Two years after its creation, BingBuilder.com has drawn over 5,000 users and is looking for a new student to take over the reigns and provide Binghamton University with its fast and free service.
BingBuilder, created by Richard Viscomi, a senior majoring in computer science, allows students to plan their schedules with a horizontal weekly sketch that fits onto one page. Courses and discussion sections are updated simultaneously with updates on BU Brain.
On BingBuilder, students can save up to three schedules and copy course registration numbers for faster registration on BU Brain. The site also has a feature that allows the schedule to fit onto a mobile device screen such as an iPhone.
With BingBuilder, students can import their schedules to their preferred calendar service such as Apple iCal, Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar. If classes are canceled, the calendar will alert the student.
“I wanted to make the act of registering and being a student easier,” Viscomi said.
The site is now looking for a volunteer to take over production and innovation for its thousands of users.
Joining the BingBuilder team will be taking part in a singular experience, working on a service developed and run by students. Tasks for the new volunteer will include updating every semester’s course catalogs and working out minor site glitches.
“We need someone who is a good programmer — someone who can take it to the next level, to give back to the school and help the community,” said Edward Barrett, a senior majoring in finance who helped Viscomi start BingBuilder in 2008.
Working on BingBuilder has helped both Viscomi and Barrett develop skills marketable to today’s employers while giving back to the student body. Now they are looking for someone with the willingness to learn and the motivation to maintain the service.
2009 was an explosive year for BingBuilder, when membership jumped from hundreds of users to 5,000. To advertise, Viscomi and Barrett posted fliers, bought Facebook ads and sent out e-mails to the computer science department listserv.
“This is students using their tools when they see a need for it,” said Eileen Head, undergraduate program director for the computer science department.
Viscomi got the idea to create BingBuilder in 2007 when BU was switching from the BUSI system to the BU Brain Banner system. He saw the change as an opportunity to take over and provide a richer student experience that was missing from BU Brain.
Viscomi built up the site for incoming students who can become overwhelmed without the organization BingBuilder provides.
“Students coming into the school, grow with the University and grow with the tool,” Viscomi said.
With the help of Professor Kartik Gopalan from the computer science department, Viscomi was able to bring BingBuilder onto the computer science department server. BingBuilder was up and running in 11 days.
Students interested in working on the BingBuilder can contact Viscomi at ricky@bingbuilder.com.