I have had an idea for something that I think would make a decent website, where we could sell ads and stuff. I've seen something similar, but it was fairly limited, maybe there's a better one out there. Unfortunately, I don't have the required knowledge, so if you decide to move through with the idea, just hook a brotha up a bit.

 

Anyway, here goes.

 

I was thinking, with the plethora of different AR parts out there, and all the different options, it would be cool to have a website where one could combine different companies parts and see what their final AR should look like. It would be independent of suppliers, but, for example, if you liked the Stag A3 upper, it would provide links to online retailers so you could shop for the best price.

 

I think Brownells has something similar, but it's relatively limited in scope. I think this would help those who are new to ARs really figure out what they want to build.

 

Just an idea I had...

I know how to do front end stuff, but what you want to do is pretty big and you'd need a couple guys to do it. Mainly someone who can do PHP/SQL, Javascript (for the Virtual AR) and someone for the front end (i.e the actual website like links, navigation, banners etc.) It'd be a big project, but if you can pull it off right, the possibility for it to be a success is there.

I know how to do front end stuff, but what you want to do is pretty big and you'd need a couple guys to do it. Mainly someone who can do PHP/SQL, Javascript (for the Virtual AR) and someone for the front end (i.e the actual website like links, navigation, banners etc.) It'd be a big project, but if you can pull it off right, the possibility for it to be a success is there.

 

Yeah, unfortunately I'm a biology guy, not a computer science guy....

I don't have any degrees, but I did web design in High School, and had a certification with Adobe Dreamweaver. Its not really hard, per say, its just time consuming.

 

But I haven't done anything in a long time, so I don't really know the new standards. If anyone else knows how to do stuff, maybe we could all chat and hash it out and see what we could do. It sounds fun, and I need something to do besides sit around the house all day.

Yeha mgralley is right, the site is the easy part, imbedding the javascrip will be a PITA, you could use flash too which might me slightly easier. You basically have to code for every single combination of the AR parts. You would also have to find pictures of all the parts in the correct orientation and size or manually manipulate them. Brownells has exact what your trying to do, but the parts are very limited.

http://www.ar15builder.com/

Yeha mgralley is right, the site is the easy part, imbedding the javascrip will be a PITA, you could use flash too which might me slightly easier. You basically have to code for every single combination of the AR parts. You would also have to find pictures of all the parts in the correct orientation and size or manually manipulate them. Brownells has exact what your trying to do, but the parts are very limited.

http://www.ar15builder.com/

 

Yeah, it's not just the limited parts, but allowing for the people to shop around too would be a key. It would probably get some pretty good ad revenue...

Even if its standard AR uppers in all the barrel lengths, weights, and material (steel/SS or other coatings). I mean they all look the same really. Its the handguard/forend, gas block, muzzle device, accesories (sights, scopes, lights, grips, etc) that really make things look different.

Well the searching is easy. You just make it search all major retailers for the parts you want.

 

Oh you're looking for a bolt carrier group? Lets look at Midway, Brownells, Cheaper than Dirt etc. Order it by cheapest to most expensive. You could do the same thing with uppers, lowers, part kits, specific parts, or just by retailer.

 

If you look at the virtual AR builder press ctrl-u and look at the source code. That'd give you an idea of what you'd need to have. Of course we'd customize it to suit our needs of course.

Well the searching is easy. You just make it search all major retailers for the parts you want.

 

Oh you're looking for a bolt carrier group? Lets look at Midway, Brownells, Cheaper than Dirt etc. Order it by cheapest to most expensive. You could do the same thing with uppers, lowers, part kits, specific parts, or just by retailer.

 

If you look at the virtual AR builder press ctrl-u and look at the source code. That'd give you an idea of what you'd need to have. Of course we'd customize it to suit our needs of course.

 

Yeah, I knew it would be hard to do, but it would have saved a ton of trouble when I was doing my build. I like the thing Brownell's has, but the problem with thiers is the limited variety, and (obviously) it only shows the products they carry. Include a calculator on the side so you can tabitulate the total costs, and it would be a one-stop place for anyone wanting to build the AR. I can only think of how much web traffic it would get, there would be a good bit of cash for all involved. XD

I hate you now, because I want to work on this just to see what it looks like....my curiosity is killing me.

I hate you now, because I want to work on this just to see what it looks like....my curiosity is killing me.

 

Go for it, you might be able to make some cash on it. I just ask you give me a % for planting the seed. Nothing major, maybe 10%.

 

Then again, I'm the type of person who, if they won like $100 million in the lottery (after taxes) would likely give away at least a quarter of it, save some, pay off my student loans, and buy myself one sexy M1A haha.

theres already a website pimpmygun which is similar to what your talking about...very similar atleast.

theres already a website pimpmygun which is similar to what your talking about...very similar atleast.

 

I've seen that, but I don't think that it has actual parts from different companies. I've made many an ubergun on there out of boredom.

I've seen that, but I don't think that it has actual parts from different companies. I've made many an ubergun on there out of boredom.

 

it is IMO close enough that it shows a lack of huge demand..

 

also to consider..

can you technically even use images of proprietary parts to make a profit..

ex: can you really drive traffic by having a "Larue mount" without his permission while selling add space based off of that traffic..

it is IMO close enough that it shows a lack of huge demand..

 

also to consider..

can you technically even use images of proprietary parts to make a profit..

ex: can you really drive traffic by having a "Larue mount" without his permission while selling add space based off of that traffic..

 

Not 100% sure, however, if you think about it, the service would help people to pick out the parts for an AR, so in a way, it's advertising for them. I suppose it would be smart to get permission first.

It would basically be an interactive search engine. I don't see it being much different then say google shopping other then the ability to have the program visualize the products your looking at.

 

it is IMO close enough that it shows a lack of huge demand..

 

also to consider..

can you technically even use images of proprietary parts to make a profit..

ex: can you really drive traffic by having a "Larue mount" without his permission while selling add space based off of that traffic..

 

They do not own the likeness of their product. They can cease and desist you over trademarks. Pretty much the only thing they have a chance of winning on image is if the portrayal of it is untruthful and defamatory. That being said, do you REALLY think that companies who won't defend air soft knock offs will give a crap about free advertising?

 

The hard part of such a web site is getting the images. You really have to take the pics carefully to get them to mix and match well. That's a LOT of kilobucks worth of gear to have on hand. Even temporarily.

What about images off the net, and some time invested into Photoshop?

What about images off the net, and some time invested into Photoshop?

 

That's more or less what I figured one would do. I mean you're basically designing a "dress up" for ARs. I would imagine the actual coding for the placing the parts is easy, it's putting them in the combinations and such that's hard.

What about images off the net, and some time invested into Photoshop?

 

Good luck finding orthographic pics of them. Much less ones with lens distortion calculated out of the image. Feel free to try it a bit though. Might be a learning experience.

I do PHP/MySQL/Ajax every day. From a technical nightmare it is the image data that needs to be normalized. Top down against a white background at the same height for every part. Otherwise images are Frankenstein'ed together in a bad fashion. We had to do this once and in the end instead of trying to do it with real pictures I went back to the designer and told them to draw the pieces to spec. It's a lot easier in the end.

I do PHP/MySQL/Ajax every day. From a technical nightmare it is the image data that needs to be normalized. Top down against a white background at the same height for every part. Otherwise images are Frankenstein'ed together in a bad fashion. We had to do this once and in the end instead of trying to do it with real pictures I went back to the designer and told them to draw the pieces to spec. It's a lot easier in the end.

 

I think that's how Brownell's system works actually,