With this in mind we might want to consider moving to a "write once" system of data storage. Every time you save a document a new time-stamped copy is saved. Time is used to organize the life of the document. Like us, the document evolves over time.

Today, when you edit sound, video, animation, or other forms of multimedia you must use time to organize how the file is played. This is also an excellent way to organize hypertext documents given enough storage to archive everything.

I've prepared a mock-up screengrab of what a "time enabled" web browser might look like.

http://obscura.obscurasite.com/unrev/images/time-enabled-browser.jpg

Its loaded with the notes I took tonight during session 3. NOTE: at the bottom of the image there is an extra slider and the time/date stamp.

In a time enabled system you could use the slider to traverse backwards in time to view my notes as they were after session 2, or even session 1. Years in the future I could go back in time and find out exactly when I converted the notes from text to html. (or added links, or graphics, etc)

Version control is not new. The difference is the interface. Its something that we understand... We are trained from the time we are children to use time. Seems like a perfect fit for organizing versions of documents. (easier to grasp than cryptic version numbers)

Today we are in a hurry to post all kinds of information on the web. Often when surfing it seems like just as many documents are moving or disappearing.

Imagine if everyone had unlimited storage and you could visit a web site, then the same site a year ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago. Much of that data is lost today. I hope to see it archived in the future.

My training is in photography and it is sad to see color photographs taken of my family fading away to nothing. When my grandmother passed away we were amazed to find beautiful black and white photos from the late 1800s. The photographic record of her generation is much better than mine.

The same thing is happening on the web. Its a great medium with so much promise. Unfortunately it is in a constant state of change and few are worried about preserving an archive for future generations. (how many of you saved the first web page you ever made, just the way it was the day you made it?)

Please post your thoughts, ideas, flames, comments on this topic.

Have a nice day. :-)

Sincerely,

Jon Winters
visit the Obscura Lounge in OpenVerse
http://www.openverse.org/