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Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by ecesena on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @05:25PM (#9259611)
I'm a big fan of spreadsheets instead of db -- it has it's limitations of course, but works great for apps with a few thousand read-only records (items/products or even just text captions).

I built HasGluten [1, 2] with react + google spreadsheet, hosted on github for free, you get a cheap, scalable, geo-distributed software stack, with simple interfaces to maintain both code (GitHub Pages) and data (Google Sheets — also great for the non-tech).

[1] http://hasgluten.com

[2] https://github.com/hasgluten/hasgluten

Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by dpweb on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @06:41PM (#9260034)
Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by ecesena on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @06:49PM (#9260079)
I'm actually using multiple sheets and jsonp [1], but that's essentially what I'm doing.

[1] https://github.com/hasgluten/hasgluten/blob/master/src/app/p...

Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by Ciantic on Wednesday March 25, 2015 @03:29AM (#9261660)
Your HasGluten is interesting.

You probably should try to do international free wiki-like open database of all foods with EAN codes. Maybe Fitbit and other vendors could chip in to provide food details.

I would love to scan all my food EAN codes and see in the computer what I have in my refrigator in calories, protein etc.

P.S. Google spreadsheet is not enough for database of all the world's food

Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by ecesena on Wednesday March 25, 2015 @12:49PM (#9264164)
Definitely we'd need a db for that :)
Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by thalesmello on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @06:32PM (#9259977)
In Brazil all food manufactures are required to put in the package whether the product contains gluten or not. Isn't that the case in the United States?
Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by ecesena on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @06:44PM (#9260048)
It is, but try to go to Safeway and buy a GF powerbar... :)

Jokes aside, we maintain the list mostly for ingredients. Many people, especially "novice", often ask the same questions -- or you may have doubts for strange/unfamiliar foods, for instance if you're traveling in a foreign country.

Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by chunkiestbacon on Wednesday March 25, 2015 @04:30AM (#9261775)
Very cool. I sent you a pull request.
Re:How to use a Google Spreadsheet as a database by ecesena on Wednesday March 25, 2015 @12:49PM (#9264158)
Awesome! Today is a bit busy, but I'll have a look at it!