Building Social Networks with Open Source Tools

Building Social Networks with Open Source Tools

• 1.
  Building a SocialNetworking Site with Open Source ToolsGreg SvitakManager of Product Development
• 2.
  Creators of PlayawayLocatedin Solon100+ employeesInc 500Top 25 for Consumer Electronics#1 in ClevelandOver 2 million units shipped
• 3.
  What is Playaway?
• 4.
  ObjectiveTo provide enoughinformation to each member of the group to be fired up to build their own social network siteList of Required FunctionalityProfilesStatus UpdatesWallBlogsOrganic GroupsFriendsActivity StreamsNewsfeedPrivate MessagingUpload Pics/VideoGranular securityNotificationsFOAFIntegration with existing networksEventsTrack User ActivityTagging
• 5.
  Why create asocial network site instead of joining an existing one?
• 6.
  Why create asocial network site instead of joining an existing one?Niche based communities provide a specific serviceOften require specific requirementsAbility to control your own destinyMust play in the platform’s sandboxInnovate new use cases for social mediaCreate and brand your own social presenceDevelop closer relationship between membersProvide greater ownership of social network dataDevelop new business models for social dataIntegrate with generic platforms to share data across networks
• 8.
  THE CIVIC “MARKETPLACE” IS COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT TO ACCESSFundersGovern-mentToday’s Civic Agenda Setters“Customers”Broader CommunityFor-Profit SectorNGOsQualified Talent PoolIdeas & Champions
• 9.
  PURPOSE CREATE AVIRTUAL MARKET PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND ACCESSIBLEQualified Talent PoolIdeas & ChampionsVirtual Civic MarketplaceCustomers & Traditional Agenda Setters
• 10.
  What open sourceplatforms exist?
• 11.
  What Open SourceTools ExistSet of JoomlapluginsGreat for basic social sitesExpansive list of available themesSet of WordPressplugins and themesGeared toward blogsMissing status updates and wall functionality
• 12.
  What Open SourceTools ExistVery mature platform with very active open source communityGeared towards a developerSecurity is very granularExisting modules provide all functionality required
• 13.
  Drupal ThemesA "theme"is a collection of files that define the presentation layer or "look and feel" of a Drupal site.Allow the presentation layer to be extracted
• 14.
  Drupal ModulesModules allowadministrator to add or extend functionality of your siteTo install module, just download and place in specific directory 1000+ modules available for download
• 15.
  ReachCleveland Module Listing
• 16.
  Organic GroupsLet youruser’s have a say and interact the way they want to on the site. Great module for your users to create fan clubs, communities, a school (Google Groups, communities on orkut, groups on fb)
• 17.
  Access control isthe topping on the cake
• 18.
  As a SNdeveloper most of your work would be to extend your modules to interact with organic groups, like a blog for a group, album for a group etcFacebook appsFacebook apps is a way to drive traffic to your content via Facebook UI
• 19.
  Drupalforfacebookdesigned to launchyour drupal site within Facebook
• 20.
  Takes care offbml and integrates Facebook API and application access control.
• 21.
  Can configure theDrupal site to show latest idea submissions/request for help on FacebookExample #1
• 22.
  Example #2
• 23.
  Example #3
• 24.
  Thank Yougsvitak@playaway.com @gsvitak