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To build something like Twitter

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  • 27-01-2011 6:49pm
    #1
    Cianos
    Registered Users Posts: 4,850 ✭✭✭


    Hey,
    Apologies for the vague question, but I have an idea for a site/service which in many ways would be similar to Twitter. I'm wondering in a very loose manner of speaking how big an undertaking it would be to build something like Twitter?! Are we talking about hundreds of hours of work, or thousands?!

    Many thanks!


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    #2
    Evil Phil
    Registered Users Posts: 7,468 ✭✭✭Evil Phil


    You could use StatusNet which is a open source micro-blogging platform. They have a hosted version where you pretty much ready to rock-and-roll and a down-loadable version that you can customize and put online yourself.


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    #3
    fenderlvr
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭fenderlvr


    Twitter is actually really simple to code. Not a huge undertaking until you get the amount of users that Twitter has. Then you'll have huge infrastructure challenges.


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    #4
    Webmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 9,579 ✭✭✭Webmonkey


    I don't think it's the code that is the problem. The problem lies in making it scalable if you were to grow as big as twitter.

    Edit: Okay i'm re iterating what already said!


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    #5
    Cianos
    Registered Users Posts: 4,850 ✭✭✭Cianos


    fenderlvr wrote: »
    Twitter is actually really simple to code. Not a huge undertaking until you get the amount of users that Twitter has. Then you'll have huge infrastructure challenges.

    Isn't this a problem you want to have?


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    #6
    Giblet
    Registered Users Posts: 11,980 ✭✭✭✭Giblet


    Cianos wrote: »
    Isn't this a problem you want to have?

    Only if you can solve it.


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    #7
    Adam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,866 ✭✭✭Adam


    Giblet wrote: »
    Only if you can solve it.
    how does one solve it, out of curiosity? is there some light reading i can do on the subject? i can visualize how to replicate twitter pretty much, using php/mysql db, but when do things start becoming a problem and how would i go about improving load capabilities?


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    #8
    Giblet
    Registered Users Posts: 11,980 ✭✭✭✭Giblet


    Adam wrote: »
    how does one solve it, out of curiosity? is there some light reading i can do on the subject? i can visualize how to replicate twitter pretty much, using php/mysql db, but when do things start becoming a problem and how would i go about improving load capabilities?

    Writing scalable software, having the correct hardware, not overdoing it by throwing hardware at a software problem. There are loads of ways to combat it. Twitter had its share of problems at the start, and unfortunately, throwing money at the problem wasn't the solution.


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    #9
    bobbytables
    Registered Users Posts: 498 ✭✭bobbytables


    Cianos wrote: »
    Isn't this a problem you want to have?
    It is only if there is a positive and strong correlation between scale and profitability. E.g. I could put together a service online in the morning that may be of use to lots of people. Lets say I get the traffic and I need to expand my infrastructure to support this, what incentive do I have to pay for that expansion?


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    #10
    Overflow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,266 ✭✭✭Overflow


    Consider designing the app for cloud based hosting services, that way you can start small and scale as demand increases.


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