Orangeinks

Insoshi Introduces an Open Source Social Networking Platform

Insoshi is an open source social networking platform pretty much like a WordPress for social networks. This is great for developers who want to start an independent social networking site. The platform was built on another open source web framework called RubyonRails which is is a full-stack framework for developing database-backed web applications optimized for the programmer to be more productive.  So if you decide to use Inoshi or develop for Insoshi, you must have some knowledge in using RubyonRails or willing to learn the framework.

This is great news for developers, organizations and individuals who are planning or have some great ideas for a social networking site. With so many out there right now, we can expect them to grow in a much faster rate. It will also be easier for existing services, websites and even blogs to go social networking now. The beauty of open source is that you can do anything you want with it and the development opportunities are endless.

Tip: There are lots of open source platforms out there for different types of sites. You can check out opensourcecms for the list.

Tags: insoshi, programming, ruby on rails, social network service, web application, wordpress

Create a Flash-Based Website Online Using Wix

Wix is an online application that you can use to create and publish Flash-based websites without any programming knowledge. I was very curious to see what they are offering and when I got an invitation from the Wix team to test the app, I immediately took the plunge.

The Wix Editor is a flash based drag and drop tool which makes it easier for anyone to add, remove and arrange objects in the webpage project. Adding a page element like buttons and borders can be done in just a couple of clicks. Adding a new page and linking them together will not require you to place href codes, you can just click the image of the page you want an object to link to. Linking to an external page however will require you to place the URL of the external link, which is the only coding part of the website making process that you will ever encounter when using Wix.

Different forms of media like videos (from YouTube), music and pictures (from Flickr, Wix or your hard drive) can be easily inserted in the project. Widgets like photo albums, media player and mini pages are also available as enhancements. What is even more interesting in the editor is that the editing is not only limited to using the buttons and menus in Wix. You can also use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+X for cut and Ctrl+V for paste and other keyboard shortcuts. The right click mouse button can also be used when editing which is rarely seen in flash based applications. There is no undo function so one must be careful in deleting elements, instead use the cut command.

Once you have completed a website or a page, you can choose to publish it publicly which will be available to the Wix community and will be indexed by search engine or you can choose the private mode. An embed code is also provided so that you can place your work in social sites and blogs. You can also use the email option which can be useful if you to use the flash page for marketing or company brochures.

In conclusion, Wix is a powerful web app which can do wonders for anyone who wants to create a website without going to the process of coding. The user friendly and eyecandy user interface makes website design an enjoyable experience. The service is still in private beta and If you want to check out the cool app, just visit their site and sign up for an invitation. Check out a simple website that I made using Wix. I have provided an embedded version below. Check out the full size here.

Free Flash Websites – Wix.com

Tags: flash, web application, web search engine, website, wix, wix editor, You Tube

Distraction Free Writing Tools

There are always simple tools for simple needs which will give you nothing more and nothing less. The tools that I am going to mention both functions the same way but has some differences.

The Write Room is a Mac OSX application and developed by Hog Bay Software that offers a distraction free writing experience. It is a simple writing tool and nothing more. It is not a full function word processor so don’t expect tabs and tables in the application. Write Room features Full-screen, Document based auto-saved, Distraction free features: which hides the menubar and wordcount, Retro Cursors and Standalone or Edit-in feature which will compliment another program if it is compatible.  You can download a free fifteen (15) day trial in their website or get the full version for twenty five ($25) dollars.

Dark Copy is an online Write Room clone which is not limited to a Mac OS-X operating system. All you need is a browser and you can enjoy a distraction free writing experience. No need to download and the service is free.

DarkCopy is for anyone who enjoys the simplicity of a typewriter, and wants to increase productivity by focusing only on writing. It was created as a free, web-based clone of WriteRoom.

The difference between the two apps is of course the price tag and some key features in the free version. There are key features in WriteRoom which is not available in DarkCopy. The auto save feature is I think most essential in any digital writing application. But who am I to argue with a free web application which serves its purpose of creating a different writing experience in this cluttered digital age. Just hit the save button once in a while to prevent data loss (or is it going to be another distraction?).

Tags: dark copy, mac os, mac os-x, web application, write room