Browsing the archives for the Tech category.
Because the ICS Tribal App is designed for ICS students only, there are several security measures taken to make sure that only ICS students/faculty join. We wouldn’t want to ask you for a personal email and stuff, so the best way for us to check is through Facebook’s built in network system. Which means, you’ll need to be in the International Christian School network to access to the App.
Click here to join in the App
There is a network setup on Facebook, but not very well known – only 81 people are on it. The rest are either in their previous school (I see a lot of AIS), Hong Kong, or are having trouble to join any networks. Follow this tutorial, and I’ll get you into the app shortly.
If you are not in the network, you’ll most likely see a message like this when you access to the app:
Some people might be able to resolve the issue through Network Settings in Facebook without any hassle, but others find it troublesome to change network. In that case, you’ll need to double-check the following settings:
Are you in any colleges/high schools currently?
- Click on “Profile” on top right corner
- Under “Education and Work”, click on “Edit”
- Remove your colleges records
- Update your highschool record to be “International Christian School (Kowloon City, Hong Kong)”, and set the year to be the year you’re graduating. (For 09-10 school year, Seniors = 2010, Juniors = 2011, Sophomores = 2012, Freshmen = 2013)
- Save your settings
Check your Birthday
This is quite important, as somebody over 18 obviously can’t be in a high school network. If you don’t have it set, or set as something over 18 years old, you’ll need to contact Facebook to change it for you. Or, if you really are over 18 and are still in this school, you’ll need to contact Facebook as well.
Join the Network again
After the steps above are done, try to edit your network settings again. You should be able to see International Christian School in the Edit Network Settings screen.
If you don’t see it, please contact Peter Zhang at p@peetahzee.com.
I’ve realized the ICS Tribes App looks much more confusing than it is. I thought writing something about it explaining fully how the whole system is would be nice, so here it is 
When I designed the app, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I can make use of the already-awesome Facebook systems. That way, I don’t have to spend a lot of time on programming a nice interface myself, nor do I have to worry about the right security stuff – Facebook can take care them for me!
Showcase with Pages
After thinking a while, here’s what I decided: Facebook Pages! Each Tribe has its own Facebook Page, and that is where the tribes”showcase” their class. Through them, tribes can easily upload pictures and tell everybody about it through the fans system. Pages are where tribes basically showcase their work, and most likely where all the tribal points will be coming from (posting good pics, reflective stories, etc.)
While that is solved, another issue popped up: I need to somehow connect the pages together. And this is where the Page Tabs come in. With the “ICS” Tabs on each page, you can access the information about a tribe quickly, such as points and members, as well as links to other tribes too.
“Internal Communication” via App
In addition, there is also a separate part from the pages system, and it is the app itself. If you launch the app from Facebook menus, you’ll be able to see something like an announcement system. Although the whole system is still in progress, the part with advisory announcements is done. Advisories and Mr. Chan can easily setup advisory meeting times. And yes, that means no more posting “any advisory tomorrow” messages on Facebook. =)
Always Looking for Suggestions
So now, please do me a favor and start using the Facebook App! We’ll be running a few contests soon, but it’s never too late to start. =D
I’m always looking for suggestions. If you have ideas (be reasonable, please) that you think can help the ICS App Experience, please do tell me! Either by Facebook wall post, or commenting on this post.
After developing ICS Tribes, I find that it’s actually quite fun to make a Facebook App and share it with friends. It spread so fast it’s not even funny, which makes me wonder again at the awesomeness of Web 2.0 and Social Networks. I started thinking, how can I take advantage with it? I mean, from the way I vision it, there are a huge user base for Facebook already, and all I need is some really slight advertising, and the app will automatically grow rocket high.
But there is a problem as well. With that many apps already made on Facebook, I have to make mine really stand out and make the users really like it and find it useful. But how exactly do I do that?
Social Vocab
Let’s see… apparently people like apps to interact with their friends and stuff (look at Social Interview)… but I want to make something more than Social Interview; being a copy cat never works. I was studying Vocab for my SAT when I thought of that, and an idea immediately popped out – Social Vocab!
It’s still a very rough idea, but I think it definitely has potential. Basically, this app will allow the user to go through the friendlist and assign SAT vocabs on them. Let’s say, the app will pick a random person from the friend list, let’s say, Peter Zhang, and the user replies that Peter Zhang is scintillating (out of 5 vocabs optoins). During the process of assigning vocab, the user actually unnoticeably learned the word by associating the word with the object. Now, because of that, supposedly the user will think of Peter Zhang when they see the word “scintillating”, and remember its meaning as being “brilliant”.
Of course, there will be other tools to help the user memorize as well, such as flash cards, quizzes and maybe games; but the main point of the app really is about the paragraph above. The reason I think it will be successful is because, this app can easily spread by posting on other people’s walls (“You’ve been described as ‘scintillating!’”); more users will join, and eventually, I’ll be rich.
That’s So True!
Quite opposite to the idea above, this idea came from being annoyed by “Person A joined This Group and 7 million other groups” messages. I really hate it when people join these groups just because they think the name is true. By having a large group, group creators can now earn from putting ads in their group, and I simply think that’s not fair. Plus, you’re most likely going to be spammed for joining groups. Groups were not made to be used this way!
Therefore, in an attempt to bring back the clean Facebook without the joining group messages (yes, I do know I can filter it out), I came up with the idea for “That’s So True!” App. Basically, in this app, the user can find phrases where they think it’s true, and join it. That way, people can discover the trends of what people think safely. No spams; no duplicates; no unfair advantages for anybody else. Also, people are going to find the “truth” so much easier, too.
What do you think?
I don’t really have time to develop these ideas just yet, but I will. Someday. What do you think about these apps? Will you use it? Why or Why not?
First, let me welcome you to the amazing app of ICS Tribes. Through this app, you can communicate with your friends and schoolmates much easier than ever.
Registering is extremely simple, just fill out your advisory and your tribe roll, and then click on Submit. I mean, how hard can THAT be?
Now, If you are the first one to register in your tribe, you’ll be prompted to create a page for your tribe. In that case, you’ll need a little bit more instructions.
1. Click on this link, you’ll be led to a Facebook page where you can create a Facebook Page. (Wait, did that make sense?)
2. Fill out the info as follows:
NOTICE: The name of Page has to be in this format: ICS*space**tribe*. If you do not name your page that way, the app won’t be able to recognize you. So, if your tribe is 9G2, enter ICS 9G2.
3. Click “Create Page”
4. You can mess with the Page’s settings later, but right now, let me get the app to recognize you first. Go to this page IN A NEW WINDOW: http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=182521498415, DO NOT close the Page you just created yet.
5. Click on “Add to My Page”
.
6. Choose the page you just created
7. Go back to the Page, and click on “Edit Page”
8. Scroll down until you find ICS Tribes, click on “Edit”
9. Enter in your Tribe name. Click submit.
10. Go back to your page, and click on “+” on the tabs.
11. Choose ICS from the list, and… you’re done!
11. LAST STEP. Invite all your other friends to use the ICS Tribes. When they’re done, invite all of them to be admins of the Page so that they can publish things on the Page’s wall. More wall stories = more points = more prizes!
Happy ICS-Tribes-App-ing!
For the past three weeks, I’ve been busy working on an online trading platform for ICS students. It’s a MAD Project for me and 6 other friends and is led by Ryan Ho. Allow me to introduce… Vitaku! (If you are thinking why such a weird name, blame Danchu).
Anyway, I just thought showing off a little bit would be cool, so here we go. The site won’t be officially launched until another week, but yup.
Interface
This is the homepage. Nothing much is on there other than some quick links and tutorials, and we thought leaving it this way is sexy.
The “buy” page is really the “main” page of Vitaku – this is where you basically find stuff to buy. There is a huge “featured” box there that we promote whatever we feel like worth promoting (such as a really good seller). There’s also a list of categories at the bottom, so yup. If all else fails, try search for the stuff you want, and I’m sure you’ll find it.
The “sell” page is, obviously, where you sell your stuff. There are options to upload a picture, provide detailed descriptions (with images and stuff, just like you woudl on eBay), and of course, to set your price.
Last but not least, the “My Vitaku” page – it shows you your stats, current transactions (things that you pretty much want to deal with as soon as possible), and stuff that you sell. Later on, based on suggestions and what not, we’re going to add even more personalized stuff to it.
Transactions
The way that transactions work on Vitaku is actually pretty straight forward. When a buyer is interested in buying a thing that the seller has posted, he’ll click the “buy now” button, and be redirected to a page where he can suggest how the trade should be made.
The buyer and the seller can go back and forth on these details, and when both are happy with it (the person that didn’t make the last edit approves), they’ll trade, and come back to “complete” the transaction.
Then, each of them are going to have an option to rate the other person. This will help the other users of Vitaku a lot when the make decisions on who to buy from.
Last Words
I know you are just as excited as the team to use it. Be patient! When the site’s ready, we’ll be sure to let you know
UPDATE: The contest will be automatically cancelled if there are less than 15 entries by October 10 (when the contest closes).
That’s right. I am actually going to get a souvenir in San Francisco, and just give it to the person whom guessed the laptop right.
So I’ve won a ThinkQuest Website Competition back in June, and as a result, I get to go to California in October 10 (6 days away as of date of posting) and get a laptop worth of $1500. Just to make myself even more excited, I want to host a mini contest here.
This contest will run until October 10. I won’t know the answer to this question until around October 13th, but I will release the answer (and pics!) right away when I get it.
Here are some hints:
- The laptop’s approximate value is US$1500 (you might want to calculate tax in it as well…)
- HP and Dell are major sponsors of the event (that probably won’t mean I’ll definitely get HP or Dell)
- They might not have bought the laptop on the day that they give it to me…
- It’s probably not a customized model (which means fixed specs), so on websites like HP’s and Dell’s, I suggest you look for Quickship models
Comment on this post with your answer, probably with exact brand/model/specs by October 10. Here’s how I will determine who’s the closest (example values):
- EXACT: Apple Macbook Pro 13’’ 2.53GHz
- CLOSE: Apple Macbook Pro 13’’ 2.26GHz
- 2nd CLOSE: Apple Macbook Pro 13’’
- 3rd CLOSE: Apple Macbook Pro 15’’ (whatever specs)
- 4th CLOSE: Apple Macbook Air
- 5th CLOSE: Whatever laptop with with 2.53GHz CPU, 4GB RAM, 250GB Harddrive
Each person is only allowed to enter this contest once. If I catch anybody cheating, you will be disqualified.
The value of the prize will not be less than US$3. Only ONE person with the closest/exact answer wins. In the case of tie, I’ll use a random generator to determine the winner. I will most likely just hand you the prize in person if you are in Hong Kong or Shanghai (you’ll probably have to wait until December for Shanghai people), or via paypal for other people in the world (Paypal not applicable for real life friends in Hong Kong or Shanghai)
Feel free to visit the website that I won!
Sorry for downtime of the blog for the past week. I actually didn’t notice it until Thursday. So what happened?
I was on an extremely cheap host. I got a deal for US$50/yr on WebHostingPad for a hosting plan that has unlimited space and bandwidth earlier last year. Turns out, not only are their services super bad (once I wrote an essay on how I want a feature to be enabled, and it is not a super ridiculous request either. It’s like standard on all servers. But then, all they replied was “Sorry, there is a security problem involved.”), server quality not as good as they had promised, and most of all, they charge people without consent.
There were absolutely no hint of when the hosting will expire in the admin panel, and you know, why would you remember what time exactly you purchased a product last year? One day morning, when my mom reads her credit card statement, she shocking finds a US$88 bill from the company. We were both shocked. Not only did they charge without my consent, the price was also way off from what they promoted on the website (US$66).
I quickly sent them an email regarding what’s happening. They said it’s the company’s regular procedure to renew users’ accounts automatically to avoid data loss. I can only cancel within the first seven days of the payment with handling charges of US$25. BS. What happened to the 30-day-money-back-guarantee? You could have sent an email saying your account is going to expire one month earlier so that we can make backups – that’d have been much more useful. In addition, they say they’ll return the difference if I ask for it. So what, customers will need to pay more if they don’t ask?
I told my mom what happened, and my mom got SO angry. She called the bank up and asked them to cancel the transaction. At the same time, I started backing up the site in case they decided that I was too annoying. I finished the files backup, was almost going to backup the database… but then something distracted me away, and I didn’t complete the backup. I thought I had, but I realized I don’t have anything when they finally suspended my account Monday. I guess it must be the bank doing something.
While I was panicking, not knowing what to do, Jonathan, a friend of mine, found my site in Google Cache! (Basically Google stores pages’ data into its local servers so that they can access it quickly) Thanks to Google Cache, I was able to grab all the posts back. However, Google was so freggin fast when it comes to caching my blog (not others, such as TechCube), so that by the time I was going to restore all the comments, Google Cache deleted those old cached pages already.
So, the moral of the story: WHEN YOU CHOOSE A HOST, CHOOSE A RELIABLE ONE. NEVER CHOOSE WEBHOSTINGPAD or anything that SOUNDS like a good deal.
We are moving in a week, and everything is in mess here. My sister’s computer has therefore been disassembled, and I took the monitor away to setup a sweet dual monitor configuration here for my desktop. Man, it’s just so cool! It especially showed its usefulness when I edit. I am able to split my windows that way and use more space, creating a much more efficient workflow Sadly, I only have around a week to enjoy this sweetness… meh, monitors are cheap nowadays, perhaps I should just get one sometime…
Oh by the way, it is a cheesecake in front of the left monitor. In fact, it is a homemade one. (shock!) Yummm…..