I assume they are just behind the tree
normally they’re in another part of the forest saying “Actually, we want it over here now”. The little sprites.
re: software development for MTQ – tbh the way that most of these non-commercial projects get developed is that ‘someone’ associated with the organisation has an interest and a base level skill set and gets themselves upto speed with whatever technoclogy is needed.
My personal view – start small you really just need somewhere online that people can upload their gpx files. the actual processing of them and tying them to the expected results can be done offline (manaully if necessary) and then the results published as a spreadsheet via googledocs (which would allow people to do their own sorting etc).
Most of these type of things you need to decide;
1) what’s essential
2) what’s nice to have
3) what’s ‘wish list’
and concentrate on delivering 1) but with the things in 2) int he back of your mind and not worrying too much abotu 3).
I think it woudl be a good project for someone looking to do something ‘real’ as a part of their degree course (or just for their own interest) commercially, unless they coudl sell it on to other organisations MTQ will have to bear the full development costs.
Finally, their are loads geo apps being appearing now – I can find all of the local salt bins to me on google earth, it’s not difficult to do it – it’as the interface, comparing uploads with the target locations etc that’s going to take the time.
One thing to bear in mind with anything gps based is that accuracy in woodland etc is likely to be pretty ropey – particularly vertaically if you’re in a valley – so people coudl show as beign 100’s of feet off the point they shoudl be even if they were stood right on it.
