Savarino's blog

Jan 01

Hello, world

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Welcome to my 2008 blog! I'm trying to consolidate my Web life by aggregating the random stuff that I find. Rather than locking my old friends, new friends and colleagues into external sites, I'd rather do everything here.

There is no single focus or target niche, just random Web droppings that I find personal, useful and/or entertaining - usually art, code, maps, media or action sports. With a short attention span and an affinity for instant gratification, who knows where this is going.

Aug 26

Rails Envy

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The team at Rails Envy is back with their Apple-style commercials comparing Ruby on Rails to a variety of competing environments.

Note: These videos may only be funny to geeky web developers - especially Java and .NET haters, those who realize PHP is limited, and/or fanboys of Rails.

Ruby on Rails vs PHP

More Videos...
Ruby on Rails vs Java
Ruby on Rails vs .NET
Ruby on Rails vs PHP - Frameworks
Ruby on Rails vs PHP - Migrations
Ruby on Rails vs PHP - Organization
Ruby on Rails vs PHP - Changing Database

May 27

CakePHP and Facebook

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Do you want to integrate the Facebook API with CakePHP? Good news - it is really easy!

CakePHP is a free open-source rapid development framework for PHP. It's a structure of libraries and classes for programmers creating web applications originally inspired by Ruby on Rails. The primary goal is to enable you to work in a structured and rapid manner - without loss of flexibility.

In case you've been off the grid for the past few months, Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you. It is like MySpace, only more about your friends, with more features, and less intrusive advertising.

After reading the only blog post on CakePHP and Facebook, I was left with many questions because I'm new to Cake. So I did some further Google searching and found how to build a photo gallery using CakePHP and Flickr, which utilizes Miguel Ros' Flickr component. This was exactly what I was looking for - a CakePHP component. Then it was just a matter of reverse engineering it to work with the Facebook API.

Here's the code...

Facebook Component
app/controllers/components/facebook.php

<?php
/**
* Facebook Component
* @author Matt Savarino
* @license MIT
* @version 0.1
*/
$GLOBALS['facebook_config']['debug'] = NULL;

class FacebookComponent extends Object
{
    var $api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY";
    var $secret = "YOUR_API_SECRET";
    
    function startup(&$controller)
    {
        vendor('facebook/facebook');
        
        $controller->facebook =& new Facebook($this->api_key, $this->secret);
        $controller->set('facebook', $controller->facebook);
    }
}
?>

Sample Controller
app/controllers/nodes_controller.php

vendor('facebook/facebook');

class NodesController extends AppController
{
    var $name = 'Nodes';
    var $components = array('Facebook');
    ...
}

Accessing the API
The Facebook API is now available in both your controller and views.

Controllers: $this->facebook->api_client->users_getLoggedInUser()

Views: $facebook->api_client->users_getLoggedInUser()

Next Steps
I need to figure out the best method for forcing the user to install the application. The beforeFilter() function in the controllers seems to be the best place, but I'm having some issues.

Please comment with your questions/suggestions! I'll try to update this post with any improvements.

Mar 12

Bittersweet by Ze Frank

video

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As promised, the show with zefrank has reached its first year and will expire on March 17th. To start off his last week, Ze Frank shares his views on creativity and confidence.

Feb 23

20 Questions for Startup Success

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UWTV just aired 20 Questions for Startup Success, which was a guest lecture by Norm Meyrowitz, the former President of Macromedia (1993-2004).

Watch on UWTV
(Runtime: 00:56:22)

What problem does this product solve?
How does the product solve that problem?
Who are the end users of the product?
Is there a large addressable market of actual users?
Who is your revenue-supplying customer?
Are there enough of these paying customers to make a huge business?
Does the product solve a problem that end-users/revenue supplying customers actually have?
Side note, be aware of fads such as social networking and the long tail.
Are you sure it is a product and not just a "feature"?
Does your stuff easily fit into the way that people already work?
Or are you relying too much on people changing the way they work because your stuff is so great?
Are you too involved in HOW you are building your product rather than WHAT you are building?
Who are the potential partners? Who are the required partners?
What is the go-to-market strategy?
What is your sustainable competitive advantage?
Do you have a time-to-market/first mover advantage?
Are you ahead of the pack and can you stay there? Are you too early?

"The law of increasing returns" aka exponential growth or network effect.
Can you be number 1 or number 2 in this space? Who is the competition?
"Be ready to compete with people who are better than you."
Is there a team formed/identitifed with a record of successful ventures?
Have they done something like this before?
Is there a "soul" of the team that knows where this product AND business is going for the next few years?
Is anyone on the team insane? Are the members of the team totally passionate & aligned on this business?
Are there product/technology/operations barriers to sucess?
If yes, can they be overcome?
Are there marketing/sales barriers to success?
If yes, can they be overcome?
Are there legal barriers to success? If yes, can they be overcome?
Is there an exit strategy? (IPO or enough possible acquisition candidates to make acquisition a slam dunk)

Conclustion
If you want to build the next Amazon.com, don't be in denial.
Know the answers to these questions.
FOCUS!

For more UWTV, search by subject.

Feb 11

The Machine is Us/ing Us

video
web2.0

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Michael Wesch, the Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University, recently posted a good video explaination of Web 2.0 in just under 5 minutes.

Jan 17

All of Hamburg Goes 3D

mapping

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3D model of Hamburg, Germany for Google Earth

"This is a world premiere," said Google spokesperson Stefan Keuchel at the presentation of the project today. "With the textures on the facades [of buildings] Hamburg is the first city worldwide to be visible in this detail. Hamburg 3D will be live in a few days or weeks."

Check out the screenshots and video. If you are interested in GE blogs, be sure to subscribe to Ogle Earth and GEarthBlog.

Jan 15