What is Shindig? And what does it have to do with OpenSocial?

Shindig is an Apache incubator project for OpenSocial and gadgets.

It is an open source project which began in December, 2007, to provide a reference implementation for the OpenSocial standard.

The software contains both server-side and client-side code. Once the project is mature, an installation of this product will be capable of rendering OpenSocial gadgets in a web browser.

4 primary features of Shindig:

Gadget Container JavaScript - core JavaScript foundation for general gadget functionality (read more about gadget functionality). This JavaScript manages security, communication, UI layout, and feature extensions, such as the OpenSocial API.
Read more about the Gadget functionality here.

Gadget Server - an open source version of gmodules.com, which is used to render the gadget xml into JavaScript and HTML for the container to expose via the container JavaScript.

OpenSocial Container JavaScript - JavaScript environment that sits on top of the Gadget Container JS and provides OpenSocial specific functionality (profiles, friends, activities).

OpenSocial Gateway Server - an open source implementation of the server interface to container-specific information, including the OpenSocial REST APIs, with clear extension points so others can connect it to their own backends.

Some more useful links on Shindig:

Official site

From the official OpenSocial API blog - Let's get this Shindig started

More with Shindig and OpenSocial

Want to get started with the code?
Click Here

OpenSocial Hackathon - Feb 19th to Feb 22nd

Orkut Team is Conducting a Hackathon Starting on Tuesday 19th Feb which will go on till 22nd Feb.. As per the Plan Developers might be showcasing their Applications in a SHOW and TELL Event.. and for this a Technical Lead engineers (OpenSocial Platform) will be there with us...
I personally feel .. this might be a very good time/opportunity to sync up with Google-Orkut team.. coz i have loads of queries in my mind.. will be great to show something and ask a query on it..

If you are not attending the Hackathon.. but still wish to sync up on what goin on.. Watchout this space..I'll be updating it during Breaks and Post Hackathon.

Martin

Orkut - OpenSpam

Though Orkut have introduced some new tweaks via which you can make your Album and Scrapbook restricted from the public - they've just been hounded with yet another problem!

Scrapbook Spam!

Recently someone created a script that allows you to so send scraps to multiple users at one go. Here's a screenshot of my Orkut Scrapbook and notice the "To scrap all your friends at once, click here!" beneath each post.



Though this might be a convenient tool for some (senders) it's a pretty annoying tool for the others (receivers).

What's dis-heartening is that Orkut has yet to respond to this with a basic filter mechanism. These are the same Google guys who are preaching a totally SPAM free environment for OpenSocial.

But a tight regulation on Spam might effect the viral nature of some apps and only the heavy-weights (like Slide, RockYou) might benefit.

My Photo Puzzle - by Dustin Jorge / iWiddit.com

My Photo Puzzle is a simple but very personalized/Customizable Puzzle game. The catch here is.. its not our usual Puzzle game where the SKIN is FIXED and we cant customize it.. Its Dynamic so we can plug in our Image path (web only) and with basic setting a cool Puzzle is ready to be played.

Image 1. My Photo Puzzle

Image 2. I like the way we can customize it.(Please click on the Image to View Large Size Image)

On Game Page / Canvas page.. (Image 1) have marked in red.. can you see that..? well that link takes me to the App details page. Hosted on their server which displays Sharing and Views Count. Chk this out.

(Please click on the Image to View Large Size Image)

Now this is something i always thought of doing it. With the App Info Page i can get to see who all installed my app.. check if its doing good or not with help of Sharing and View Countes. Over a very nice app. must say that the Developer really worked hard to get this up in a situation where we are still facing problem accessing Sandbox.

Gadget/App Name : My Photo Puzzle
Gadget/App URL : http://www.iwiddit.com/xml/myPhotoPuzzle.xml
Publisher : Dustin Jorge / iWiddit.com

Orkut Open Social : Bookmarks

Here are some of the URL's for people who are planning to Develop Open Social Apps / gadgets

1.Anatomy of an Orkut Application :

An Orkut application is comprised of several parts, all of which combine to form a structured user experience. As you develop your application, we recommend this guide as both a checklist of components which should be utilized, as well as a means to understand the relationship between these components:

1. Application Directory
2. Directory Listing
3. My Applications
4. Left Navbar Link
5. Canvas View
6. Showcase View
7. Friend Update
   

URL : http://code.google.com/apis/orkut/articles/anatomy.html (Chkout the Screenshot)

2. Open Social Documentation : The OpenSocial API is a set of common APIs for building social applications on many websites. There are two ways to access the OpenSocial API: client-side using the JavaScript API and server-side using RESTful data APIs.

URL : http://code.google.com/apis/opensocial/docs/

3. The OpenSocial Container Sample : Container is intended to be used for testing gadgets and, for container implementors, to provide a preview of the version 0.5 Service Provider Interface (SPI). It does not provide adequate security for production usage or wide deployment, but can be used for internal testing and demonstrations.

URL : http://code.google.com/p/opensocial-container-sample/

4. Open Social Application Directory : Now this is something you have to bookmark it. Try spending more of your time on this page to get an ruff idea how people are moving into app development.

URL : http://opensocialdirectory.org/wiki/Main_Page

5. Opensocialexa : Open Social is a large step in Web Evolution, it's web2.5!
opensocialexa is the tool you need to analyze your app's in this new world. View who is using your app's, and discover the best app's!

URL: http://opensocialexa.com/

Orkut OpenSocial App : Emote

Tried out Emote Dev. by RockYou Today. I like the way the app displays the content depending on the page its Loaded (Showcase View or Canvas View). Here is the Screen shot of it
Now with this sort of Showcase view it looks Perfect as an App. rather then just dumping the app right on the Profile Page. Some Tips on How an app should be displayed on Profile page.
1. Make use of the small area Perfectly by making it more attractive and the same time it should describes the purpose of the app.
2. No Sound please : If its a Flash Game, App, E-card, Viral Animation.. Please Keep the sound in Mute Mode. Take a case where a person installs a Game and an E-card both with sound once its loaded... Person like me who usually browse through Profile mostly during late hours ..coz that the time i usually network.. and think of a situation when all Apps Starts making noise .. at one particular movement.. MAN!! i hate.. and i guess we all do.. So NO SOUND on Load of the App on Profile Page
3. Make your App's "Showcase View" in such a way that it consume less net usage or minimal.

Emote App : Review
Well its not working fully but looking at the UI it looks that most of will find it easy to use.


Cant comment much on it as its still under development Process.
Gadget/App Name : Emote Dev
Gadget/App URL : http://dev2.rockyou.com/google_apps/emote/emote_xml.php
Publisher : RockYou

Flickr Slide Show Gadget/Application

Here i go ... !!! It just took me 5 mins to embed this stuff.



Flickr Slide Show App : http://www.martinselva.com/opensocial/apps/flickr_slide_show.xml

Facebook on ORKUT : Open Social

Earlier it was Orkut on Facebook .. now its Facebook on Orkut. A developer from India, Mr. Vivek simply played around with the Iframe and here it is : Have a look
Facebook-on-Orkut : Feeds and Friends List
Well.. its not just Facebook.. now u can even use Digg and Reddit as an Application/Gadget on Orkut:OpenSocial. If you wish to checkout how this apps looks.. Use these App Urls

Facebook Application - http://vivekjishtu.com/opensocial/facebook.xml
Digg Application - http://vivekjishtu.com/opensocial/digg.xml
Reddit Application - http://vivekjishtu.com/opensocial/reddit.xml

Developer's Blog : http://vivekjishtu.blogspot.com/

OpenSocial Application

Its is big surprise for me to see people working on Opensocial Gadgets on such a high pace. Hardly couple of weeks went by and we get to see Opensocial Apps all around...

Just for ppl who don't know how to go about :
1. Get yourself register on http://code.google.com/support/opensocialsignup/
2. Log on to http://sandbox.orkut.com
3. Browers through Application Directory [Application button on : Left Panel bottom]
4. Add Application [http://sandbox.orkut.com/MyApps.aspx


Try joining Open Social Community on Orkut.

List of Posts, I am working on

- Embed Simple Flash Game/Application/E-card
- Work around with Friends List and Profile Pictures
- How Orkut Gadgets/Application Works
- List of Opensocial Appliction