Saturday, March 22, 2014

fLAWcharts and fLAWpps

The laws are the rules, and following those rules is akin following steps of an algorithm. "Yes" or "No," or, if you did X, then you get Y under the rule Z.  On this basic premise, I decided to try my hand in making a legal flowchart ("flawchart") and an app to walk a user by that flawchart ("flawpp"). I so far was able to complete just one, covering steps a homeowner might take if (s)he gets a notice of violation from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection.


Its underlying flawchart was presented a few weeks before, and now the form flawpp is finally completed, thanks to Mr. Abbas, who was able to bear my enthusiasm and assist me with the necessary coding. Give this flawpp a try.

For those who might get inspired, a word of caution: this turned out to be a much more complicated process, than I thought. My simple drawn chart involved roughly 20 steps--my app involves almost twice as much, with many steps changed from the initial plan. Our eyes are forgiving and can read between the lines, but the cold-hearted machine knows no emotions and operates strictly from the yeses and noes entered. I am now entertaining an idea of app-ing a simple rule from a real property law, but just the initial stage to clarify all the entering criteria has already ballooned to a 50-step process. I don't know if I will be able to complete that one, so may be this chart is my first and my last. Enjoy!

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