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Pitch

Livecode programmers will develop a global warming reader app to inform and to motivate action about climate change.


Description

Summary

Livecode is a higher-level programming language with English-like syntax that is relatively easy to learn, that has a vibrant world-wide community of programmers and that allows development of cross-platform applications.  This proposal will mobilize Livecode programmers to develop a Global Warming Reader app.  This app will consist of topically organized URLs that encourage regular study of global warming news; users can add to, delete from and reorganize this collection of URLs.  It also includes notes on global warming, to which the user can add new notes or edit existing notes.  Programmers in the Livecode community will work collaboratively to optimize a final version of this Global Warming Reader App, with ongoing input from users.  The final app will be distributed for free as desktop software for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.  A beta version of a Global Warming Reader App is now available at GlobalWarmingApps.org, under the 'GWreader' tab. 


What actions do you propose?

Livecode (www.livecode.com) is a higher-level programming language with English-like syntax that is relatively easy to learn, yet is powerful.  It has a vibrant world-wide community of programmers, that regularly communicate about programming issues.  Livecode allows development of cross-platform applications for Windows, Mac and Linux.  Because Livecode is relatively easy to learn and because it is free and open-source for developing free and open-source apps, other non-Livecode developers and others without coding experience could use Livecode to develop their own Global Warming Reader App.  A beta version of a Global Warming Reader App is now available at GlobalWarmingApps.org   

This proposal will mobilize Livecode programmers to develop a Global Warming Reader app.  This app will consist of selected global warming-related URLs that are organized by topic (e.g. News, Science, Communication, Solutions, Denial, etc.).  Access to these global warming websites will encourage regular study of global warming news.  Users will be able to add to, delete from and reorganize this collection of URLs.  They will be able to customize the application for their own locale and for their own particular interests. 

This global warming reader app will also include a collection of notes on global warming.  The user will be able to add new notes, edit existing notes or delete notes from the app.  These notes will be particularly useful to users if they write comments or respond to comments on-line.  They will also be useful if they write letters to the editor.   

Programmers in the Livecode community will work collaboratively to optimize a final version of this Global Warming Reader App based upon ongoing input from users about beta versions.  The final app will be distributed for free as desktop software for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.    

As users of the Global Warming Reader App become more informed about the impacts of climate change and about projected future impacts, they will be motivated to do more to reduce their carbon footprint.  As informed, trusted messengers, they will be better able to educate and to persuade family, friends, neighbors and politicians about the need to take action, both at a personal and at a political level.     


Who will take these actions?

Livecode programmers will be informed of this proposal and will be encouraged to become involved.  As different beta versions of the Global Warming Reader App are developed, family and friends will be recruited as initial trial users.  Using this initial user feedback, we will develop a first public beta of the app, which will be posted on-line for download.  We'll use feedback from this larger cohort of public users to develop a final Global Warming Reader App.   


Where will these actions be taken?

Livecode has a world-wide developer base.  We will recruit Livecode developers world-wide to participate.  We anticipate that most users will be from Europe and North America, but hope to have programmers from China, Japan, South America and elsewhere, as well.  


How will these actions have a high impact in addressing climate change?

We hope that individual users can reduce their carbon footprints by 20% as a result of becoming more informed by using the Global Warming Reader App.  We would hope that they can influence family and friends to similarly reduce their carbon footprints.  Finally, we hope that informed users of the Global Warming Reader App can apply pressure on corporations and governments and thus achieve additional reductions in carbon emissions.


What are other key benefits?

Perhaps release of this Global Warming Reader App will stimulate development of further climate action software using Livecode and other software coding languages.


What are the proposal’s costs?

Livecode is available as a free, open source version (www.livecode.com).  This allows developers to write and release software without cost, as long as it is released as a free, open source app.  

Livecode is rapid-development software, thus Livecode developers can produce apps relatively quickly.  This project is a volunteer effort by Livecode programmers.  Thus, the economic costs of the proposal are negligible.  


Time line

This project will be accomplished over a 6 month time-frame:

  0-2 months  Development of Initial Beta App

  3-4 months  Testing of Beta App by Family and Friends

  5-6 months  Revision of App Based on User Feedback

      6 months  Final App Release 


Related proposals


References

A number of websites provide information on effective climate communication.  Here are a few:

ClimateAccess

ClimateCommunication

ClimateNexus

ClimateOutreach

ClimateReality  

EcoAffect

YaleClimateCommunication

These website provide a wealth of research and information on how to most effectively communicate about climate change.  These sites will be particularly valuable in developing a Global Warming Reader App.