Gray's blog

I ACTUALLY FINISHED MOVING HOSTS TODAY.

Yep .

So now this blog is up I will start updating it more, show people some more stuff about coding. Whatever I got. And the host will STAY UP.

If your having trouble viewing it flush your DNS and try.

Music search got a bit better, web based.

IgniteM running

 I’m in desperate need of beta testers so if your intrested drop a line at graham.stachowiak@gmail.com

Forward: The following was posted by me on Opensock.com . They are worth reading again to anyone looking at creating a social network and the last bit (about online isometric games) is worth a read before you try to make money on one.

From Opensock:

It’s rarely the features that attract people to social networks, Myspace is incredibly bloated and messy but people use it because all they’re friends are using it.

Facebook is far ahead of Myspace in style, functionality and cleanliness, but the majority of American youth will use Myspace because there friends are using it, and convincing many people to move to a new social network can be hard without OUTSTANDING site features / layout.

I’d suggest a type of ‘Profile Import’ system if you were planning to start this, and a way to email your friends like Bebo does when you sign up (Find your friends, etc).

Most people I know tend to find most ads very intrusive, bloating and annoying. So clip them wherever possible.

Customization is also key, when a user can easily make something they’re own, like Myspace’s so-called ‘ghettofied’ HTML layouts which almost anyone can customize to they’re liking.

Speed and ease of use is something that keeps users coming to Facebook over Myspace, the faster the better. Also, AJAX when used unobtrusively and unbloated Javascript can create a very nice UI, very nice user interface (with as few refreshes as possible) and you can still handle operations requiring the loading of different pages through iFrames.

Applications, while crucial to the growth of most social networks (extendability) should implement a common standard for apps, such as OpenSocial. This will attract developers to your site. Less learning curve = more developers flocking to your site.

Browser compatibility is another big thing, again, most American teenagers do NOT upgrade they’re browsers. IE5 is still scarily common on library computers, schools and homes. American teenagers are a HUGE part of your market on a social network and should not be ignored.

Added later in post (as an edit) :

Forgot to touch on OpenID, a very interesting concept for any upcoming social networking site would be becoming an openID login allowed site, and an openID provider. Lower barrier to entry and more of an incentive to use (don’t need 10 accounts)

Also gonna want to hit mobile devices, most people I know use Myspace mobile.

More friends, more of an interest in coming back (Friend updates, etc).

And the bit about habbo:

Habbo has started to die out as 3D games have gained popularity and most platforms have gained the ability to run them in a browser.

Habbo has also become quite bloated.

Today’s teenagers see little attraction in a game like Habbo, where there is myspace and facebook a mere click away. There is nothing new and innovative about a bloated isometric web game.

Yeah.

old post went away when server was moved. whatever.

will rewrite it later. I don’t have the time now.

http://axcid.org/

Yes, it’s released. Windows (beta) and Mac (Alpha).

So you can now enjoy millions (literally.. huge DB) of songs, much faster then limewire. Free to download, and very cool.

Very intresting new band on Axcid:

Jupe Jupe

Some pretty good music there, and a new upcoming band.

s’all good