The Mind Station team created the internet-enabled desktop client component (part of the overall web application) to facilitate on-line activity tracking and data downloads. Data is burned onto cartridges via a USB connection from the computer to the Mind Station device.
The client software is cross-platform (Windows/MacOS) and used a comprehensive installer to manage the many facets of the software's functionality. Needless to say this project had some significant ease-of-use requirements, had to be bullet proof, and had to support a wide range of PC platforms as well as MacOS9 and MacOSX.
The GUI was driven by the user, xml configuration files, and server business logic, with most of the on-screen widgets programmatically controlled. On the Mac version, an Apple Event suite was created to simulate DOS command line arguments - thus enabling the client to be started in several operating modes.
[View Application Schematics]
production team: 5 Dev, dev contractor, 4 QE, 2 visual designers, PM
production role:C++ Windows/MacOS GUI architect/programmer
Development time: 10 months (total project)