This is a cross post from another area of the site; I figured that computer science folk (like me!) might have some interest in this:
I already have a forum nearing completion, and it's looking very nice I am a computer programmer for a living, so trust me, there will be lots of really cool tweaks/hacks involved
I have a pretty cool idea that I would like to pitch, to get some feedback on! I was thinking of integrating a "database of supplements/nootropics/psych-meds" directly into the forum's code. For example, when you start a thread, you have the option of specifying what substance it is regarding. I would have this database stored on the web server in an SQL table. That way, there would be an incredible degree of archiving/organizing ability built right into the forum, which would make searching for particular information incredibly easy.
But wait, there's more! I was also thinking of having a "Treatment/Enhancement Finder". It would be a web app, where you would choose from a list what you would like to treat / enhance. For example, you could choose to enhance motivation, or treat anhedonia. The app would then parse the database of substances, and make a list of recommendations based on the drugs' efficiacies for what you specified.
The ONLY potential issue I can see here would be getting all the medications/supplements into the database with correct info... but I have an idea for that too. Make the system crowd sourced. You can add an entry yourself (after x number of posts), and it simply has to be reviewed by a moderator or something before it's accepted. Once in, members of the site could rate the various properties of any of the medicines, report junk, leave comments, make revisions, etc etc etc.
I want this whole website to be based around community. I am doing this out of sheer interest, and because I love programming as a hobby. I do not plan to make a dime from this project, and want anyone on the site to have a voice capable of making big changes anywhere they think they see a potential improvement.
Any feedback? Ideas for improvement?
I just realized; I have some experience developing web scrapers (for those not into programming, a web scraper essentially harvests specific data from websites that you tell it to crawl). There are already tons of websites devoted to archiving data on psych medicines, and even rating certain effects... I should be able to write a scraper that collects this data for me
That leaves supplements/nootropics...
