Yes yes, I know this isn't really security related but this is where I hang out when I feel like discussing computers, coding, the universe and everything. So please bear with me.

I'm working on a project for which I need a function which will enable the users of my site to invite their friends on networks such as facebook, myspace, twitter etc to come and use my site.

All I really need is someway to retrieve their friends information from these networks and giving them the ability to, presumably via a mail form, send a note which will then contain a link to my site. Said link should contain a referal variable which identifies for my server which user sent the invitation when a "friend" follows that link to my site and then signs up. This is so that I will be able to keep statistics on how many people any one user has managed to get signed up on my site.

I've been poking around the facebook developer forum to get a hang on the API usage etc, but for some reason I can't seem to figure it out.

Any help is deeply apreciated.

Speculation here, but I would imagine that the social networking sites don't allow such actions. For this to work, you would have to have access to a big database of all their emails, friends and information that they filled out on their pages.

I could be completely wrong about this though, so don't stop looking.

There are definitely workarounds.

I'll be happy to help with this project if you want, so I'll start thinking about it now. First thing that comes to my head is something I coded up a while ago.

Using javascript, I was able to divide a standard web page up into more of a 'windowed' interface. It started off with the standard page, but on the top right quarter of the screen, was google. A page within a page, had the ability to drag it around, minimize, maximize. When you used the google page, you were still technically within your personal page though. Didn't do this for any reason, just to see if I could.

So maybe you could do that with your site in some way.

Have your standard page, then when they click, "invite bebo friends", the bebo page loads in the middle. Then when on their bebo, have it direct them to a page that permits the sending of invites.

The problem with that is, their exists no feature within bebo to message all your friends at once. The only way of doing this, is when you complete one of those gay quizzes. After you have finished a quiz, you have the option of sending invites out to however many friends you like.

Seeing as the quizzes can be created by anyone, I suppose you could make the question in the 'Quiz' to read "Are you sure you would like to send invites?". When they click 'Yes', the quiz is over, and they get to send the invite message that you created, to their friends.

Strange way of doing it, but I suppose it could technically work.


Side note, how is your programming? I need help with a project as well...

It's an interesting idea, perhaps the same could be done with facebook. Sortof an app within an app, style of thing. I could code a facebook app which simply redirects you back to my site. Then when you click invite friends on my site you are taken to facebook, still within my site, and after the invites have been sent the app kicks in and sends you back to my page.

Could work.

Oh, you can add me on msn if you like to discuss that project of yours.

johan_moller@hotmail.com

Added.

There's quite a few bits of code required for that to work, so I'll just send you them through MSN.

I'm always set to 'Appear Offline', so just message me and I'll probably reply.