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Ok so ignoring the fact that this relies on magic... I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the she

Ok so ignoring the fact that this relies on magic... I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005. I can't say the same about my filesystems even with the help of "cloud" services of more recent years. Our brains are definitely wired to get clues from lots of context, and just sitting at a similarly layed out UI doesn't take advantage of that. So drop the crazy magic... add rfid tags to the stickys ... replace the optical(??) strip thing with an rfid reader that just maps the stickies to my cloud files, and that might be relatively useful.... pretty sure rfids aren't quite disposable yet though.

proksoup 13y ago
QR code stickers would be disposable. And can do the same thing, associate data. Generate unique urls that go to a web service that allows "mapping".
AlexanderDhoore 13y ago
I'm currently working on a project for uni that does something like this. It let's you "tag" items in the world. So, for example, I can leave a message on the painting on the wall. Next time I take a picture of that wall, it will show me my messages again. You could also use it to send messages to other people. "I left you a virtual message on the fridge." The other person walks up to the fridge, takes a picture, and gets the message. I think it has some interesting potential. It's on github [1]. Though I haven't created any video or documentation yet. [1] https://github.com/Alexander-Dhoore/tagTheWorld https://github.com/Alexander-Dhoore/tagTheWorld
- cfn 13y ago
  It is a very good idea. If the tags are visible and pleasing it might take off!
pseingatl 13y ago
There is indeed a correlation between a physical (or three-dimensional virtual) place and information. The ancient Greeks discovered this. The British historian Frances Yates wrote about this in her Art of Memory. What is lacking in computer UI is precisely taking advantage of this ancient insight.
- amalag 13y ago
  I knew someone writing books on this concept. He was trying to extend this into quantum mechanics where the underlying foundations are not inanimate particles but information. Science has been taking information out. It requires a long discussion, but let me know if you are interested and I can forward his paper.
tripzilch 13y ago
> I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005. I can't say the same about my filesystems even with the help of "cloud" services of more recent years. You have a point. There has been research on making "File Explorer"-like applications have similar "enriched" context as what you're referring to, but it never took off. (various interesting ways to approach this idea, but they are irrelevant to the point I want to make here) I think one reason (though probably not the/foremost reason) might be that, unlike an actual physical storage context, there is no guarantee that whenever you view a particular folder, it will be displayed in this particular manner. Some applications have their own file-explore/open dialog, sometimes apps or websites will transform your view. Currently, most OS's have at least three different ways to "view" the same folder (list/icons/details). If your data is on a USB-stick, it's even worse, every device will show you its particular "interpretation" of your filesystem structure. This was less of a problem with the smaller 512MB sticks that might contain just a few files, but nowadays 32GB sticks are not uncommon, holding a user's entire documents library (or a copy thereof). Contrast with a physical file system, nobody is going to impose their "view" or "interpretation" of your personal (physical) files. In fact, it's considered bad manners to reorder someone's bookshelves without permission ;) That's (part of) the reason why you can find files so easily in physical systems, because every time you interact with it, your memory of where particular items are located is reinforced, because there is just one representation of that system, regardless of context. This representation might even be sub-optimal qua efficiency, and you can still at least reap the benefit of familiarity.
joepour 13y ago
"I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005." I see where you are coming from now and I think this would be true if search was absent from digital note takers. Now, though all you have to remember is where/which project you usually use to store notes and then search. That is why, in my opinion, physical locations are less relevant when talking about digital content.

proksoup 13y ago

QR code stickers would be disposable. And can do the same thing, associate data. Generate unique urls that go to a web service that allows "mapping".

AlexanderDhoore 13y ago

I'm currently working on a project for uni that does something like this. It let's you "tag" items in the world. So, for example, I can leave a message on the painting on the wall. Next time I take a picture of that wall, it will show me my messages again. You could also use it to send messages to other people. "I left you a virtual message on the fridge." The other person walks up to the fridge, takes a picture, and gets the message. I think it has some interesting potential. It's on github [1]. Though I haven't created any video or documentation yet. [1] https://github.com/Alexander-Dhoore/tagTheWorld https://github.com/Alexander-Dhoore/tagTheWorld

cfn 13y ago
It is a very good idea. If the tags are visible and pleasing it might take off!

pseingatl 13y ago

There is indeed a correlation between a physical (or three-dimensional virtual) place and information. The ancient Greeks discovered this. The British historian Frances Yates wrote about this in her Art of Memory. What is lacking in computer UI is precisely taking advantage of this ancient insight.

amalag 13y ago
I knew someone writing books on this concept. He was trying to extend this into quantum mechanics where the underlying foundations are not inanimate particles but information. Science has been taking information out. It requires a long discussion, but let me know if you are interested and I can forward his paper.

tripzilch 13y ago

> I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005. I can't say the same about my filesystems even with the help of "cloud" services of more recent years. You have a point. There has been research on making "File Explorer"-like applications have similar "enriched" context as what you're referring to, but it never took off. (various interesting ways to approach this idea, but they are irrelevant to the point I want to make here) I think one reason (though probably not the/foremost reason) might be that, unlike an actual physical storage context, there is no guarantee that whenever you view a particular folder, it will be displayed in this particular manner. Some applications have their own file-explore/open dialog, sometimes apps or websites will transform your view. Currently, most OS's have at least three different ways to "view" the same folder (list/icons/details). If your data is on a USB-stick, it's even worse, every device will show you its particular "interpretation" of your filesystem structure. This was less of a problem with the smaller 512MB sticks that might contain just a few files, but nowadays 32GB sticks are not uncommon, holding a user's entire documents library (or a copy thereof). Contrast with a physical file system, nobody is going to impose their "view" or "interpretation" of your personal (physical) files. In fact, it's considered bad manners to reorder someone's bookshelves without permission ;) That's (part of) the reason why you can find files so easily in physical systems, because every time you interact with it, your memory of where particular items are located is reinforced, because there is just one representation of that system, regardless of context. This representation might even be sub-optimal qua efficiency, and you can still at least reap the benefit of familiarity.

joepour 13y ago

"I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005." I see where you are coming from now and I think this would be true if search was absent from digital note takers. Now, though all you have to remember is where/which project you usually use to store notes and then search. That is why, in my opinion, physical locations are less relevant when talking about digital content.