Reference Devices

Let's talk about the devices that the developer uses to test and develop the Profit per Acre web app.

Have you ever worked with some new item, and due to the inability to get it to work, wondered if even the engineer that designed it could make it work? I have. It's discouraging. You're patiently trying every combination of settings and connections that you can come up with, and the error messages vary in content and clarity, but the end result remains just out of reach. There have been times that I've wondered if there was actually any possible combination of hardware and software would live up to the hype that the salesman or advertisement indicated. So, so fast it can happen that the engineer and the people who actually use the products are so removed from each other that they look at the problems and the solution with completely different mind sets.

Web only

Profit per Acre is web only. You won't find it in any of the app stores. There's only me at this time actually writing code, so only supporting the web is a large savings in effort and eliminates a lot of task switching. It works on any device with a modern browser, so nobody is left out.

Devices

Here is a list of the devices that the developer regularily uses in the quest for better software and services. It's the goal to make the profit per acre web app usable on a broad range of devices, but if you are having difficulty, check and see if your device is far removed from one of the reference devices, or if it seems to be a similar item to one on the list.

• Main dev machine: 32" screen, Firefox
• Laptop: 17", Firefox
• Google Pixel 3a
• iPad

The main dev machine with the large screens is used in development. Generally speaking the browser is open with the dev tools opened beside it. This allows the console or inspector to be open while also viewing the web page.

Most of the actual (non-dev) use of Profit per Acre gets done on the laptop. Firefox is the main browser, but there are times I'll switch to Chrome for a session to make sure that there aren't any problems that show up with any of the Chrome derivatives.

The tablet can also work well. I do like the mobility of it if I'm going to some customer's place for a demonstration. Having an iOS device means that any of the bugs that may creep in from the Apple side of the industry can be fixed.

If you are going to use it on a phone, you may find that there are some of the screens that will not show all the information. For a web app like this one, high information density is important, and a phone just simply runs out of space to show everything. If you do like to use a phone, I recommend using it in landscape mode.