Benjamin Golub’s blog

I’m proud to announce my latest project: Dear LazyWeb.  When somebody asks a question to nobody in particular on the internet they are calling for help from the LazyWeb.  There used to be a website where you could post your questions but it has been shut down.

Building applications on top of Twitter is all the rage these days.  It’s easy, convenient, and provides mobility; perfect for asking the LazyWeb.   Plus, people already use Twitter to ask the LazyWeb; but nobody is doing anything with all of that data. Enter dearlazyweb.

First follow dearlazyweb; dearlazyweb will follow you back in return.  Then send dearlazyweb a question.  You can do this through an @reply or a direct message:

@dearlazyweb What type of bear is best?

dearlazyweb will respond (via a direct message) with a url.  That url will lead you to a page with your question plus instructions on how to answer it.  Someone else might know the answer so they would respond:

 @dearlazyweb answer 1 Black

This time dearlazyweb will respond to you with a link to the answer.  Where did that number 1 come from? The page for each question contains instructions for answering it (it also happens to be the same ID as the Twitter message that created the question).  Now you know, black bears are best!  Someone else might disagree:

 @dearlazyweb a 1 Wrong, brown bears are better

Again, dearlazyweb will send you a direct message with a link to the answer.  Great, but doesn’t Twitter already provide this sort of communication?  Yes, but only those following you will be able to see your question and it won’t let you be anonymous.  Anyone can visit Dear LazyWeb to view questions so anyone can answer your question.  Plus, all direct messages sent to dearlazyweb are displayed anonymously.  So if you wanted to know the answer to a touchy subject:

d dearlazyweb Who are you going to vote for?

dearlazyweb will again give you a url; but this time there will be nothing at that url linking it to your Twitter account.  If someone responds to it publicly:

@dearlazyweb a 2 Isn’t it a little early to be deciding?

dearlazyweb will still direct message you with a link to that answer.  Only dearlazyweb knows that you created the question and it promises never to tell.  Answers can also be sent anonymously:

d dearlazyweb a 2 Obama!

dearlazyweb will direct message you with a link to this answer; only it will not contain any reference to the answerers Twitter screen name.

What if you want to shut dearlazyweb up?  You know the answer to your question; now it’s time to complete it:

@dearlazyweb complete 1

Done, you won’t hear a peep from dearlazyweb about that question ever again.  Even if someone else answers it; dearlazyweb won’t disturb you.

What if you would like to help someone out?

@dearlazyweb random

And dearlazyweb will send you a random, uncompleted question.  Help some poor lost soul out.

So, please, check out the site and the bot.  The site is full of extra information: it keeps track of how many questions and answers you’ve given and will even give you RSS feeds for individual questions.  Be sure to follow dearlazyweb or you won’t be able to receive any direct message.

Any feedback at all is appreciated.  I’m definitely not done developing the site or the bot so please let me know what you like or hate about either!