computer science

Social network automation

Social network automation is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Social network automation rather than just read about it. In short: Social Network Automation refers to tools that are used to semi/automate the process of posting content to social networking and social bookmarking websites. Tools can range from mostly manual and free to semi-automated tools which are either commercial standalone software or paid subscriptions.

Key takeaways

Social network automation belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Social network automation to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Social network automation from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Social Network Automation refers to tools that are used to semi/automate the process of posting content to social networking and social bookmarking websites. Tools can range from mostly manual and free to semi-automated tools which are either commercial standalone software or paid subscriptions.

Background Social networking sites (ex: Digg, Reddit, Propeller, etc.) run on a cycle of content (stories, pictures, videos) attracting users who interact with the content (voting, commenting) and who are then inspired to provide new content (original or culled from outside sources), thereby attracting more readers, etc., etc. (see Web 2.0) While much of the content is submitted by so-called-casual users a significant portion of stories are created specifically for social networking sites. These stores are generally submitted to several sites to maximize the return on investment. (Note that the motivation need not be commercial but may be personal or political (see Ron Paul for President) To aid people submitting stories to multiple social networking and bookmarking sites, a number of tools have been created.

Mostly-Manual Solutions These solutions are characterized by the following common attributes:

Standalone, web based Free Direct URL submission Significant breadth of sites (20 to 70) supported Attractive UI Lack of workflow Low levels of error reporting

Semi-Automated Solutions These solutions are all commercial software and do not seem to have been reviewed by an independent third party. They seem to all be standalone Windows-only based systems. They all claim to have the following features:

username/password login low number of sites supported (20-30) semi/automated site navigation historical activity reporting

Miscellaneous Solutions: Buttons Some vendors offer "buttons" that you can place under your blog posts that will automatically start the submission process for your content or which will more easily allow your readers to find and "vote" for your content on that service. As these seem to be less about automation and more about convenience they have been separated from the automation tools. However, there is some overlap, with some automation providers offering buttons. Many of the social networking sites also offer buttons, the most commonly seen being, of course, Digg's Digg This badge. and OnlyWire's

Miscellaneous Solutions: Toolbars Many social networking sites also offer toolbars (mostly for Mozilla/Firefox and Internet Explorer) which aid in use of the social sites. These toolbars also offer easier submission of articles to and voting on stories. However they seem to be more about convenience than automation, so they are separated as well. One of the best known toolbars is from StumbleUpon.

Miscellaneous Solutions: Fully Outsourced There are a large number of firms offering fully outsourced solutions for posting content to social networking and bookmarking sites. These are traditional consulting engagements and should be evaluated as such.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Social network automation

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Social network automation claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Social network automation before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Social network automation ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Social network automation

In research: Social network automation appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Social network automation in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Social network automation is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Social network analysis, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Social network automation outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Social network automation in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Social network automation means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Social network automation out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Social network automation in simple terms?

Why does Social network automation matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Social network automation?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Social network automation.