Facebook Ballroom Application

Hi Folks,

I've been busy creating the Facebook Ballroom Application. I'm pleased to announce the release of the app which currently allows for dancers to post profiles, search for partners and add a crush list.

The application can be found here, http://ballroom.mit.edu/BallroomConnection/. To add the application to your profile, click "log in", then "add application", then "add application" again. Accept the terms and features.

I will write more in terms of a user manual and details. In the meantime, here is my post on dance-forums:

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Hi Everyone,

We're trying a new upgrade of the MIT partnersearch by integrating it with facebook. It will be part of a suite of ballroom applications called "Ballroom Connection", or simply the Ballroom application on Facebook. At the moment, it allows for dancers to post their profiles, post if they are available for partnerships, search for partnerships, and list private crushes on dancers who they wish to dance with. When a crush lists them back for the same style and purpose, the system will secretly notify both parties of the match.

Other features in the suite which are planned in the next upgrade is a classified ad for costumes, and a competition calendar and results tracking(and predictions :] ).

The application is here http://ballroom.mit.edu/BallroomConnection/ . Without facebook, you can only view limited information since Facebook has strict privacy rules. To add the application, click on "Log in", then "Add application", then "add application" (again). Accept all the terms. Then the Ballroom Application will appear on the left hand bar. You may need to click the small arrow to see more of the left hand menu.

We hope the facebook integration will not only make it easier for users to post entries, but also to create a community of dancers on facebook.

Please try it out, and hope you have fun.

Update

Hi Folks,

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been busy programming a new upgrade for the partner search. As a preview, all I can say is that it will be easier to use by integrating into existing networks, and it will be a different approach to partner search than traditional sites(eg. ballroomdancers.com). Depending on how long the project takes(I'm opting for an earlier release than a later release), it may include other features like costumes and classified ads, and competition results/registration. But if I can't these out in time, then they will be saved for future versions.

Can't say more right now nor when it will be available, but I'm working on it as fast as I can.


TP

Dance-Forum Google Gadget

I've been playing around with Google Gadgets which allow you to make things for iGoogle(the google personalized homepage, http://www.igoogle.com ) and Google Desktop. Basically, since I read dance-forums.com so often, I decided to add it to the iGoogle.

I wrote a quick and dirty gadget which is still testing, but feel free to check it out.

From iGoogle, click "add stuff" on the upper right corner. Then select "add url" by the search menu, and type "http://tunapee.googlepages.com/Dance-Forum.xml", and voila! you have a dance-forum gadget!

Here's what it looks like:


There's a few features which I haven't had time to add in yet:
- show recent posts like from the website
- simplify the layout


Also, other possible gadget ideas include:
- Dancesportinfo.net results page
- dancesport's news and general page

other ideas?