Facebook users!!!

KDan · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:11 pm Post subject: Facebook users!!!

It is here, at last! The app you've all been waiting for all this time!...

Amigos!

A novel way of communicating with your friend. Think of it as a strange, mutated cross-breed of IRC, web forums, a facebook wall, and an SMS/MMS interface.

Needless to say, it kicks serious ass and you must install it right away and get all your friends to try it (it gets much, much better the more friends you have on Amigos.. a bit like facebook within facebook... hmm, recursion! I like!)

And of course, feature requests and other types of suggestions are most welcome!

Daniel
_________________
Dan says:
how do you like os x?
wayfarer says:
how do you like sex?
wayfarer says:
same thing

ThatEagle · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

I am installing it as we speak.

There is one step when it asks you for your phone number. You should make that optional, let people skip that step, or let them fill it later.

(I never post my phone number anywhere no matter what, and you might be losing people on that requirement.)

I'll post some feedback once I test it out a bit. Smile

_________________
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

ThatEagle · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:43 pm Post subject:

lol... For now all I can see is a culumn full of posts made by you. It looks like you are talking to someone, but the conversation doesnt make sens since we only see your messages Very Happy

_________________
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

KDan · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 5:14 am Post subject:

You see all your friends' messages (those who have Amigos installed). Basically, what Amigos allows you to do can be described by a sort of metaphor... you're in a virtual room filled with your friends. They're in their own virtual room filled with their own friends. You can have conversations on there, or you can butt into other people's conversations (like you would in, say, a pub). You can listen in on them (if you feel you're missing the whole picture, you just click on that friend's name and it'll show you their profile, which has both sides of the conversation).

It's a fairly novel idea. I don't think anyone's done anything quite like that yet. Twitter is probably the closest, but it doesn't take advantage of the Facebook social network, and it is designed to allow people to publish twitter mini-feeds, whereas here the emphasis is on allowing people to listen in to everyone else's "amigos mini-feed".

Agree about the phone number, or at least we're looking at providing better justification for why people need to enter those details before signing on.

Daniel
_________________
Dan says:
how do you like os x?
wayfarer says:
how do you like sex?
wayfarer says:
same thing

ThatEagle · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 5:52 am Post subject:

Clicking on a name to see the full conversation should be explained somewhere. I did not expect to find it on the profile. I'd say either explain it, or provide a kind of "see full conversation" link... or provide a checkbox somewhere at the top with multiple options :

[ ] see all posts
[ ] see only my friend's posts

I am a bit confused with how you can butt in other's conversation, but I can already see how posting using SMS would be useful. (For example we are arranging a poker game with some friends, and if they were all on facebook, we could discuss the details using amigos.)

The phone number is in England, right? If it is so, this is another argument against requiring people to give their numbers. If you want the app to be used world wide, using text messaging with a phone should be part of the extended (optional) functionality and not the core.

Good work, keep it up!
_________________
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

KDan · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:46 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the advice! We're considering making the phone number optional, actually - probably will do within the next few days Smile

The "see all posts" is a bit impossible, since it's not at all clear where that would stop, and once there's any decent number of users that would generate way too much noise.

However, a "see Amigos profile" link next to that person is quite possible!.. I'll see how we can implement that.

Daniel
_________________
Dan says:
how do you like os x?
wayfarer says:
how do you like sex?
wayfarer says:
same thing

Oenone · Feh Warrior Joined: 04 Jul 2002 Posts: 748 Location: Here

So you're going for the facebook prize fund Very Happy

fc · Feh Warrior Joined: 06 Jul 2002 Posts: 506

Not installed it yet, but here is an article about new features:

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115759058710755893-ywLLcQH69tcpMJEph_K5usdRZfU_20070906.html

KDan · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 1:06 pm Post subject:

fc · Feh Warrior Joined: 06 Jul 2002 Posts: 506

2006 ?
Sorry. Old news not news anymore.

Now here is a new one:
The Three Potential Causes of Facebook's Death
http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/10/three-potential.html

KDan · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:10 am Post subject:

Considering Microsoft invested 500 million dollars (at a $10bn valuation) for facebook shares just recently, that sounds like a load of hot air from Steve Ballmer.

Daniel
_________________
Dan says:
how do you like os x?
wayfarer says:
how do you like sex?
wayfarer says:
same thing

KDan · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:32 pm Post subject:

Ok, some updates are in! It is now possible to skip the phone number. Also, actions and notifications are in. Also, the display isn't broken in (*spit*) IE6 (*wash mouth*) anymore!

Daniel
_________________
Dan says:
how do you like os x?
wayfarer says:
how do you like sex?
wayfarer says:
same thing

fc · Feh Warrior Joined: 06 Jul 2002 Posts: 506

CSS Facelift for Facebook

http://www.designmeme.com/2007/06/12/css-facelift-for-facebook-part-1/

Anybody did "skin" changes ?

Example:

Mad Marshmallow · Feh Warrior Joined: 04 Jul 2002 Posts: 594

Okay Dan, installed the app and now I have a new box on the profile page with a long list of posts by you hehe

I think we should rename the app "Long list of posts by Dan"

I'm guessing this is just because I don't know any of the other people in the conversations Smile

jhaddon · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:15 pm Post subject:

ThatEagle · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:58 pm Post subject:

It does not.
_________________
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

KDan · Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:37 am Post subject:

KDan · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:53 am Post subject:

Ok, there were a couple of issues with "spamminess" of the app as remarked by a couple. Let it be known that we have heard the crowd and felt the pitchforks - sadly, it's one of the realities of developing something new that you hit those unpredicted snags along the way.

I've temporarily disabled the notifications. They'll be back, but with a daily notification model. ie. you'll only get one email a day (and only if someone posted something). It will also have a format like:

----------------------------

You have 4 new messages on your Amigos profile:

Daniel Tenner says: "Oh this is so cool..." - Read full message | Reply

Steve Leung says: "Really Dan, are you sure..." - Read full message | Reply

Andrew Morris says: "I'm fed up of all the emails..." - Read full message | Reply

Daniel Tenner has sent in an MMS picture: "I'm the best person..." THUMBNAIL HERE? - Read full message | Reply

Click on the links above to read your messages and post a reply.
-------------

Obviously, it will continue to only notify you of things that friends that you know have done!

Thoughts? Suggestions? Threats of violence involving cooking ustensils?

Daniel
_________________
Dan says:
how do you like os x?
wayfarer says:
how do you like sex?
wayfarer says:
same thing

ThatEagle · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 4:12 pm Post subject:

Give users an option to not receive the emails at all.
_________________
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.