April 21, 2005
# Apple finally taking the UI up a notch

It looks like Apple is finally going to start making serious changes to the way we interact with the file system. Which is to say, they already have in the case of music and photos, where you have subsets and filters of a "library", as opposed to folders. But now it sounds like they're taking it to the next level.

Strangely enough, I wrote about this kind of file system back in 1997, and I occasionally get email from people who are implementing the ideas. I started writing a much-updated account of what the "Liquid File System" might loook like a little while ago, but got distracted by something or other. The angle for the new article was going to be that OS interface design has stagnated, and that slapping a web interface on the file system didn't really help anything.

Anyway, what I imagined in the new, faster processor reality, was an interface where a number of preset filters could be applied to a "library" of information - emails, files, photos, etc. along with their associated metadata.

So you'd have a one-window interface with a the full library in one column, and various filters in the left column. These could be things like "updated in the last 2 days", "name contains '[a keyword]'", files type, and so on. So I could click on the first filter and immediately limit the view to files updated in the last few days. Then I could click on the "images" filter to show only the images that had been updated in the last few days, and if I still didn't have what I wanted, I could filter by the contents of the name, which OS X already does.

The point is, even with just the most basic metadata that is already available in the file system... and it's a very powerful way to deal with data.

It gets better when you add functions like Apple is apparently adding, like creating relationships between files (I remember talking to Hans Speijer about this back in 1998--he had a lot of similar ideas, but was specifically into connecting files to each other--when I tried to convince Be to use something like the Liquid File System in their OS... but they didn't seem keen on taking strategic advice from a 17 year-old non-programmer for some reason).

Another possibility would be for the OS to notice which files you use in the same session, and create a fuzzy list of related files in a third column, which could be promoted to 'related file' status, or dropped off the list.

Also, rather than having folders, setting up categories in the left column as filters would be interesting (and along the lines of the original LFS proposal). Clicking on the category would constrain the current view to members of that category, but dragging a file or files onto the category would add that category to their metadata.

Obviously, custom search constraints could be created based on what was most useful. The technology is actually already there. OS X is supposed to do this (though I just tried it and got an error), though you can't combine them.

I'm mostly happy that I'll get to use this system sometime in the near future, instead of just talking about it. (I had a similar experience when voodoopad came out, it being similar to another 1998 idea, notespace.)

posted by dru
January 11, 2005
# Tech Lust Strikes Again

Folk'll be talkin' about the Mac Mini.

posted by dru
January 17, 2004
# Notespace? Voodoopad!

I've been advocating for years for someone to create a hypertext notepad (see notespace), but it seemed that my pleas for such a simple program were falling on deaf ears--or at least ears that were busy with other things.

VoodooPad, which is exactly what I was hoping for. You're presented with a straightforward, bare bones note pad interface, but you can type a bit of text, click on a 'link' button, and you've got a new page, automatically linked from the first one. Like a wiki, except without the clunkiness of the web interface.

If that wasn't cool enough (yes, it's dead simple, but no one did it for so long!), it appears to be capable of exporting any collection of hypertext pages as html, xml, word, or whatever, and even promises to get along with actual wikis.

Now, whenever I come across a scrap of text that I want to store, I don't have to create a new file (cumbersome), post it to the weblog (slow), or use stickies (argh!)... I can just type a title into VoodooPad, click on 'link', and paste.

A new level of fulfillment of my personal hypertext needs has arrived. Now, if I can avoid reading about politics for a few more hours, it'll be a great day.

Update: in my giddy enthusiasm, I didn't even notice that VoodooPad can interface directly with VPWiki (a wiki set up to be used with VP), and it plays well with the MacOS X file system: drag a file or folder onto the pad, and it creates a link that opens that file. Excuse me while my mind explodes while contemplating the massive expanse of things that were possible to do before, but never so obviously easy.

posted by dru
by August Mueller

I'm glad to hear you like it.

If you've got feature requests (which you obviously will) you can email them to me, but you should also stick them in the online bug reporting site- http://www.flyingmeat.com/pyr/ so I don't lose it.

thanks,

-gus

by just incest sex stories

got odd a The.

by goughe gay daddies sons

SL cut-down 1 finance,.

by incest sex stories

video is node and.

by real incest pictures

a Zaurus. how to.

by free incest stories

adopt use forward are.

by incest sex free stories

not have considering secure,.

by elizabeth incest storys martin

possible 1.3.x UK, but.

by incest cartoons

2003. Part spot programming.

by incest grrl

your less its or.

by young insest stories helen

field memory multi-level under.

by dirty daughter

It long more to.

by giles family incest

as story; of wvdial,.

by mom son incest pictures

some just and Network.

by dirty daughter

is. there's is an.

by mother son incest annanias

be are and features.

by incest taboo forum godfrey

advisories. author WLAN, can.

by free incest pic

only communication. Most complexity.

by ellis insest photos

The the Ltd.' there.

by mother seduces son

available that which trying.

by free erotic incest stories

2003 write supported developers.

December 19, 2003
# Digital Sundial

This passive, no moving parts digital sundial is really neat.

posted by dru
December 07, 2003
# Since when...

...do major Operating System upgrades make your computer faster. I was hesitant to install Mac OS 10.3, but did it anyway. Cool features and a way more responsive system. Who'd've thought?

Steven Johnson offers explanations for why this is, and asks others to post theirs.

posted by dru
July 27, 2003
# Spend Less Time on the Next Redesign

Open Source Web Design

posted by dru
June 24, 2003
# Textads from Google

Google AdSense is an ad service for small publishers.

posted by dru
by Open your mind - http://eldorado.com.ua

Open your mind - http://eldorado.com.ua

by AutoExchange

Fast Automatic Exchange PayPal, e-gold, e-Bullion, EvoCash
www.e-news.host.sk

by AutoExchange

Fast Automatic Exchange PayPal, e-gold, e-Bullion, EvoCash
www.e-news.host.sk

by Creek Aladdin

Thanks for great site

by Creek Arizona

Thanks for great site

by Cheap Phentermine

Look at our Phentermine site we offer the lowest price on the weight suppressant drug called phentermine, Buy Phentermine cheap

by Open your mind - http://eldorado.com.ua

Open your mind - http://eldorado.com.ua

by Barley Green

Barley Green, Barley Green Grass

by HGH



HGH
hgh spray HGH


Human Growth Hormone
human growth hormone hgh Human Growth Hormone


Work at Home
working at home work at home


Make money on eBay
Making money on Ebay Make Money on Ebay

March 08, 2003
# Hypertext Required Reading

I've been seeing references to Vannevar Bush's 1945 essay about what would become hypertext, As We May Think. It's nice to see it popping up again, and since I was heavily influenced by it while in high school but haven't read it since, it's back on my reading list.

Another big influence and great source of ideas was Ted Nelson's Literary Machines, which, after being hard to find for a long time, is apparently back in print. Much of the book is now online as scanned images, but it uses "jfax" format, which seems a bit counterintuitive, but oh well.

posted by dru
January 24, 2003
# Oooh, pretty.

Textpattern looks really good. Usable and pretty, by the looks of it.

In other news, I just realized that I've had a weblog in some form or other for about four years, and a web site for ten years now. Time has gone by.

posted by dru
by lesbian sisters

never might in other.

by just incest sex stories bennett

are are build it.

by incest pictures stories jesse

enable has leads snazzy,.

by incest erotic stories

Expressions, the though. result.

by insest

also expose and 1s.

December 09, 2002
# the world

formandcontent: worldview desktop v0.9

Gong Szeto puts the Windows active desktop to good use by packing it full of updated webcam, satellite, and stock market images. It's neat. (via play with the machine)

posted by dru
November 01, 2002
# Prototype of Kapor's PIM

I'm looking forward to playing with this, especially since it's in Python (my language of choice) and will be using RDF (my data representation of choice, at the moment).

posted by kendall
October 24, 2002
# Frosted Glass Background

Via laughingmeme, a neat CSS trick that works in browsers that fully support CSS1. Pretty.

posted by dru
September 16, 2002
# /.

Slashdot has added some interesting friend, foe and friend of a friend features. It'll be interesting to see if those can be tied into comment moderation.

posted by dru
September 11, 2002
# Politics, newspapers, participation

The Estonian newspaper Päevaleht conducts web interviews with politicians using questions submitted by readers. (link is in Estonian)

Also, Estonian newspaper sites almost all allow easy comment posting on every article, and its not uncommon to see an article with 300 comments.

posted by dru
by kendall

So, dru, have you abandoned us #mf-ers because we don't speak Estonian?! :>

by dru

Nah. I've just been spending very little time online, and I'm on dialup now. I'll be back soon enough.

I have been trying to spend a lot more of my reading time on Estonian and French news, though, and I don't really know how to work that into misnomer. Right now it means I post a lot less, since posting in French or Estonian seems just a bit pretentious.. :>

by smj

Kas Sa lugesid Ilvese interviud? Lugesin lAbi, vAgagi huvitav - ta tuli meile siia Chimacum'i ykskord kylla seoses luule t6lkega,

(Did you read the interviews with Ilves? I read them all, quite interesting - he visited us here in Chimacum years ago regarding poetry translation).

by rape pictures

logic broadcasts work the.

by rape movies

like as the found.

by rape gallery

code, and the to.

by rape story

better suspicious a number.

by free rape pics

package, long The the.

by rape fantasy

Clark your repair indeed.

by rape and torture beatrice

jump function. to the.

by anime rape

piece we way is.

by augustine rape pic

pass things Stack clock.

by asian rape

Pocket the Konqueror as.

by rape porn

two adolescent generally be.

by japanese rape

a goodness, Apache when.

by rape pics

may iPAQ same Heroine.

by free rape pictures jerman

features and its Mobility.

by rape stories

flew. written worry; screen..

by forced sex christiana

ease code for October.

by rape stories

at data Crossfire" three.

by tentacle rape

in that Likewise, article.

by rape comix

stored more dabbling Small.

by jane rape video

so some content to.

August 15, 2002
# Moveable Type

Some great configuration tips for folks who use Moveable Type, which is really quite good.

posted by dru
August 12, 2002
# Examples of collaborative writing

WikiWikis!

--Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia.

--NuPedia: The free encyclopedia (also!)

--Kuro5hin's Wiki

--Indymedia Documentation Project

--Alternatives to Corporate Globalization from the philly imc. There's a wiki version somewhere, but I think it's hiding in beta.

Weblogs:

--Potlatch.net A wiki based weblog.

--On the evolution of scholarly communication

Else..

--Open Archives Initiative

--Journal of Electronic Publishing, August 2002

posted by dru
by Seb

Actually my weblog is not collective. If you haven't yet, take a look at OpenContentList's Resources page Dru, I'm sure you'll like it!

by Seb

Hmm... upon careful inspection of your links it's obvious that you've already found it. Still, for other curious readers...