Friday, September 2, 2011

Yet another Bulk SMS Platform… Sorry, it’s Bulk SNS

In case you are wondering, SNS stands for Social Networking Sites.

My BSc thesis discussed my study and creation of an application which lets users broadcast to all the contacts on their social networks the way it is done on bulk SMS. I call it FriendsGreet.

The original idea occurred to me around the last week of December in 2010. I wanted to yell a personalised “Happy New Year” to all the contacts on my Facebook so I sought an application which would allow me do it and I foundeth it not. So I decided to create it. I did the barebones and abandoned it for other things. When my final year project came calling, I submitted two proposals one for building a NoSQL datastore (which I called LabRat) and the other was FriendsGreet. When I attended Prof Uwadia’s (my project supervisor) inaugural lecture (which focused on SNS and its effects in Nigeria) around April or May, I was inspired to resume work on FriendsGreet again. I was glad when he approved FriendsGreet.

Below is the link to download my proposals for LabRat and FriendsGreet and also, my final year project write-up (which you should actually be interested in :) ). I’m currently working actively to get FriendsGreet out so you can start using it.

This is why I have been offline for ages, now I’m back. BTW, follow me on twitter on @celestocalculus. I've resumed work on CSC Lounge too.

LabRat proposal.
FriendsGreet proposal
BSc Thesis.

Disclaimer
The work on this thesis is original. Any resemblance to any other work before this is purely coincidental.

9 comments:

Bomb! said...

Any resemblance is purely coincidental?? Who says that??? You're meant to be threatening anyone who attempts to copy. Except you copied...

Unknown said...

Don't you think an app that will allow sending bulk message to facebook users is SPAM?

I'm not sure but I don't think facebook allow mass messaging... You may want to read the terms first.

abuango said...

I totally agree with Muhoshy on this, i have tried it once, mine was even an apology when my account was hacked and a funny cat image was posted on all my friends' wall. You cant send a bulk message to all friends but you might be able to do mass post on their wall if done in an iterative manner.

@mukoshy, on a second thought, what if you loop the sending of the messages and not at once?

celestocalculus said...

LoL @ Jide. I actually saw smn that looked like it does smn similar just after I have done my project defense. That is what prompted that. As per copy cats, let them copy, I would sue later... Remember the Winkolvas brothers ;)

@mukoshy & @abuango... yeah spam is the biggest problem. If you downloaded it you would see that I stated it in the thesis.

True fb does not allow third party apps to send inbox messages, because of this, messages are streamed to user's friends' walls; as suggested by Abu. I also stated that in the thesis.

Thanks for checking it out :)

IfeOluwAdebo said...

lol @ "Any resemblance to any other work before this is purely coincidental."

I am happy that you identified a problem and proposed a solution via your thesis - which actually is supposed to be the primary aim of every research work.

It would be a plus to the society if students don't just write thesis for the sake of .... "in partial fulfillment of the requirements ....." BUT propose solution for an identified problem.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

celestocalculus said...

@IfeOluwAdebo True talk. Thanks.

Ola White said...

I would personally prefer the LabRat project,I mean the NoSQL, is it? it will help others in need of something like that... and the FriendsGreets? personally I will take it for spam man and will not read it ;)

Okay, good luck bro.

kelechizy said...

Celestine Great Guy

celestocalculus said...

@Ola Hehe... u know that the potential to spam is also on bulk SMS but we won't throw away the baby with the bath water ;) I like LabRat too, infact this is the second year since I've been nurturing the idea.

Thanks for posting ;)

@Kelechi Was'ap :D