When laconi.ca - the software behind the microblogging service identi.ca – was released, I was working on the current (4th) incarnation of zzap. When I compared the two products, I soon realized, that our goal was similar, but our approach was different. I guess it's because we've weighted several features using different importance.

Still missing: a microblogging exchange protocoll
For example: Laconi.ca started with a protocol for the communication between individual instances of the software. I had a similar idea - on my papers (yes – real papers!) were sketches, XML- and method definitions of a lightweight protocol for remote subscriptions and so forth. Inspired by the planned subscription process, I chose the working name 'pingpong'. This protocol was important, but other features were even more important for me. I asked myself „how can this software be useful for me as soon as possible?“

From the very beginning: mobile support
To me, microblogging is only useful, if it supports multiple clients in different enviroments and situations. I want to use it spontaneously, while I'm on my way. That's the reason why one of my initial goals was the support of mobile phones. My own framework has an integrated device-detection, and supports normal web, mobile web and (to satisfy my own curiosity) the iPhone/iPod touch.

Visual impressions: Photo support
In certain situations, while I was on my way, I wanted not only to send a tiny message from my mobile phone, but also attach a photo, to show why this situation was special or funny. To statisfy my own demand, I included a photo upload field and a mechanism to fit the dimensions of the photo to the viewing device. Mobile phones with a tiny display reveive smaller pictures, than phones with a bigger display. The biggest pictures are for the web version.

The existing network
I had some followers on twitter and was tired of using zzap and twitter one after another. It would be better to push my zzaping to my twitter account and pull the new messages from the people I follow on twitter. A twitter integration was therefore more important than 'pingpong'.

Spread the news
As I realized, that laconi.ca had already solved the problem of remote subscriptions, I decided, not to re-invent the wheel and adopt their protocol later, considering that others had also announced to do so. It's better to support an upcoming standard. That in mind, I focused on a different demand: A better integration between my blog and my microblog. That's why I started to build a function to announce new entries from my blog with an automatic included shortlink like tinyurl.

There are a lot more ideas to be implemented. My main goal is to support an upcoming microblogging standard and build the features, that I and my friends want. And by the way; considering how we all use twitter & co, microblogging isn't the right description. We deal rather with a kind of group-messaging. Just my point of view.