Creating an “If This, Then That” Web Rule Made Easy
- Posted on September 8, 2011 at 3:00pm by
Liz Klimas
- Print »
- Email »
Have you been scouring Craigslist for a new-to-you dining room table, but finding the time needed to search every day draining? Have you wished to cut out the middle man work required that requires you to create a Facebook status of favorite blogger’s tweets? No? Neither of these things? Well, you get the idea though.
There are several useful functions of a new tool called IFTT (if this, then that), which makes it easy for those who aren’t web-savvy programmers to link two web tools together to better serve their needs. Popular Science has more:
IFTTT primarily works with social networking sites, including ones that make you wonder if “social networking” actually means anything at all. That ranges from the obvious (Facebook, Twitter) to the niche (ZooTool, Posterous) to the useful (Craigslist, Google Calendar), with some basics like Weather and RSS Feed thrown in. It also works with your phone, so you can add SMS texting and even phone calls to the mix. You can create your own IFTTT command from a list, or customize what’s already there, or you can simply browse through the previously created IFTTTs, which the site calls “Recipes.”
All you have to do is choose a trigger channel from sites like the sampling below.
Then created your trigger. Like, search Craigslist for “dining room table”, and copy and paste that URL into the “create trigger” box. Then you choose an action channel — what you want to do with your trigger — like send an email, post to Facebook, etc. Then activate.
According to IFTT’s blog, the idea for this program came about with the potential for using any two digital web tools in tandem. IFTT underwent nine months of beta testing. Try it out here.
Comments (6)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 678 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 529 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 420 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 373 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 329 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 271 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 280 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 159 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 271 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Suzee
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 1:19amI have encountered many young people who work in tech stores, answer calls concerning tech problems concerning home or business wifi, etc. etc. If the young employee thinks that the customer is ‘old’ they assume they know ‘better’. When the ‘old’ customer is concerned about their privacy, these young ones snicker……..however now they are starting to get ‘the drift’ but they still have a superior arrogant demeanor. I used to be intimidated until I realized, “Hell, because of all my research, I know more than some of these dolts.” I insist on talking to a more ‘experienced’ person and know when I have a good one to learn from because he/she is not condescending. The young ones that are going to advance are the ones that share their knowledge and are ready to learn from anyone. There are some brilliant young people out there but too many are know nothing not willing to invest time to learn but willing to tell you what they really don’t know as fact……Something has happened in our schools: instead of saying “I don’t know but I will find somebody who does.” These kids just state something they have no idea of as ‘facts’ and believe it themselves and then move on without thinking about the person stuck with what these lil dolts just said.
Report Post »JediKnight
Posted on September 9, 2011 at 1:55pmThis sounds like a great tool to me!
Or I can waste my time combing through the classifieds looking for that item I need. Even the classifieds are available in a searchable form online these days.
Report Post »408 CheyTac
Posted on September 9, 2011 at 9:56amA generation of people that walk around looking like a gorilla opening a peanut shell.
Hope they don’t step in an open manhole… no I don’t.
Report Post »ejbonk
Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:09pmI have an app for that. ITT”S CALLED THE CLASSIFIEDS, There in the back of your Local NEWSPAPER. only 75cents Daily and $1.75 on Sunday. Young People are SO Stupid.
Report Post »angelite49
Posted on September 8, 2011 at 10:19pmIt sure seems like a lot of work to find a dining room table. e-Overkill.
I wish the author if this story could decide whether “if this, then that” is abbreviated as IFTT or IFTTT.
Report Post »BrayDeck
Posted on September 9, 2011 at 10:13amThis might actually be pretty useful for those of us don‘t live in the 1970’s…
The anti-technology posts make people sound like crotchety old farts. Newspapers are dead, sir.
Report Post »