Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Twitter Client

Options
  • 26-01-2011 1:35pm
    #1
    aido179
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭


    Hey guys,
    I'm studying IT in nui galway and our second year software engineering project is to make a twitter client, a desktop application that can post and read tweets etc.
    Im working with a group of 5 others on it and it coming along quite well.
    What I would really love to know though, is if any of you have any pet hates we could avoid or if theres any features you would love to see.
    It will be released free of charge afterwards to anybody who is interested in checking it out. although it is quite a bit away from being finished.

    Thanks guys!


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    jebuz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,771 ✭✭✭jebuz


    It sounds like a good college project but I really can't see any practical reason why anyone would use a desktop app over their browser. I would say just try match the current behavior of twitter as best you can, keep the UI neat and focus on usability. Try offer something new even if it's one thing that's not available on the site, maybe around current trends, that is often quite interesting. Best of luck with it.


  • Options
    #3
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,257 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    I'd have to agree with jebuz. The only benefit I could see in a desktop app would be if it integrated with other websites or services (e.g. Klout). I am pretty sure that there are instant messaging applications that combine feeds from Facebook, Twitter as well as acting as an IRC client.


  • Options
    #4
    thisisadamh
    Registered Users Posts: 629 ✭✭✭thisisadamh


    jebuz wrote: »
    It sounds like a good college project but I really can't see any practical reason why anyone would use a desktop app over their browser. I would say just try match the current behavior of twitter as best you can, keep the UI neat and focus on usability. Try offer something new even if it's one thing that's not available on the site, maybe around current trends, that is often quite interesting. Best of luck with it.

    I use a desktop twitter client, I cant stand using the website. I use Tweetie (now Twitter) for Mac


  • Options
    #5
    BrianD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    I use a desktop app. Tweetdeck. Very useful if you are monitoring a number of accounts and hash tags.


  • Options
    #6
    tomED
    Registered Users Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭tomED


    More than 60% or so who use Twitter use third party applications to post messages to Twitter, so there is definitely a market.

    The problem is that there are so many good ones out there now that it would be difficult to make an impact.

    I use Tweetdeck and I don't have a problem with it as it's doing all it can with Twitter, so Twitter is to blame.

    What I would love though is some way of choosing people who's tweets I don't want to miss at all!

    Because Twitter is a "moment" thing, I'm often too busy to notice tweets from people I really enjoy following - a way of choosing what I've missed would be something I would use a lot!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,413 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Desktop apps can be far better performing, don't hog a browser tab, can manage multiple accounts, and all sorts of other stuff.

    But I think that the most important thing is that this is a college project, and the point is to learn how to build a desktop app as well as the server, right?

    🎙️ The Recognized Authority Podcast



  • Options
    #8
    Webmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 9,579 ✭✭✭Webmonkey


    I guess this wouldn't be that bad of a project for a 2nd year. Though could prove to be a bit easier than you think.

    Maybe you could add in features, like select the top people in your followers list and show their latest tweets.

    Maybe make a server side that monitors tweets by people and sends you a sms message when they tweet.

    I'd get more creative. Then again you could do a load and make it a FYP later.


  • Options
    #9
    aido179
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭aido179


    Thanks for the comments guys, really appreciate the feedback.

    whether it makes an impact in the maket or not isnt really an issue. We have to make one, no choice in the matter.

    personally i use echofon for firefox and i love it, but i someone offered me a desktop client id probably try it out.

    Seems multi account functionality is a must so far. not a problem. Im almost certain i can do that with the OAuth functionality using twitter4j API (see twitter4j.org if interested)

    Im not so sure about integrating it with other services, ill definitely look into it (might even be worth exta credit!) but we have a limited timefame.

    Choosing your most favouite people and getting all their tweets is something i could probably sort out easily enough as well, although im not sure how twitter4j allows functionality for searching through a specific users history of tweets, it seems like a fairly obvious thing to provide.

    If any body else has any suggestions or would like to test out the program let me know!


Advertisement