Open Source Newscloud

Current Features of NewsCloud's Facebook Application

You can check out a current list of our open source Facebook application's features here.

Seven Reasons to Download NewsCloud's Open Source Facebook Application Code

Since you're here, you already know about our cool little project ... perhaps you are already forking our project on github ... no, need a reason or seven?

Release 1.0 of NewsCloud Ruby on Rails Code is Available at github

We've release the final version of our 1.0 codebase for Ruby on Rails for our Facebook news community application. You can see an example running at The Charlotte Observer's Insight application.

You can fork or download the code at github - grab the Release I Final branch. This is an excellent opportunity for open source developers to try out the platform. We're giving away 5 $25 iTunes Gift Cards to the first five developers to install an application. Email us with details to claim yours.

Going forward, you can participate in our open discussions on the evolution of the platform at our TenderApp support site (thanks TenderApp for donating your service to open source projects like ours).

We'll be adding new features again - some exciting stuff will be coming soon. Stay tuned.

Thanks again to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for funding this project.

Wrapping up code on release 1.0 and upcoming changes

We're finishing up some final clean up items to the Release 1.0 Ruby on Rails codebase which runs the Observer's Insight application in Facebook. We expect to have this out in the next week or so. Stay tuned.

If you are one of the first five developers to install the codebase and get a Facebook application running, we'll send you a $25 iTunes gift card.

After this stabilization release, we'll again begin adding new features. Follow our discussions.

This release will likely be the last version with native FBML support. Facebook's iFrame application support has come a long way - it's pretty much equivalent now. So, to simplify new code and code maintenance as well as get away from the restrictions of Facebook's limited Javascript implementation FBJS, future releases will operate only in iFrame mode. Read these two blog posts for more information: Inside Facebook and CCheever on the iFrame vs. FBML issue.

$25 iTunes Gift Cards for Next Five Installs of Ruby on Rails Codebase

We're offering $25 iTunes gift cards to the next five developers who install our Ruby on Rails codebase milestone Release I stable.

Fork the code here: http://github.com/newscloud/n2/tree/release_1_stable

Ask questions and report problems here: http://support.newscloud.com/discussions/ruby-on-rails-codebase

When your site is live, send us your name, mailing address and URLs for verification to jeff at newscloud dot com.

First stable release of NewsCloud Facebook application based on Ruby on Rails

Release 1.0 stable is available at Github. Grab a fork! This is the same code running the Charlotte Observer Insight application on Facebook.

We're planning to post release 1.0 final with this feature set, but a bit more polished, around April 30th.

More later... 

First previews of Rails-based Facebook Application

Yesterday, the Charlotte Observer soft-launched its Facebook application, Insight, using our new Ruby on Rails codebase. Please try it out and post your feedback in our discussion forums.

Our Rails code also runs parallel on the Web with Facebook Connect. A hurried version of our Seattle prototype community site demonstrates this:

• The Needle on the Web with Facebook Connect 
• The Needle on Facebook as an Application

We expect to tag release 1.0 as stable by next week and then will be polishing and improving the release through April.

Our grant-funded development on the platform will continue for another year through April 2011 - so get involved in the open source community. Grab a fork!

Stay tuned: Our 1.0 preview release is coming soon

We expect to have our (Ruby on Rails) 1.0 preview release out by next week. Release 1.0 final is expected by the end of April. We'll have more updates soon - including a live site which you can explore the preview release on.

Roadmap of Features for Future Releases

Check out what we're considering for future releases to the NewsCloud Facebook application. 

http://support.newscloud.com/discussions/app-wish-list/25-release-2-3-4-feature-roadmap

We may not do most or all of these features, it depends on the feedback we get and the time and resources that we have available to us. 

What is most important to you? What would you like to work on?

Are you an open source developer who would like to work on one of these features? 

First Generic Photoshop Comps of NewsCloud Facebook Application Redesign

Eye Level has delivered the first graphical comps of our NewsCloud Facebook redesign. Be sure to look at the current wireframes and planned features for the first release. 

TenderApps.com provides free support systems for open source projects like ours so that we're able to easily provide transparent publication of our work and gather feedback from stakeholders in the discussion threads.