Guess the BBC might have the clout and the inclination to sue; I have neither and prefer to rely on open-source community source code validation done on my behalf.
Anyway - suing is beside the point in question. Which is about trust. I use Facebook but I do not trust it. Regards, Nico M 2009/7/12 Brian Butterworth <[email protected]> > "Just because one can do some interesting & technically savvy work with an > API, if it's not open-source then how do we validate it?"* > * > My running assumption is that if something isn't open-source then the > action of entering into a contract for a service is you can sue the hide of > the provider if it doesn't work. > > 2009/7/12 Nico Morrison <[email protected]> > > My remarks were supposed to be cautionary rather than negative. Especially >> Facebook, which I use a lot as my extended family lives all over the world. >> >> Also I follow interesting people on Twitter. >> >> My son's partner (not a techie) discovered a bug whereby pictures of our >> grandchildren, supposedly viewable by "Friends Only" could be viewed by at >> least "Friends of Friends" - we think they've fixed the loophole but it's >> time-consuming to test and she is a busy mother of young kids. Also Friends >> & Friends of Friends are needed for testing & it all gets complicated >> operationally. >> >> Just because one can do some interesting & technically savvy work with an >> API, if it's not open-source then how do we validate it? >> >> Regards, >> Nico Morrison >> >> 2009/7/12 Brian Butterworth <[email protected]> >> >> I read people's comments with interest. >>> I am rather surprised by the negativity aimed at Facebook. I would point >>> out that I do have at least one BBC person as a Facebook friend, that being >>> BBC Radio 5 Live's Victoria Derbyshire: >>> >>> http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611852937 >>> >>> <http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611852937>Whilst I understand >>> about Facebook being a "closed" platform, it does provide some good >>> developer tools. In particular I have seem applications like *Mafia >>> Wars*, which is a very simple game in iteself (you can model the >>> gameplay on an A4 page), but it makes exceptional use of the Facebook APIs. >>> >>> Not only does it use the "user login" to provide an environment for the >>> game objects to run, but access to the "buddies list" is used to great >>> effect, and the programme also uses the "message" and "feed" components of >>> the platform to great effect. >>> >>> As for Twitter (I'm @Briantist, obviously), the APIs are so simple, the >>> message format easily understood and the number of clients (I use Twidroid >>> on my G1 phone) that integration is very simple. >>> >>> Aside from "tweeting" you status from time to time, you follow the >>> updates of people that interest you. That bit is easy, but the hashtag >>> makes everything "fun", because you can search the whole network for live >>> updates on a topic you are interested. >>> >>> I find the latter reason useful for following meatworld events such as >>> (#radfest09, the recent radio festival) and also just "Twitter fun" such >>> as #1stdraftmovielines >>> >>> I was just a *little *disappointed that the BBC Radio "Visualization" >>> didn't use Twitter, but a closed little feed. I would have preferred to add >>> #materialworld to some Tweets, as I can do this from my phone. >>> >>> >>> 2009/7/11 Nico Morrison <[email protected]> >>> >>> Good point. Very good point. Both points are good. Took me a long time to >>>> get on Facebook and even longer to go on Twitter. With FB the (alleged) >>>> privacy and control is one of the best features, PROVIDED you put your >>>> faith >>>> in them. Twitter is like a flock of gnats you can swat it as it goes past >>>> but there's always more. >>>> >>>> Nico M >>>> >>>> >>>> 2009/7/11 Matthew Wild <[email protected]> >>>> >>>> On Sat, Jul 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM, Nico Morrison<[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> > On an allied subject, is there a Facebook page or group representing >>>>> BBC >>>>> > Backstage? It's a good way to disseminate information, regardless of >>>>> what >>>>> > you think of FB. >>>>> > >>>>> >>>>> I don't like how much the BBC in general advertises and pushes Twitter >>>>> (a single commercial entity after all), but I really would have to >>>>> draw the line at Facebook, sorry :) >>>>> >>>>> Unlike Twitter (who provide an RSS feed), Facebook is completely >>>>> closed... if you don't have an account you don't have a peek. I would >>>>> be very disappointed in seeing any BBC data locked away inside >>>>> Facebook and only accessible to Facebook users. If the account is kept >>>>> in total sync with another more open means of communication then I >>>>> really have no issue with it at all. >>>>> >>>>> The Twitter issue is a matter for another day :) >>>>> >>>>> Matthew >>>>> - >>>>> Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, >>>>> please visit >>>>> http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. >>>>> Unofficial list archive: >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Brian Butterworth >>> >>> follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/briantist >>> web: http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and >>> switchover advice, since 2002 >>> >> >> > > > -- > > Brian Butterworth > > follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/briantist > web: http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover > advice, since 2002 >
