Comments on: Some Do’s and Don’t of developing Facebook apps http://molecularvoices.molecular.com/2008/some-do%e2%80%99s-and-don%e2%80%99t-of-developing-facebook-apps/ where conversation and digital minds meet Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:20:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Charudatta Wad http://molecularvoices.molecular.com/2008/some-do%e2%80%99s-and-don%e2%80%99t-of-developing-facebook-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-4430 Charudatta Wad Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:52:36 +0000 http://molecularvoices.molecular.com/?p=1006#comment-4430 Another important thing is: first movers' advantage. Dont spend too much time making your app highly "functional", just put out something very basic (but bug free) and then improvise. It is very important to create and maintain user base, as lots of apps will be very similar in functionality. If you wait too long, your idea (and your user base) is already taken!! Another important thing is: first movers’ advantage. Dont spend too much time making your app highly “functional”, just put out something very basic (but bug free) and then improvise. It is very important to create and maintain user base, as lots of apps will be very similar in functionality. If you wait too long, your idea (and your user base) is already taken!! ]]> By: Craig Andrews http://molecularvoices.molecular.com/2008/some-do%e2%80%99s-and-don%e2%80%99t-of-developing-facebook-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-4413 Craig Andrews Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:41:07 +0000 http://molecularvoices.molecular.com/?p=1006#comment-4413 You forgot one of the most important things - make something people want! I made a facebook app that has an horrible UI (just a text box) but so far, 37 people are using it. I bet with a bit of UI work (that I've been too lazy/busy to do) and spreading the word a bit more, I could be well into the hundreds in a week. It's amazing what utility can do :-) http://apps.facebook.com/openmicoblogging/ Also, the facebook API and documentation, well, suck. There are methods documented in the documentation, but are not implemented in the PHP API (There's a bug that's been open for 3+ months - with a patch to fix this - that hasn't even been acknowledged!). http://bugs.developers.facebook.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2270 The ability to register as a developer comes and goes (I was unable to even start making my app for 2 weeks). Attempts to contact support are ignored. Basically, facebook is taking advantage of how people seem to desperately want to develop for them... but I doubt that will last if they keep treating their community so poorly. They should realize that these developers add value to facebook - providing a service to their company... and they shouldn't be neglected. You forgot one of the most important things – make something people want! I made a facebook app that has an horrible UI (just a text box) but so far, 37 people are using it. I bet with a bit of UI work (that I’ve been too lazy/busy to do) and spreading the word a bit more, I could be well into the hundreds in a week. It’s amazing what utility can do :-)
http://apps.facebook.com/openmicoblogging/

Also, the facebook API and documentation, well, suck. There are methods documented in the documentation, but are not implemented in the PHP API (There’s a bug that’s been open for 3+ months – with a patch to fix this – that hasn’t even been acknowledged!). http://bugs.developers.facebook.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2270
The ability to register as a developer comes and goes (I was unable to even start making my app for 2 weeks). Attempts to contact support are ignored.

Basically, facebook is taking advantage of how people seem to desperately want to develop for them… but I doubt that will last if they keep treating their community so poorly. They should realize that these developers add value to facebook – providing a service to their company… and they shouldn’t be neglected.

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