The Citroën DS 20 was not only a very popular car but also a very elegant and advanced car.
Many modern conveniences such as air shocks, hydraulics, directional headlights, and many other refinements that are commonplace today but were very odd, quirky, eccentric, and bizarre back in the day. What an amazing example of this proto-luxury French auto.
10:00 a.m.: The pre-pre-show begins with videos and music on a jumbotron
Noon: The pre-show starts with a performance from The Roots.
12:40: A comedian (to be determined) warms up the audience.
12:57: A video countdown with a show introduction.
1:00: The show kicks off with the national anthem by a musical guest (to be announced).
1:05: Jon Stewart welcomes the crowd
1:20: Mr. Colbert enters, and two actors – Don Novello and Sam Waterston – perform readings.
1:40: Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples perform for 10 minutes, followed by Stewart and Colbert until 2 p.m.
2:15: Sheryl Crow performs for five minutes, followed by speakers and guests (to be determined).
2:30: Musical guests (also still being lined up) come on.
2:40: The show turns to a pre-taped sequence – The Sanity and Fear Awards.
I hope to see you at Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity and Stephen Colbert‘s March to Keep Fear Alive taking place today, 30 October, 2010, on the National Mall in Washington, DC!
Facebook, Friendster and Myspace are the common examples of social communities on the internet. They allow their users to communicate with each other across the globe. Some people would like to run customized versions of these sites, so they can answer every single need of their users. Below are some open source social networking systems that let you create your own social society:
1.ELGG
Elgg is an open source social networking software which provides its users the features needed to create an online social environment. In 2008 Elgg won the best open source social networking platform, this proves that it is highly usable.
It offers array of services and features.Some of the highlighted features of Elgg are as follows:
Powerful Data ModelElgg provides a powerful data model making the creation of different entities simple, yet flexible.
Activity Streams
The granular activity stream API ensures your plugins can push the required content to your users.
Plugin API
Use Elgg’s powerful plugin API to build and add your required features.
User Management
Elgg handles your user management and relationship requirements.
Access controls
All objects in Elgg can have an access control level applied making granular access permissions possible.
Web Services API
Expose functionality through the REST API by building a plugin and then either publish the API for other developers to build clients or provide your own.
Elgg requires a web server (usually APACHE), the PHP scripting language, and a MYSQL database. It is advised to use the following versions:
- MySQL 5 or greater
- PHP 5.2 or greater with the following extensions:
- GD (for graphics processing: user and group profile icons plus many plugins)
- Multibyte String support (for internationalisation)
Web server with support for URL rewritingWords from the Users
“Elgg social networking software has won my heart. I’m going to tell you why. I have been looking for a good social networking software that was not only decent but free. Elgg unlike alot of other software I was looking at offers it’s software absolutely free. IT may not have all the features that most social networking software offers but it is worth checking out.”
~Crista Lowy
2.Mahara
Mahara is an open source e-portfolio and a social networking system with a flexible display framework. It provides users with tools to create and maintain a digital portfolio of their learning, and social networking features to allow users to interact with each other. It also provides users a tool used to customize the way other people see the contents of your account called View Creator.
Features of Mahara
Aside from having a view creator Mahara offers the following features:File Repository
Mahara includes a file repository which allows users to upload multiple files and create Folders and sub-folders to manage the files.
Blogs
A comprehensive blogging tool is provided in Mahara, where blogs and blog postings are considered Artefacts and may be added to a View. Blogging is easy for it supports WYSIWYG editor.
Resume Builder
Mahara includes a resumé builder which allows users to create digital CV’s by entering information into a variety of optional fields.
Interface with Moodle
Mahara provides a single-sign on capability that allows users, at the option of the administrator, to be automatically logged in to both their Mahara and Moodle accounts by providing a username and password at only one of these sites.
Mahara operates with the following requirements:
Hardware
- CPU: any modern CPU produced in the last few years is fine, the faster the better naturally. PHP pages are CPU limited, so faster CPUs mean quicker response times.
- Memory: 256MB at an absolute minimum. 1G or more is recommended.
- Disk: This will depend largely on how much disk quota you want each user to have. For a site of 1000 users, each with a 250M quota, you might need 50G to start with.
Software
- Linux – any distribution should be fine, Debian or Ubuntu are recommended as they’re most regularly tested on, and even have debian packages.
- PHP – 5.1.3 or greater. You’ll need these PHP extensions also.
PostgreSQL – 8.1+ (recommended), or MySQL 5.0.25+ with InnoDB table support.- Apache – 1.3 or higher, version 2 or higher recommended
Words from the Users
“This mahara ting issss killllinnnnggg it … Fulllly .” ~ kphizzle20 (Twitter)
“@donpresant I like the way you combine Moodle and Mahara elements to get the best of the 2 systems” ~ networking_lady (Tweetdeck)
Social engine is a social networking software powered by PHP and ZEND which allows user to create their own social network or online community. Main features include administration of small-to-mid scale social networks, complete customization abilities, unencrypted code, multilingual capability, and modular plugin/widget compatibility. It also supports messaging system, photo albums, video gallery and other file managing tools.
Social Engine Features
Some of the features of Social Engine offers users 100% control over their networks.Drag-and-drop Site Designer
You can completely rearrange most areas of the site without having to write any code. You can place the widgets and plugins to columns you wanted to make(1-3).
Multi-part profiles
Profiles contain multiple content sections which show profile information along with a member’s photos, blog entries, comments, groups, friends, statistics, and other items you decide to enable.
Profile types
You can create profile accounts other than “member”, you can be a Musician and you will have to provide information about your craft for other people to see.
Plugin Manager
You can use plugins provided by third-party and still see available updates for the plugins.
Basic Requirements
Minimum
- PHP 5.12 or newer
- PHP extensions: gd2, curl
- Safe mode must be OFF
- Memory limit: 32M+
- Sendmail
- MySQL 4.1 or newer
- InnoDB table support
- Apache-based shared web hosting
Recommended
- Php 5.26 or newer
- MySQL 4.1 or newer
- Apache-based VPS or dedicated web server
- crontab
- mod_rewrite (for SEO-friendly URLs)
- memcached (speed boost)
Words from the users
SocialEngine has enabled us to bring our business to life. We highly recommend SocialEngine to anyone who wants to start their own online community.
~ Max Ryerson
Just a note of thanks for such a wonderful platform. It has been a pleasure to work with your product. I wish all software developers approached their products like you do. And on top of that your support has been exceptional.
~ Brent MacKinnon
4. LOVDbyLess
Built using Ruby on Rails, is an open source social networking system that allows user to blog, upload photos with captions, site-search for friends and support messaging between users. It also offers Flickr and Youtube integration.
Almost all the things needed to maintain a social network is offered by LOVD just like the others but for someone who prefers using Ruby instead of PHP this is one good alternative.These are the current features of LOVDbyLess:
- Follow a user, mutual following is friending.
- User-to-User Messaging
- Profile Comments
- User Blogs with Comments
- Photo Gallery with Captions
- Site Search for Friends
- Profile Bio and Information
- User Dashboard (Recent Activity of Friends)
- Emailed Activity
- Flickr Integration
- YouTube Integration
The main requirements of LOVDbyLess are Ruby and MySql only.
Is an open source content management system written in PHP that was originally a portal system but developed to be a web application platform. XOOPS is acronym for eXtensible object oriented Portal System. It allows user to start from a personal weblog to a social networking site.
Yogurt is the particular module that allows you to transform your blog made in XOOPS to a social networking site.Features of XOOPS
Database Driven
it uses MySql to store data into the content management system.
Personalization
Users can customize the site by choosing skins or themes and uploads of customized avatars.
Fully Modularized
Modules can be installed/uninstalled/activated/deactivated with a click using the XOOPS module administration system. There are hundreds of modules available for download.
Software Requirements
- A web (www) server (Apache, IIS, Roxen, etc)
- PHP Version 4.1.0 or higher for XOOPS 2.0.x
- PHP version 4.2.0 or higher for XOOPS 2.2.x
- MySQL Database 3.23.XX or 4.X.XX
There are no specific hardware requirements to run XOOPS but people have XOOPS running successfully through the following platforms:
- Windows 98, 98SE, 98ME
- Windows 2003 Standard
- Windows 2003 Enterprise
- Windows 2000
- Windows XP
- Windows NT
- Linux
- Mac OS X
Words from Users
“Top CMS for ease of use. Great as a base for developers, base system code easy to follow. “
~(sourceforge.net)
6.Insoshi
Insoshi is an open source social networking platform written in Ruby on Rails, it is developed by Michael Hartl the author of RailsSpace. It allows users to share photos, comment on walls, blog and other things just as like the other social networking system provide.
The current available version of Insoshi offers the following key features:
- Activity feed
- Personal profiles with photo upload and comment walls
- Internal messaging system with read/replied/trashed messages
- Contacts list
- Blogs with comments
- Discussion forum
- Search for profiles, forums, and blogs
- Admin panel with site preferences
- Option for email verification and activity notifications
Using Insoshi requires:
- FreeImage
- SQLite
- MySQL
- Ruby on Rails
7.Dolphin
Dolphin Smart Community Builder is an open source software that lets user to create any kind of social network with many easy to use features. Written in PHP, Dolphin allows user to use Flash and mobile applications and giving the the user full control of them.
Some key features of dolphin are as follows:
Video player and Recorder
Allows its members to record videos and share them with others.
Music Player, White board, Shoutbox and Desktop Apps
Provides members full blown music streaming, interactive white boards and shoutboxes.
Video Chat
It allows members to communicate well using the built in video chat.
Dolphin Requirements
- Linux/Unix (Red Hat, Debian, FreeBSD, Mandrake, etc.) or Windows OS
- Apache Web Server ver. 1.3 or higher.
- PHP 5.2.0 or higher.
- register_globals must be Off
safe_mode must be Off
exec() (executable files) must be allowed
allow_url_fopen should be On
allow_url_include should be Off
open_basedir should not have any value memory_limit should be 128M or higher- mbstring, gd and xslt extensions must be installed.
- MySQL 4.1.2 and higher.
- The magic_quotes_gpc option must be disabled for Dolphin 7.x, but enabled for Dolphin 6.x.
- If security module is installed (such as mod_security for Apache), it should be able to be configured for specific folders (or disabled).
- Direct connection to boonex.com should be able to be established (i.e. connection without requiring proxy authorisation). This is required for license verification.
- GD library compiled with FreeType fonts (for photo processing) or ImageMagick as an alternative.
- Sendmail or Postfix programs for sending emails.
- Ability to create Cron Jobs.
- You should be able to run executable files (you would need it for ffmpeg.exe, which converts videos).
Words from the Users
“In the past, I’ve tried and worked with several social Web app projects. When I saw what Boonex was doing, it took me only a few hours to realize that I had found the foundation framework, not only for my own work but also for my clients. Think about it – Dolphin is killer combination, and it’s all automatic baby! It is awesome. But most of all, I think BoonEx products are so far ahead of the ones I’ve tried. To date, there is nothing that I’ve seen that comes close to what BoonEx has done.”
~ James Tadeo
8.MIXXT
Mixxt is an open source social networking system that lets user create a social network like facebook fast and made easy. It is a free alternative to NING. Mixxt allows you to customize your layouts, share media and files, event management and forum discussions.
Mixxt offers user quality features.
Community Management Features
- Customizable welcome emails.
- Activity feeds
- Decide who can access your network.
Collaboration
- Wikis, photo albums, file sharing
Advanced Customization
- Customize your design using layout manager
- Customize pages using CSS
Words from Users
“Those looking 2 manage a decent Facebook style site, try @mixxt. So far I’m loving it. Add files, links, have great control #sschat”
~UkiacoachBrown (Twitter)
“@bethcagnol @lydbury I recommend mixxt.eu as a free alternative to ning”
~adhockley (Mixxt.com)
9.AROUNDMe
Aroundme creates collaborative social sites rather than making a social networking site itself. It allows the group to create web pages and gives access to forums, wikis, guestbooks and blogs. It is customizable using XHTML, CSS, JAVA and PHP.
The main feature of AroundMe is to show the user his surrounding. It gives full list of establishments and businesses in the category selected.
AROUNDMe requires a web server running either Apache 1.3/2.x or IIS5/IIS6 with PHP5.x installed including Curl, BCMath and GD library with MySQL 4.1 or MySQL 5.0 database.
AROUNDMe uses a domain name / sub domain as your group. You need to own or have access to a domain name to install this product.Words from the Users
“ AroundMe is simple to use and produces results fast. It’s a serviceable finder app, though it doesn’t do anything particularly ground-breaking. Since other apps offering more specialized searches can clutter up your home screen, AroundMe can consolidate those searches into a single free app.”
~Daniel P. Sama
Last Saturday I drove up to Columbia Hights in upper Northwest Washington, DC, to visit the pride of my buddies Oliver Uberti and Minh Le, co-Creative Directors and volunteers of 826 National‘s newest child: 826DC. What is 826?
826DC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our services are structured around our understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.
And now there is on in DC. I remember a few years ago when Ollie and I registered 826dc.org because we both love Dave Eggers and Ollie had the idea that maybe if he set up a booby trap, someone would reach out to him asking for it back and he would know when it was time — and it worked!
Here’s my version of a walk-through based on the live tweeting I did last Saturday afternoon! Here’s the announcement from the 826DC website:
On Saturday, 826DC’s Museum of Unnatural History flung open its doors for our kick-off community event, where packs of visitors received docent- and self-guided tours of the museum’s exhibits–such as our Instant Scientific Theory Generator, Alternative Species Assembly Kiosk, and the museum’s long anticipated “boar wing.” But the tours also took visitors behind the velvet rope to our tutoring lab, where we held free poetry, ‘zine making, and cartooning workshops for eager young unnaturalists.
And here’s the walk through — enjoy!
Tweet: Here at 826DC’s open house! Come over! 3233 14th St, NW! Amazing! http://yfrog.com/5y3d5nj
I know for a fact that Ollie made that crazy unnatural skeleton in his apartment using pieces and parts he was able to source from friends of 826 and friends of Oliver’s
Tweet: Some of the amazing unnatural products awaiting you at 826 DC here at 3233 14th St, NW, in DC. Open! http://yfrog.com/j1hezgj
Tweet: I am unsure as to whether to feel threatened or delighted by the 826DC museum of unnatural history. http://yfrog.com/jdthmj
Tweet: Important unnatural proof of the history of the unnatural: a journal! #826dc http://yfrog.com/emnzwxj
Tweet: Our unnatural history awaits us at 826DC up here in Columbia Heights. http://yfrog.com/n9x4huj
Tweet: Always wanted to become an unnaturalist? Rush to 3233 14th, NW, and buy some cool gear! #826dc http://yfrog.com/5xglnvj
I love the field journals that are actually TP and the “Cambell’s” Primordial Soup!
Tweet: Stock up on Informaldehyde at the 826dc unnaturalist store! 3233 14th St, NW, Columbia Heights, DC http://yfrog.com/af8flmj
Tweet: Get outfitted for unnatural expeditions at 826dc’s Unnatural History store! Open house today! http://yfrog.com/777xfj
I might start taking an overdose of Gills because I really would love to stay underwater forever while I am freediving!
I am fascinated by this crazy thing that Ollie built. I am also pretty sure that Andrew Curry and Minh Le also took part in some pretty cool “monster mashing” parties.
Tweet: Hanging here with Oliver Uberti and Minh Lê at this most amazing and fantastical place you could imagine. For adults but especially for kids
Tweet: Beware of even the plants at the unnatural history museum at 826dc in DC’s Columbia Heights! http://yfrog.com/4jtagvj
I aspire to become part of the Unnaturalist Society!
I bought myself a $15 tote bag — and my money goes straight to help support the tutoring center.
See, this is actually a double-secret free tutoring center for kids — please don’t tell the landlord because the retail place is apparently only licensed for a retail space — the store out front — the whole Unnnatural History Museum is a complete distraction from Mr. Taxman!
I was a little afraid to use the loo, that’s for sure.
Nobody every actually told me who this fellow is.
I tried speaking to this little robot but he just spit at me!
I don’t trust this guy at all. He’s sort of a garish dresser. And awkward in heels.
The main tutoring center. What a generous, huge, and pleasant place!
Couches for very deep thinking! For very deep thoughts.
Some sightings of the unnatural world.
Tweet: 826DC is not only an unnaturalist’s paradise but a free tutoring center for city kids! 3233 14th NW http://yfrog.com/e6iticj
Tweet: Here at the open house of 826DC with Oliver Uberti and Mihn Lê. So much more amazing and fantastical than I could have ever imagined!
The pleasant and attractive money-grabbers, volunteers, and officiants of the material world at the front of the center. Doing a scarily good job at hiding and protecting the tutoring center in the back (shhhhh!)
The front of the store with the lovely and appealing things that are for sale to us all!
Aimee, Minh, and Effie just chilling and enjoying the day together at this amazing and beautiful tribute to learning and teaching.
Mr. and Mrs. Le!
More cool stuff to buy. Yes, admit it! All those scary dinosaurs were just very big ducks!
Oliver Uberti showing everyone around the 826DC Museum of Unnatural History on Open House Day!
I have been using Alterian’s SM2 since it was just out of beta and was owned by Techrigy and am always amazed as it is perfect for what we do at my social media PR agency, Abraham Harrison.
What we do the most is social media forensics, meaning we design and execute blogger outreach and social media campaigns over 6-week increments and then, at the end of the campaign, we collect data.
Since SM2 has been collecting all social media and blog content since mid-2007, there is a lot of power in being able to report on discussion, buzz, conversation, coverage, and mentions that were a direct result of our campaigns and then be able to compare our effect with the volume and quality of mentions before the campaign. I call it forensics but I guess you can call it historical reporting as well.
In the past, before SM2, we would have to monitor for 6-8 weeks before launch, then do a initial online audit to take a snapshot of the social media terrain before our campaign and then monitor the campaign and then do a final report.
Now, we don’t have to be wed to the now, now, now but can, rather, do all the reporting to-order, which makes reporting cheaper both in human resources and in cost to the client. Amazing. Via Marketing Conversation.
I have been using Alterian’s SM2 since it was just out of beta and was owned by Techrigy and am always amazed as it is perfect for what we do at my social media PR agency, Abraham Harrison.
What we do the most is social media forensics, meaning we design and execute blogger outreach and social media campaigns over 6-week increments and then, at the end of the campaign, we collect data.
Since SM2 has been collecting all social media and blog content since mid-2007, there is a lot of power in being able to report on discussion, buzz, conversation, coverage, and mentions that were a direct result of our campaigns and then be able to compare our effect with the volume and quality of mentions before the campaign. I call it forensics but I guess you can call it historical reporting as well.
In the past, before SM2, we would have to monitor for 6-8 weeks before launch, then do a initial online audit to take a snapshot of the social media terrain before our campaign and then monitor the campaign and then do a final report.
Now, we don’t have to be wed to the now, now, now but can, rather, do all the reporting to-order, which makes reporting cheaper both in human resources and in cost to the client. Amazing.
I just wanted to let you all know that I will be speaking at the upcoming Mesh Marketing conference in Toronto, Canada, on 17 November.
I have a discount code for you use use when you sign up: MESH10off ** – I am very excited as I don’t do a lot of these and because I have never been to Toronto before. Those were the first two reasons but now that I know more about meshMarketing, I am just honored to be part of it all!
Don Sceifers asked how big the keyboard of the Apple MacBook Air 11-inch is. I have pretty big hands and here is a size comparison with the 11″ MacBook Air to my big mitts and my chunky Seiko diver.
