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I am an absolute beginner.

I have this project in my head and I think web2py can make this a reality. I want mobile phone users to send sms to my web app so they can display their message on the internet.

How do I begin? What codes to use?

Eager to see your reply!

-Tig

@Tig

I think the easiest route is to use one of the many 'SMS to email' services, sometimes called 'gateways'. In the UK these include aql, BulkSMS, Clikatell, IntelliSoftware (intelliSMS), Kapow, TextMagic, TM4B, Txtlocal, txtnation (not sure if every single one does SMS to Email at the moment without checking, but most do).

hth Jim

Yes, as Jim said I would start by creating a simple app that will receive an SMS. This company: http://www.bulksms.co.uk/ will send you SMS messages as HTTP requests.

I was thinking 'SMS to email' might be easier to start with?

Maybe? But then you have to poll the email address at regular intervals. If you have say a url/view that receives a POST request from bulksms then you can update your main page at that point and not worry about running a process periodically. It seems conceptually simpler to me.

But really whatever tig is comfortable with!

@hansel Yes, you're right - using an HTTP server is a simpler concept and a better choice if Tig's after (near) real-time. Just thought that email might be easier to test and get started for a beginner, and one could also forward the mails to a mailbox to store them. Tig's users would also have an email option alongside SMS.