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Seesmic Desktop 0.2.1 added Facebook comments, Twitter spam reporting and spell check

Improvements since Ver 0.2

• Ability to view and enter comments into Facebook
• Added spellcheck feature with the ability to enable and disable
• Now supporting pikchur and yfrog to share images on Twitter
• Added spam reporting feature to help send spam warnings to Twitter's @spam account
• Ability to block users who are following you on Twitter
• Ability to use Tweetshrink before sending messages (see http://tweetshrink.com/about)
• Access to view favorites within your Twitter account timeline
• Improved profile enhancements (added follow/unfollow within a profile along with the ability to reply and direct message)
• Option to start Seesmic Desktop at login
• Verification dialog box upon deletions of Userlists, Searches
• For OSX: Added standard buttons for OSX and improved idle CPU usage
• Displayed version information in update tab

Bug fixes

• Fix posting to Facebook with non-US characters
• Issues with same usernames showing multiple times - solved
• Issues with not removing messages when account is removed - solved

Download link:
http://d.seesmic.com/seesmic/SeesmicDesktop-0.2.1.air

Just Released - Seesmic Desktop 0.2

The best desktop client for Twitter and Facebook is here with a brand new and exciting release !


Whats new ?

• Add your Facebook account (since v0.2-rc2)
• Aggregated timelines for Twitter and Facebook accounts (since v0.2-rc2)
• Now supporting Twitgoo and Posterous in addition to Twitpic to share images on Twitter
• Cleaner column look and feel
• Optimized use of space to display more tweets
• More tooltips on buttons
• Improved error handling (especially for connection problems)
• Improved pre-selection of "SHARED as" account to reply or retweet from
• Remembering your preferred image sharing and short URL service across restarts
• Auto-updating the timestamps in timelines
• Sidebar can be scrolled when there is more content than available space

Bug fixes

• Issues with webcam dialog - solved
• Userlists and searches could get lost under certain circumstances - solved
• Empty error message when trying to lookup a protected Twitter user - solved
• and many more smaller issues

Download link:

http://d.seesmic.com/seesmic/SeesmicDesktop-0.2.air

URL shortening with Python and bit.ly

URL shortening has became the de-facto way of sharing links while micro blogging (Tweeting!).

Today, I was looking for a tool,  which will assist me shortening a group of URLs without the need to repress the annoying bookmarklet again and again.

I didn't find anything worth mentioning, so I've decided to hack my own tool.

I am using Python for most of my programming tasks, cause it is clean and simple !

The following Python code automates the process of shortening a long url using bit.ly wonderful service.

In order to use it, you'll need to pass the long URL, your bit.ly login and your bit.ly API key.

Your comments are welcome.

Download the code from pastebin

#!/usr/bin/python
import urllib

def shorten_url(long_url, login_user, api_key):
    try:
        longUrl = urllib.urlencode(dict(longUrl=long_url))
        login = urllib.urlencode(dict(login=login_user))
        apiKey = urllib.urlencode(dict(apiKey=api_key))
       
        encodedurl="http://api.bit.ly/shorten?version=2.0.1&%s&%s&%s" % (longUrl, login, apiKey)

        request = urllib.urlopen(encodedurl)
        responde = request.read()
        request.close()
        responde_dict = eval(responde)
        short_url = responde_dict["results"][long_url]["shortUrl"]
        return short_url

    except IOError, e:
            raise "urllib error "


if __name__ == '__main__':
    shorten_url('http://http://tux-log.blogspot.com', 'your_login', 'your_api_key' )

Top 50 Twitter Accounts Who Will Follow You Back

While Twitter becomes the center of the Internet, and the race to 1,000,000 followers was already won, everyone looks for ways to expend their network. An easy way to do so, without using any tools, is to follow those how would follow you back.

Here is a list of the top 50 accounts which will most likely follow you back if you follow them first:

TheDigitalLife
Andrew303
newtechbooks
Stejules
Eleesha
CraigTeich
StephenKruiser
Jerell
BradHoward
Foodimentary
ScotMcKay
RockingJude
ShannonSeek
RadioBlogger
MikeKlingler
RonnieWilson
DanTanner
MikePFS
TechXav
SocialMediaClub
StanleyTang
Barefoot_Exec
JackBastide
NicheTitans
MarketingZap
PragueBob
Twitter_Tips
00Joe
Zefrank
RichCurrie
iPodiums
AlexKaris
HoleInHisEye
NickLongo
Pistachio
OudiAntebi
DSMPublishing
PeterSantilli
Orrin_Woodward
QueenoftheClick
StockTwits
interney
MarketingProfs
MariSmith
MarcWarnke
Debbas
SteveWeber
Montaignejns
SeanMalarkey
WebAddict