Twitter

You want to post something to you Twitter account? For instance you might want your followers to know when your site has been used and what the result was e.g. you site might want to announce each time someone signs up for your service.

The answer is real easy, use cURL and PHP to update your profile. For RSS to Twitter we use the below script.

PHP to Twitter Script

To use the below script call the postToTwitter function with a 140 charter message (if it is over that Twitter will truncate it for you), the user-name (or email) you want to use and the password.

Hi,

I just signed a petition asking Prime Minister Gordon Brown to include a representative from the African Union at the G20 – a group of leaders of the world’s twenty largest economies – summit in the UK this spring. This will be a key summit for shaping the road the world takes out of the financial crisis, and it’s crucial that the world’s poorest people be a part of that process.

I hope that you’ll join me in taking action here: http://www.one.org/international/includeafrica/?rc=includeafricataf

This is an exceptional opportunity to get a seat at the table for developing nations. If they play a role in remaking the world’s financial systems, it’s significantly more likely that they will be able to reap the rewards of those systems. That’s a big step in helping people work their way out of poverty.

Thanks

Today while at work I was writing up about Web 2.0 and I came across a list of key indicators of whether a Web 2.0 app will be a success. While not all need to be met it is of benefit.

1. The product fits the needs of an underserved niche – i.e. there is a niche market which is after something which currently doesn’t exist in the form they desire. This makes totally sense.
2. The site has the ability to generate natural search results. Pretty much the site is in the top page rank on Google and Live.
3. The service allows users to make a profit. For instance eBay sellers can sell items, same with iStockPhoto.
4. It is free or significantly cheaper then previously. This is true as so many sites are free subscriptions that a site charging would get no traffic. The idea that the internet should be all free has led to the demise of a lot of good websites as there was not enough revenue from advertising.
5. The site should be truly viral. This means that the site is what is created by the users, not the webmasters. For instance YouTube is so popular because of the user generated videos without them it would just be a video stock library.
6. Ability to leverage another’s userbase. Basically tapping into someone else’s users to build yours. An example is Skype being distributed with KaZza.
7. You are worthy of news outlets writing about you. People have a reason to write about you. For instance Twitter is being written about all over the net because it is so popular without a revenue model.