Slides, sample, and code: Achord - collaborative note taking

Thanks to everyone who came to my webcast today on Using the Microsoft AJAX Library with PHP. We had about fifty people at the live webcast. If you missed it, a recording should go up in the next 24 hours.

During the talk, I showed how to use the Microsoft AJAX Library to create client-side controls and behaviors. I also showed how to use the networking API (plus "PHP for Microsoft AJAX Library") to communicate with a PHP server.

The sample I showed during the session is brand new. It's called "Achord", and you can play with it here. The idea is for you to be able to write notes during an event (like a webcast!) while seeing the notes other people are taking. Then you can aggregate (copy/paste) when you see something useful. That way not everyone has to type that URL the speaker just mentioned. The name is a play on "accord" and a "chord" (literally, in music, multiple notes at the same time).

So far it's turned out to be more of a chat application than a collaborative note taking application, but who am I to dictate how it gets used? :-)

Here are the pertinent links:

My slide deck from today's webcast
The running Achord sample (hosted here with PHP on IIS7/FastCGI)
The full working sample code
Some other URLs I mentioned during the talk:
- http://ajax.asp.net - main ASP.NET AJAX site
- http://codeplex.com/phpmsajax - the PHP for Microsoft AJAX Library shared source project (needed to use the web proxies)
- http://projects.nikhilk.net/Projects/WebDevHelper.aspx - the tool I used in IE to watch the HTTP traffic

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:46:16 GMT

said:

3/1/2007 6:27:01 AM

said:

3/1/2007 6:27:02 AM

AndyK said:

3/1/2007 9:31:28 AM

Was at the Web cast last yesterday for this. Excellent stuff, it now means that I can develop on a .NET platform and integrate php.

As for achord, I really like the idea. It is such a handy thing. Unlike IM where all communications are shared at all times, you get your own and the chance to see/copy everyone else.

Logically taking it further, I'm gona look at (when I have time)
- exporting "your notes" to PDF, and save locally
- Heading sections that can expand and contract the notes within
- Inserting or moving new note item into different heading areas.
- setting order of notes

I was really impressed as something this simple can be used in both the office and distributed client base. Nice one. Thanks Steve

Steve Marx said:

3/1/2007 9:37:35 AM

I'm glad you liked it, Andy! Thanks for the encouraging words.

Feel free to go build on Achord, and let me know what you come up with. All your ideas sound like great ones!

I'm also thinking about syndication: I should be able to share my notes with others as an RSS feed.

said:

3/1/2007 5:02:37 PM

said:

3/2/2007 5:06:54 AM

said:

3/2/2007 5:07:01 AM

andyK said:

3/2/2007 2:16:39 PM

I've created a slightly updated style sheet, try it if you like. will work with any screen size now.

html {overflow: -moz-scrollbars-vertical;}
body
{
font-family: Arial;
background-color: #292929;
margin:0 10 0 10;
}

h2
{
font-size: 16pt;
font-variant: small-caps;
border-bottom: 1px solid silver;
color: #606060;
}

.small
{
font-size: 10pt;
}

#main
{
background-color: white;
border: thin solid gray;
padding: 10px;
width: 43%;
font-size: 14pt;
float:left;

}
#main input
{
font-size: 12pt;
width: 100%;
border: thin solid gray;
}
#yourNotes
{
height: 400px;
overflow: auto;
margin-bottom: 10px;
border: thin solid gray;
}

#right
{
background-color: white;
border: thin solid gray;
padding: 10px;
margin:0px 0px 0px 55%;
max-width:40%;
min-width:170px;

}
#right ul
{
margin: 1em;
}

Eleni said:

8/14/2007 8:21:44 PM

Cool!

Kharilaos said:

8/15/2007 2:46:56 AM

Cool...

Arsenios said:

8/15/2007 5:09:48 AM

Cool.

Iacovos said:

8/15/2007 6:26:56 AM

Nice!