Facebook...what a great thing. Taking a simple idea of friends, Mark has been able to create a company that is probably worth something in the billions. Not bad for someone whose my age. So now that I am in fourth year at UW for Systems Design, my friends and I decided that a design project around Facebook might become profitable (not to mention fun).
Now that Facebook has opened its developer platform up, anyone can make their own applications that users can add to their profile, and for the lucky ones, make a little money. There's even companies (such as Slide) that are based specifically around building custom apps.
Our goal? Well...something that makes something about building apps a little easier. And quite obviously, we have no idea what that something is.
So, now 2 months later, we are well on our way. The 2 other group members are looking at a fairly well-developed PHP library that Facebook provides. They seem to be having a lot of fun and finding it rather simple. And me? Not as much fun. I decided to take the Java approach. And let's just say it hasn't been the most enjoyable or easy experience of my life. But I am learning a lot.
Why isn't it so fun? Well, the Java library Facebook provides is for desktop applications, not web based apps...so some subtlety's cause some problems. But, me, being the try-hard that I am (ha!) has decided to build my own Java library...no small feat mind you.
But I did try something I've never done before (and have been silently inspired by my boss): I've started an open source project around it: Java Spring Book. Right now, it's in a very early stage...I'm still trying to figure out the details. Hopefully, someday it will be in a position to offer some help to new developers (who are like I was when I started).
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