Any tips on status updates, activity updates, from friends

[TeddyKiller]

I have a Friends table. To get the YOUR own friends, the query itself would be..

$query = mysql_query("select * from `friends` where `user_id` = '$user->id'");

I have an activity table, this usually has stuff like "Has just become friends with billy" At the moment, although this will increase to others. There isn't a status update in there though.

 

I have an user_status table. This has all the users status's, with a date of when posted aswell. To display just status's the idea would be..

$query = mysql_query("select * from `friends` where `user_id` = '$user->id'");
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) {
    $query = mysql_query("select * from `user_status` where `user_id` = '".$row['friend_id']."' order by `date` desc");
    while($status = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) {
        echo $status['status'];
    }
}

 

I might be able to remove the user_status table, input another collum into activity called "type", values could be.. friends, profile, photos, status etc So when a status is entered.. it'll put in an activity of the status, with a type of status.

 

So when displaying status on user profile, it'll just get the activity where type is status order by date desc and limit 1. This may be a better alternative. Using a similar method to above.

 

Now theres a problem with that. If a user becomes friends with another user, or uploads photos. I'll need to display a random 5 photos maybe, if they uploaded photos. And for becoming friends, to display the friends photo.

 

The other problem.. would be how to display all updates.. by date, rather than by user by date.

 

Any ideas? All help appreciated. Thanks!

[ChaosKnight]

I don't have an answer actually, but be careful mate... Facebook patented the whole "Has just become friends with billy", concept... As well as any form of real-time activity updates...

[TeddyKiller]

I don't have an answer actually, but be careful mate... Facebook patented the whole "Has just become friends with billy", concept... As well as any form of real-time activity updates...

 

What do you mean by "patented" I tried to look up the definition, it's got something to do with american law? I'm not quite sure.

[947740]

I can't tell if you're being serious...

 

But I believe the correct language in this instance would be a copyright and a trademark.  Per definition a patent refers to a product - facebook is a product.  The smaller parts - logos, slogans, etc. - would be copyrighted and trademarked.

 

I don't know if facebook could copyright/trademark every single phrase saying something similar to "Bill just friend Bob."  That would restrict our speech too much imho.

[ChaosKnight]

Well, they paid a large sum of money to be the only website that may use the live friend activity update idea...

 

They describe it as:

“A method for displaying a news feed in a social network environment is described. The method includes generating news items regarding activities associated with a user of a social network environment and attaching an informational link associated with at least one of the activities, to at least one of the news items, as well as limiting access to the news items to a predetermined set of viewers and assigning an order to the news items. The method further may further include displaying the news items in the assigned order to at least one viewing user of the predetermined set of viewers and dynamically limiting the number of news items displayed.”

 

Here is an article about it: http://mashable.com/2010/02/25/facebook-news-feed-patent/

[947740]

Yes, that's a method, an OBJECT, that we are talking about.  (Although it is rather intangible, it's still an object, a thing you can invent.)  The words, on the other hand...can't be invented (as they already exist), so those would not be patented.

[TeddyKiller]

Thats.. sham, whats a SOCIAL network without it?

Man, this is why I hate facebook. I understand what they are doing, but it's kind of.. selfish?

I know its about competition, but seriously.. the more they copyright.. the more social networks will be down, like tagged, bebo and others.

Facebook will be the only one left.. I can assure many people will plan attempts to shut them down.

They already have started doing it now.

 

What other ideas can be added into a site, if you don't have a live feed?

Or may twisting the live feed, so its not a live feed if you get me, any ideas how that would happen?

[947740]

My recommendation...make no reference to it as a 'live feed.'  Come up with a new way to put it.  A new catch-phrase or something.  I don't know what that should be...you're the one doing the project.  Choose what fits best.

[TeddyKiller]

My recommendation...make no reference to it as a 'live feed.'  Come up with a new way to put it.  A new catch-phrase or something.  I don't know what that should be...you're the one doing the project.  Choose what fits best.

 

Neat idea. Along with making no reference to it as a 'live feed.', would have to also tweak it so that it doesn't look like one as such... I have an idea for my original post, based on an implode and an array of ID's.

 

If anyone can advise me on making a similar thing to a live feed, although not being a live feed so that its my own invention, then let me know. Appreciated!

 

Thanks everyone for telling me about the live feed though. I think you saved me, hell of alot of money.