About projectGenie
What is it?
projectGenie is a piece of software, or more specifically a web application, to store and manage the projects, tasks and people involved with a web design or development team. The ‘web application’ bit means that it runs in a web browser - just like the way you are viewing this website. That means that projectGenie doesn’t need to be installed, can be updated and backed up easily, and uses few resources of the computer it is run on.
Who is it for?
The software is primarily aimed at web design and deveopment teams, although it may be used for any project management purpose. For instance, general software development teams and IT managers may find it useful to help manage their workload.
Who made it?
projectGenie was written by me, Chris Taylor, a web developer from the North of England. Originally I intended it to just be used by myself to help me manage my time and projects. However the software has proved so useful, and so many people have commented on how good it is, that I felt it was time to let other people see if it is useful for them. Hence this website.
How was it made?
The software is written entirely in PHP, a scripting language designed for the web, and uses a MySQL database to store data. Because it runs inside any modern web browser there’s no need to install anything, or manage upgrades for your users. It just works. The software has been tested in all modern browsers, so Microsoft IE will work fine, but I heartily recommend a more modern browser such as Firefox. The use of modern web development techniques involving Javascript allows some advanced features to be possible, however even using an older browser where these additional features are not available should not stop you from using the software. I have ensured that projectGenie is accessible and usable with a very basic web browser through the adherence to web standards.
How much does it cost?
projectGenie is completely free for any kind of use. Whether you use it for personal or commercial use doesn’t matter, you have the right to download, install and run the software free of charge.
What do you mean it is free?
I mean that it doesn’t cost a single penny (or cent, or yen, or groat) to download and use. There are no charges for licences, or setup costs, or However this doesn’t mean you can do whatever you like with the software (such as sell it), as the software is protected by an Open Source GPL licence.
There is a good introduction to the thinking behind Open Source software here.
So you make a living from giving things away?
Not quite, I still need cold hard cash. So if you want a customised version of projectGenie, need training or personalised support, contact me to talk turkey. I’m also working on a hosted version of projectGenie which will allow you to create an account on this site and run the software from here. Full details on that subscription-based service will be made available very soon.
You might also be interested to know that I design websites and web applications and can help you make the most of the web.
Open Source? What’s that?
Exactly, anyone can make changes, add features, rewrite sections of the code if they so wish. All I ask, and all the GPL licence requires, is that any versions of the software that have been modified retain a copyright notice citing me as the original author. For more information on how you can get involved with projectGenie please visit the Get Involved page. I’m not just looking for geeks, if you have design, business, marketing or editorial experience I’d love to talk to you.
What about support?
It is my intention to provide a support forum on this website where users of projectGenie can get together, discuss problems, share tips, help out new users, and generally try to get the best out of the software together. Until that happens I’m happy to answer questions by email until such time as they become too numerous to handle.
The software comes with no warranty, and no guarantee of suitability for use. See the GPL licence for more details. If you want personalised support, training, or a custom-made version of projectGenie, contact me and we’ll talk.
What about the future?
I’ve still got quite a lot of ideas that I would like to implement in projectGenie eventually, which ones of those get added to the software first will be decided by the time I have available to do them and the demand from users. However I’m a certain I don’t want the software to become bogged down with hundreds of unneccessary features, so I will be strict on what will and won’t be included. If you have an idea for something you’d like to see in projectGenie please get in touch.
