Making a Bitcoin calculator app for Windows 8

[burger]

The app is released!
Get it from: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594
List of what's new: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=135580.0

Hi, I'm trying to make an Bitcoin calculator app for Windows 8 like the one that NewDawnDev made for Android in 2011 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.newdawndev.bitcoincalculator

I'm just posting here to see what the Bitcoin community thinks about a Windows 8 app version?


A screenshot when I just entered a Hash Rate and Refreshed the diff and exchange rate values.


This screenshot is when I just calculated how much BTC and $ I will get /day, /week and /month when the bitcoin reward was 50 BTC/Block.


This screenshot is when I just calculated how much BTC and $ I will get /day, /week and /month now that the bitcoin reward is 25 BTC/Block and with an example when the app is localized to Swedish.

If anyone want to support this development please send some bitcoins to: 16BungM43F773QcKQVy1FZ4Yn5mYSzcUWc

[super3]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

[burger]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

[super3]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

Why are you converting it to C++? (I'm a C++ hater)
Yeah that works fine for the docked view, but the app is going to open in full view by default.
Do you have to enter in all the fields to make it calculate? I am going to be working on some code that automatically pulls to BTC price that maybe you can use.

[burger]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

Why are you converting it to C++? (I'm a C++ hater)
Yeah that works fine for the docked view, but the app is going to open in full view by default.
Do you have to enter in all the fields to make it calculate? I am going to be working on some code that automatically pulls to BTC price that maybe you can use.

I wrote taht I maybe converting it... as you can do more in C++ than in HTML/Javascript, but I don't need those features atm.
Yeah the full view got loads of space for ads =) I don't have any TODO list for that unused space right now.
The app pulls BTC price (MtGox) and diff (blockexplorer.com) from Internet when you click on Refresh. You only have to type your hash rate. But you can type in BTC price and diff if the refresh fails.
I'm thinking of using other currency's than dollar later on.

[super3]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

Why are you converting it to C++? (I'm a C++ hater)
Yeah that works fine for the docked view, but the app is going to open in full view by default.
Do you have to enter in all the fields to make it calculate? I am going to be working on some code that automatically pulls to BTC price that maybe you can use.

I wrote taht I maybe converting it... as you can do more in C++ than in HTML/Javascript, but I don't need those features atm.
Yeah the full view got loads of space for ads =) I don't have any TODO list for that unused space right now.
The app pulls BTC price (MtGox) and diff (blockexplorer.com) from Internet when you click on Refresh. You only have to type your hash rate. But you can type in BTC price and diff if the refresh fails.
I'm thinking of using other currency's than dollar later on.

How are you pulling the BTC price from MtGox?

[burger]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

Why are you converting it to C++? (I'm a C++ hater)
Yeah that works fine for the docked view, but the app is going to open in full view by default.
Do you have to enter in all the fields to make it calculate? I am going to be working on some code that automatically pulls to BTC price that maybe you can use.

I wrote taht I maybe converting it... as you can do more in C++ than in HTML/Javascript, but I don't need those features atm.
Yeah the full view got loads of space for ads =) I don't have any TODO list for that unused space right now.
The app pulls BTC price (MtGox) and diff (blockexplorer.com) from Internet when you click on Refresh. You only have to type your hash rate. But you can type in BTC price and diff if the refresh fails.
I'm thinking of using other currency's than dollar later on.

How are you pulling the BTC price from MtGox?

I'm parsing the data from https://mtgox.com/api/1/BTCUSD/ticker
I just need to make a delay so that the app can't get data more than one pull every 10 sec or MtGox will be angry =)

[super3]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

Why are you converting it to C++? (I'm a C++ hater)
Yeah that works fine for the docked view, but the app is going to open in full view by default.
Do you have to enter in all the fields to make it calculate? I am going to be working on some code that automatically pulls to BTC price that maybe you can use.

I wrote taht I maybe converting it... as you can do more in C++ than in HTML/Javascript, but I don't need those features atm.
Yeah the full view got loads of space for ads =) I don't have any TODO list for that unused space right now.
The app pulls BTC price (MtGox) and diff (blockexplorer.com) from Internet when you click on Refresh. You only have to type your hash rate. But you can type in BTC price and diff if the refresh fails.
I'm thinking of using other currency's than dollar later on.

How are you pulling the BTC price from MtGox?

I'm parsing the data from https://mtgox.com/api/1/BTCUSD/ticker
I just need to make a delay so that the app can't get data more than one pull every 10 sec or MtGox will be angry =)

Makes sense. Yeah you better follow those API speed limits.

[burger]

I'm also developing a windows 8 app for Bitcoin. Functionality looks pretty good, but you might want to think about the design a bit. Make sure it scales well, and looks good on all types of devices. What language are you making it in?

I'm just trying out HTML/JavaScript and then maybe converting it to C++ later on.
The design part is allot to think about, I have made so it looks nice docked on the left or the right side as well.

Why are you converting it to C++? (I'm a C++ hater)
Yeah that works fine for the docked view, but the app is going to open in full view by default.
Do you have to enter in all the fields to make it calculate? I am going to be working on some code that automatically pulls to BTC price that maybe you can use.

I wrote taht I maybe converting it... as you can do more in C++ than in HTML/Javascript, but I don't need those features atm.
Yeah the full view got loads of space for ads =) I don't have any TODO list for that unused space right now.
The app pulls BTC price (MtGox) and diff (blockexplorer.com) from Internet when you click on Refresh. You only have to type your hash rate. But you can type in BTC price and diff if the refresh fails.
I'm thinking of using other currency's than dollar later on.

How are you pulling the BTC price from MtGox?

I'm parsing the data from https://mtgox.com/api/1/BTCUSD/ticker
I just need to make a delay so that the app can't get data more than one pull every 10 sec or MtGox will be angry =)

Makes sense. Yeah you better follow those API speed limits.

So what is your win8 app gonna do?

[gweedo]

I'm parsing the data from https://mtgox.com/api/1/BTCUSD/ticker
I just need to make a delay so that the app can't get data more than one pull every 10 sec or MtGox will be angry =)

Makes sense. Yeah you better follow those API speed limits.

Or just use javascript and get the websocket, then you will get stats in real time

[burger]

I'm parsing the data from https://mtgox.com/api/1/BTCUSD/ticker
I just need to make a delay so that the app can't get data more than one pull every 10 sec or MtGox will be angry =)

Makes sense. Yeah you better follow those API speed limits.

Or just use javascript and get the websocket, then you will get stats in real time

I may try websockets later on.

Btw, The app is on it's way to the Windows Store!

[scrybe]

Makes sense. Yeah you better follow those API speed limits.

Even better, allow us to change the polling interval between 10s and (say) 3600s with a default of 30 or 60 so that folks with more than one app/web app open at the same time don't overload the limit.
I'm assuming that Mt. Gox is looking at IP, not individual sessions, so having 2-3 apps using this same method at the max frequency would overload the limit.

Just a thought.

[burger]

Makes sense. Yeah you better follow those API speed limits.

Even better, allow us to change the polling interval between 10s and (say) 3600s with a default of 30 or 60 so that folks with more than one app/web app open at the same time don't overload the limit.
I'm assuming that Mt. Gox is looking at IP, not individual sessions, so having 2-3 apps using this same method at the max frequency would overload the limit.

Just a thought.

Good thought, but my app don't poll unless you click/touch the Refresh button and has a check so that you won't poll more often than every 10s.
Maybe later I will make a live tile for the app that polls every hour or something (depending on user settings etc...).

Right now I'm experimenting on localization so that I can have different languages in the app depending on your settings in Windows 8.

[scrybe]

Good thought, but my app don't poll unless you click/touch the Refresh button and has a check so that you won't poll more often than every 10s.
Maybe later I will make a live tile for the app that polls every hour or something (depending on user settings etc...).

Right now I'm experimenting on localization so that I can have different languages in the app depending on your settings in Windows 8.

Yeah, that should do it.

Are you planning to open source?

[deepceleron]

More important, are you planning on having it give correct results?

0.056729178 is the Bitcoins per day I calculate using the screenshot's inputs. The calculator doesn't know about the block reward halving.

Most miners pay a pool fee as a percentage, let them put that in and they will get more accurate results.

If you are using mtgox's exchange rate, you might as well take out mtgox's 0.6% cut too.

The average length of a month is 365.2425/12... your results shows ~365.2088/12 but that might just be rounding errors.

[burger]

Good thought, but my app don't poll unless you click/touch the Refresh button and has a check so that you won't poll more often than every 10s.
Maybe later I will make a live tile for the app that polls every hour or something (depending on user settings etc...).

Right now I'm experimenting on localization so that I can have different languages in the app depending on your settings in Windows 8.

Yeah, that should do it.

Are you planning to open source?

Dunno yet! I'm looking at it.

More important, are you planning on having it give correct results?

0.056729178 is the Bitcoins per day I calculate using the screenshot's inputs. The calculator doesn't know about the block reward halving.

Most miners pay a pool fee as a percentage, let them put that in and they will get more accurate results.

If you are using mtgox's exchange rate, you might as well take out mtgox's 0.6% cut too.

The average length of a month is 365.2425/12... your results shows ~365.2088/12 but that might just be rounding errors.

I updated my first post with a new screenshot as the old screenshots where from a time when we mined 50BTC/block =)

Good idéa on the mtgox fee, maybe I'll add that to a later version.

I use 365.25/12 = 30.4375 days as average length of a month as http://www.alloscomp.com/bitcoin/calculator is calculating.
It's calculated this way: (365+365+365+366)/4 = 365.25.
And yes the app rounds the results it shows: 3 decimals on BTC and only 2 for the dollars so you get (0.000 BTC and $0.00), maybe I should use more decimals for the BTC or just make it clear that the app rounds the results?

[burger]

It's alive!!!

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/sv-SE/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594

I'm making an Announce thread aswell...


edit:
Link to the Announce thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=135580.0

[scrybe]

It's alive!!!

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/sv-SE/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594

I'm making an Announce thread aswell...

You might want to find a way to link to it that to the US English site as well, right now a search on the store in the US does not show the app, but your direct link does work.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/apps

I'd love to do more, but browsing the store is the limit for me until I get a VM running Win8 or take the leap and switch. I've got a LOT of baggage and work stuff to consider, so it's not an easy matrix to solve.

[burger]

It's alive!!!

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/sv-SE/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594

I'm making an Announce thread aswell...

You might want to find a way to link to it that to the US English site as well, right now a search on the store in the US does not show the app, but your direct link does work.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/apps

I'd love to do more, but browsing the store is the limit for me until I get a VM running Win8 or take the leap and switch. I've got a LOT of baggage and work stuff to consider, so it's not an easy matrix to solve.

The easy way to find the app in your language is to delete the sv-SE... and the site will redirect to the right language.

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594

[scrybe]

It's alive!!!

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/sv-SE/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594

I'm making an Announce thread aswell...

You might want to find a way to link to it that to the US English site as well, right now a search on the store in the US does not show the app, but your direct link does work.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/apps

I'd love to do more, but browsing the store is the limit for me until I get a VM running Win8 or take the leap and switch. I've got a LOT of baggage and work stuff to consider, so it's not an easy matrix to solve.

The easy way to find the app in your language is to delete the sv-SE... and the site will redirect to the right language.

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/bitcoin-calculator/f2bc71be-dd4a-4d82-ae98-32db5864a594

much better

I don't have my grandmother around to translate the Swedish (or force me to eat Lutefisk), so I'll have to stick with English for now.