Monday 13 August 2007 at 2:46 pm. Used tags: applescript, facebook, scotlearnfest07, teachmeet07, twitter
I've been reading a pile of stuff about twitter over the last few months. Quite a few edubloggers around the globe have taken up tweeting in a big way. I originally thought that it would be more use to conference goers than class teachers and didn't pay much attention.
Yesterday I saw that a facebook friend was wondering how to update his status on facebook and on twitter at the same time.
This remined me that both twitter and facebook have APIs. A bit of googling took me to ''More status updating goodness' where Sören provides an applescript for quicksilver to update several status messages at once, including twitter and facebook. I took the script and simplified it a bit, got rid of the quicksilver stuff other services and I am afraid removed the keychain scripting for the faster hard coded username and password.
So I am thinking of what good scripting these services would do. I guess you could combine the script to tell other twitters what you are playing in itunes, what you are reading in safari, or some other information grabbed by AppleScript either locally or via a webservice. You could run thse in an idle loop so that someone could twitter the current webpage they are reading, application they are using etc. Would this be useful? Eventually a scriptable phone could twitter its geolocation...
Now I am on twitter I'd appreciate some contacts, my username is johnjohnston.
It is not all that likely I'll be doing much tweeting for now. I do look forward to seeing it it is a useful tool at the Scottish learning festival and TeachMeet07.
Speaking of which the planning for TeachMeet07 is well under way. Check the wiki or follow everything Tagged: Teachmeet07. It looks like being a great event.
six comments
That sounds great John – half the problem I have with all these services is remembering to update them, so a tool that could do all at once would be cool. Twittering the current webpage though? What if big brother was subscribing? Millions would have to work instead of surf then!
AB (Email) (URL) - 14-08-’07 08:19Hmm. I looked at Twitter when Ewan did a post about it a while ago. I registered and everything then realised that I was being very naive and that it was actually going to cost me and my readers money to use it. (Not that I’m tight-fisted or anything.)
Dorothy (Email) (URL) - 14-08-’07 19:39I’m completely in the dark about your post here,(quite happy to remain so as well) but since it sounds as if you know what you’re talking about John, can you please explain what Twitter offers that would make this financial outlay worthwhile?
Andrew, maybe one could give a web tour via twitter?
John (Email) (URL) - 14-08-’07 20:32Hi Dorothy,
Twitter does not cost anything to use from a browser, or desktop, it would only cost if you use a phone.
What? Oh now I’m really confused. I’ll go back and look again. Maybe I’ll have to seek a f2f with someone who can show me.
Dorothy (Email) (URL) - 14-08-’07 21:04Thanks John.
teachmeet
John (Email) (URL) - 14-08-’07 21:09OK I’ll look out for you!
Dorothy (Email) (URL) - 14-08-’07 21:21