read the 6 pages, so I apologize if I missed it.

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by sfvb

Not to be argumentative, but seriously, how is Jason's database any different than whatever Danny comes up with? Either one could sell, shut down, or make the data inaccessible.

Steve,

Now that you've added your car to the myHybridCar.com database, but you didn't add your car to PriusChat's, why don't you tell us?