Developing a Website Heavily Integrated with Twitter?

Atomico

Hi guys,

I am just wondering what is involved (in terms of workload and potential cost), in building a website that would enable the following:

-Sign-up via Twitter as the only method of sign-up (I believe there is something called 'oauth' for this, as regards authentication)

-The ability to tweet at fellow signed-up users within the interface. They would be able to view and respond to these tweets when signed in to their own account on the site.

-All users should also be able to delete any messages tweeted at them, and to block any users they wish.

-A notifications system (via direct message to your Twitter DM inbox as well as the email you used to sign up to Twitter) - you get a notification whenever someone tweets at you, replies to you, etc.

-The ability to invite your existing Twitter followers to use the website (could be optional to start with).

There is more, but basically to start with I am wondering what the solutions / approaches are in this area. This would be a basic application in terms of UI and range of functionality, it would start out as a basic but fully functional prototype, but evolve to become more developed.

All input very welcome.

Creamy Goodness

is that not what twitter is... with the exception of being able to delete tweets directed at you?

Atomico

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

is that not what twitter is... with the exception of being able to delete tweets directed at you?

Well actually you can delete tweets so that they don't show in your timeline or in your @mentions on Twitter

I know though, it does just sound like Twitter. There is a specific purpose in mind here though, which Twitter currently doesn't accommodate in a dedicated or structured way - I just don't want to give it away here So to start with, I'm just looking to find out what might be involved in enabling something like this.

Gordon

Atomico wrote: »

Well actually you can delete tweets so that they don't show in your timeline or in your @mentions on Twitter

Not on twitter.com, but you can hide tweets on various apps. Afair the twitter mobile app on iOS allows/allowed that.

mneylon

Maybe you could use http://status.net/ ?

Atomico

Blacknight wrote: »

Maybe you could use http://status.net/ ?

Interesting. Have you used it before? Seems to be fairly customisable, would need to be fairly (but not hugely) customisable for what I'd be after.

Atomico

Ok after reflecting a little, just realising that I was over-complicating the concept I have in mind wayyy too much.

Basically what I am after is this. A website where you can sign-in with Twitter, and the website then gives you your own account which is populated with your Twitter bio.

Underneath a user's profile you can tweet at the user, provided you are also a registered user.

The person you've tweeted can then answer the question by hitting 'reply' to your question.

On it goes down the page - so we are basically talking about your regular Twitter page, except there is another element / piece of functionality to it that I won't go into here.

But essentially that's it - create account, have people tweet you, reply to tweets in your stream.

Easy enough and quick to build?!

Trojan

With a clear, fixed specification, a good developer could quickly and easily build a working prototype.

A customer-ready solution is a different matter.

Atomico

Trojan wrote: »

With a clear, fixed specification, a good developer could quickly and easily build a working prototype.

A customer-ready solution is a different matter.

Hi Trojan, thanks for the reply. That link looks interesting, seems like a quick prototype could be done up pretty quickly.

That wouldn't really work though, because customers would need to see that it is ready for use and looks the part from the get-go (albeit perhaps 'basic' in terms of the range of functionality).

However, if task A is the core function associated with the site, and it lets you carry out task A without a hitch, and the design looks presentable and easy to look at, then perfect.

I am keeping version to an absolute minimum, in fact I am even writing out the spec with pen and paper, literally just so I don't feel inclined to keep writing and sneak other little features in. These can always be added in later, after I have determined that people are liking and using the MVP.

Is there anyone on here who could build something like this, and who may have past experience? It is literally this:

1. Sign up with Twitter
2. Bios appear on site
3. Box underneath profile where another registered user can 'tweet' at you
4. You can reply underneath in response to their 'tweet'
5. If another person (or even the same person) 'tweets' at you, then the new 'tweet' appears underneath, and on it goes down the page
6. As a user, I can delete 'tweets' I don't like the look of, and block users

I might post this up in the work wanted thread, but I'd like to hear more comments and input here if possible. I have someone who can design this in psd, so you wouldn't even need to worry about that side of things - just the functionality.

I have a specific vision / purpose for this concept, one which I think could prove very useful to people. Don't worry though, there won't be any mention of working for equity or anything like that!

Atomico

Hi guys,

I have just posted here on the work wanted thread, if there are any developers reading this who would like to quote, I would love to hear from you.

I am looking to build a working prototype that fulfills its core function in the most cost-effective way for a version 1 (using open source code or existing frameworks, etc).

Feel free to PM me, I have a full spec ready to go. Thanks.

ChRoMe

So basically you want a web twitter client?

fergalr

Atomico wrote: »

Hi Trojan, thanks for the reply. That link looks interesting, seems like a quick prototype could be done up pretty quickly.

That wouldn't really work though, because customers would need to see that it is ready for use and looks the part from the get-go (albeit perhaps 'basic' in terms of the range of functionality).

However, if task A is the core function associated with the site, and it lets you carry out task A without a hitch, and the design looks presentable and easy to look at, then perfect.

I am keeping version to an absolute minimum, in fact I am even writing out the spec with pen and paper, literally just so I don't feel inclined to keep writing and sneak other little features in. These can always be added in later, after I have determined that people are liking and using the MVP.

Is there anyone on here who could build something like this, and who may have past experience? It is literally this:

1. Sign up with Twitter
2. Bios appear on site
3. Box underneath profile where another registered user can 'tweet' at you
4. You can reply underneath in response to their 'tweet'
5. If another person (or even the same person) 'tweets' at you, then the new 'tweet' appears underneath, and on it goes down the page
6. As a user, I can delete 'tweets' I don't like the look of, and block users

I might post this up in the work wanted thread, but I'd like to hear more comments and input here if possible. I have someone who can design this in psd, so you wouldn't even need to worry about that side of things - just the functionality.

I have a specific vision / purpose for this concept, one which I think could prove very useful to people. Don't worry though, there won't be any mention of working for equity or anything like that!

Hey,

I'm not sure exactly what you are doing, but I would strongly advise that you read up on the Twitter Terms of Service, if you aren't already familiar.

I understand that they take a hard line against people building services that provide a user interface to twitter that they don't like; they can withdraw API key.

Also you should check out rate limits, etc, so you don't put a lot of work into building a service on twitter that has limited growth potential, or no upside if it takes off; just be aware of this stuff.

Stuff like:
https://dev.twitter.com/terms/display-requirements
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57539796-93/twitters-api-guidelines-claim-another-victim-news.me/

ironclaw

Atomico wrote: »

Hi guys,

I have just posted here on the work wanted thread, if there are any developers reading this who would like to quote, I would love to hear from you.

I am looking to build a working prototype that fulfills its core function in the most cost-effective way for a version 1 (using open source code or existing frameworks, etc).

Feel free to PM me, I have a full spec ready to go. Thanks.

Hi Atomico, following on from the entrepreneurial thread, if you really want to have a chat about this I'd be happy to meet with you. I've been developing for a good few years and would be interested to hear you pitch your idea.

Atomico

ironclaw wrote: »

Hi Atomico, following on from the entrepreneurial thread, if you really want to have a chat about this I'd be happy to meet with you. I've been developing for a good few years and would be interested to hear you pitch your idea.

Hi ironclaw,

Dropped you a PM earlier there, looking forward to your thoughts. Do you work as a developer full-time?