This presentation is from November 12, 2004 given at Design Engaged in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It focusses on the difficulty syncing content and information between our own devices we own and use. We try to keep our information with us on our devices within our reach, but that is difficult. Adding contextual filtering to cut through the volume of information we have is another issue. This syncing feeling problem is only slightly better than it was in 2004 when this was presented and the path forward is even more relevant.

1. That Syncing Feeling
Thomas Vander Wal
Design Engaged
Amsterdam, NL :: November 2004

2. It used to be simple...

3. All our information fit in one
place

4. Then...

5. One tool could store
our information...

6. What’s on your PowerBook?

7. But, today...

8. Our information
is here
somewhere...

9. The Dream
Our accurate up-to-date
information at our disposal
when we need it.

10. Personal InfoCloud

11. Device versus
Network?

12. How Close Are We?

13. Usable Syncing
Between Two Devices
• Calendar
• Address book
• To Do List

14. • Documents
• Media
• Map
• Web-based information
• Multiple devices
Dodgy bits

15. Personal
Version Control

16. Personal
Categorization

17. Standard Metadata
for Personal InfoCloud
• content description
• creator
• privacy
• context
• use type (e.g.)
• instruction
• object
• categories

18. Sample for Document
Description: White Paper on Scent of Information
Creator: Peretti (XeroxParc), copyright
Document Location: http://123.45.67/ext/wpsoi.pdf
Privacy: Shared_limited (IAWG_ClientX)
Project: Navigation replacement, Model of Attraction
Use: Reference, Research
Sync:Yes
Priority: 2
Object: PDF (handheld enabled)
Categories: navigation, MoA, XeroxParc, foraging,
scent, information, browsing

19. Progress is being made
• Actual solutions
• Mac OS X Tiger’s Spotlight
• MIT’s Project Oxygen
• Possible/partial solutions
• Script aggregation by metadata tag
• Publish to private/public location in RSS
• RSync (Psync) and CVS
• Groove (Windows)
• Quicksilver (Mac)

20. That Syncing Feeling
ThomasVander Wal
thomas@vanderwal.net
http://vanderwal.net/essays/designengaged/
041112/