Scott Million

After seeing software like Twitter Hummingbird, Peter's Loophole, etc., I have about a million different ideas for Browser Based Apps I'd like to develop either myself or to outsource.

Maybe someone could tell me the languages used for those two apps to start off with or what language you would recommend if you were going to create a lot of browser based applications?

I'd actually like to have developed (or develop myself) an application that records what you do and then can go through and do that task indefinitely.

For example, if I created an account for a blog on Google Blogger and Wordpress.com and "recorded" the process of posting a new blog post, I could then type in a spinnable article and post to all the sites that I've "recorded" in my database.

This wouldn't be limited to just blogs, but anywhere that content can be posted (like article directories, forums, etc.)

If the sites updated their algorithms, I would simple rerecord...

Any tips?

Mike Anthony

For applications that actually run in the browser it would be Flex or Silverlight but I am not sure that is what you meant. Applications that run on servers and return results to a browser might be what you are looking for and then it would be PHP or .net that would be the two most popular choices.

Bruce Hearder

PHP is the best for server based, browser apps..

Bruce

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Scott Million

Thanks guys, I think what I meant by browser based was the fact that both Hummingbird and Peter's loophole use an internet browser to do the activities... I think it's built into their software or uses IE...?

Their softwares are clients (run on your computer), but they open up a browser to do their activities... would PHP still be ideal for this?

crispin

You can sort of load IE into your program and control it from there.

I would think the language you would use for this would be a .net language ideally.
C# C++ etc.

Some of the automation programs using IE certainly need .net loaded to run anyway

Crispin

ps you can also use macros, but you don't get quite the level of control.

Scott Million

Thanks, this sounds like what I need to investigate . I think I might also look into having its own basic browser created in the software since IE takes up so much memory (and for some reason my Norton 360 interferes a lot with IE)

mgkimsal

Just to add a bit more to this...

crispin is pointing you in the right direction. A .net-based approach would probably be the best. You'll be writing 'client-side software' - something that people download and install - that can connect to the internet (embedding an IE browser in the app, for example).

A couple of drawbacks here is that the app will only run on Windows computers. Obviously they're a large majority, but you'll be losing out on Mac/Linux users.

One alternative would be learning Flex - this is basically Flash. This will run inside a browser, and would works across pretty much any modern system out there - Mac/Linux/Windows.

Another alternative would be using JavaScript in the browser. Some of your application logic would be sitting in the browser for others to read, so if the app is 'top secret' in terms of the code, this might not work.

If you're interested in getting access to Windows development tools, go to websitespark dot com. This is a new MS program that offers most of their development tools (not just for web stuff) for free for up to three years. If it asks for a referral code, I'd appreciate it if you'd PM me and I'll send you one. It's not an affiliate program in the monetary sense, but they're tracking who refers who anyway. I can't just give one link, because you have to generate a code for each party - one time use codes. Very awkward. I think you can register without a referral code.

Good luck!

TrafficMystic

Hi Scott,

They use microsoft .net as the programming languages.. hummingbird using c# and would presume peters app is using the same..

I used the same for my current WSO as well..

On your wordpress stuff, I've also looked into this and you can do this pretty easily from .net. I created a test project that automatically logs directly into wordpress blogs and post articles without any interaction.. So it isnt hard to do...

Another way though is to enable the XML RPC in the blog and post that way through .net direct using xml.

regards

Steve

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Scott Million

Thanks for the added info guys, I really appreciate it.

Going to the library for C # and .net right now. I found a couple beginners and advanced guides.

Hope it's as fun as PHP was

TrafficMystic

Scott.. You can also download all the visual studio 2008 express edition IDE's as well for free from microsoft...

If you need any book recommending I have 2-3 I would seriously recommend, they are excellent and cover everything you need..

PM if you want the book details.. they are by wrox press..

regards

Steve

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amerigo

Perl or Ruby would be my choices.

note, Ruby, not Ruby on Rails.

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VisualWebEffects

it depends on what exactly your trying to achieve and the OS on which the web server runs.

If it is a Windows server yes, you can use PHP in most cases, but ASP.NET would be the best choice here as i find PHP does not perform well on Windows server for whatever reason. be it server load, or just how the admins have the PHP interops configured.

If it is any other server OS, PHP would be the best choice.

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PyrogenicMedia

Its amazing how many people never read the question and just get posting.

For what your looking for, C# is easiest. I know what you mean by "automating" the browser window. In C# you can do it straight through the webbrowser control, or through the old MSHtml library (I do it through mshtml). For the most part its actually almost the same as how you would automate it through javascript.

Above all though, the ideal method is not trying through the webbrowser control, it is through things like webrequests.

Mike Anthony

Just to clear up some confusion I see in this thread. An application that returns data to the browser but that actually runs on the server is NOT an application that runs in the browser.

PHP does NOT run in the browser. It is server based, In other words you need a web server to run the application and the browser shows the results. C# will run on its own and in the browser through say Silverlight and Flex will run in a flash enhanced browser on its own.

So if you want a piece of software that runs in a browser (and all of these technologies run outside of opening a browser as well) that can be distributed then you can forget PHP no matter how many PHp only fans tell you otherwise.

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garyk1968

Scott,

If as a starting point for recording repetitve tasks within the browser you could look at imacros which is a firefox add-on which will do what you need. As Steve suggested above you can automate posting to one or more wordpress blogs using xml-rpc, its not that difficult, you just need to make sure you have it turned on in your blog as I think its off by default.

As others have suggested your next step is to harness the IE control from your own app which being an M$ technology is probably easiest in a .net language, be it c# or vb.

Gary

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