Challenges in UsingLifetime Personal Information

Storesbased on MyLifeBits

Gordon Bell, Jim Gemmell, Roger LuederGordon Bell, Jim Gemmell, Roger LuederSIGIRSIGIR

University of Sheffield, University of Sheffield, July 26, 2004July 26, 2004

““I have watched as hundreds of I have watched as hundreds of millions of dollars have been millions of dollars have been invested to re-invent the wheel - invested to re-invent the wheel - often badly.”often badly.”

-Marcia Bates-Marcia Bates

The 1 TB Life

1TB gives you 65+ years of:1TB gives you 65+ years of: 100 email messages a day (5KB each)100 email messages a day (5KB each) 100 web pages day (50KB each)100 web pages day (50KB each) 5 scanned pages a day (100KB each)5 scanned pages a day (100KB each) 1 book every 10 days (1 MB each)1 book every 10 days (1 MB each) 10 photos per day (400 KB JPEG each)10 photos per day (400 KB JPEG each) 8 hours per day of sound - e.g. telephone,8 hours per day of sound - e.g. telephone,

voice annotations, and meeting recordings (8 Kb/s)voice annotations, and meeting recordings (8 Kb/s) 1 new music CD every 10 days (45 min each at 128 Kb/s)1 new music CD every 10 days (45 min each at 128 Kb/s)

It will take you 5 years to fill up your 80 GB driveIt will take you 5 years to fill up your 80 GB drive Want video? Buy more cheap drives (1 TB/year lets Want video? Buy more cheap drives (1 TB/year lets

you record 4 hours/day of 1.5 Mb/s video)you record 4 hours/day of 1.5 Mb/s video)

Everything goes in a database

You need all the features of a databaseYou need all the features of a database(Consistency, Indexing, Pivoting, Queries, Speed/scalability, Backup, (Consistency, Indexing, Pivoting, Queries, Speed/scalability, Backup, replication)replication)

If you don’t use one, you will find yourself creating one!If you don’t use one, you will find yourself creating one! Files as blobs, also sync with file system for legacy appsFiles as blobs, also sync with file system for legacy apps

SQLSQL

MyLifeBits Software

MyLifeBits store

database

Voice Voice annotation annotation tooltool

Text Text annotation annotation tooltool

Telephone Telephone capture toolcapture tool

TV capture TV capture tooltool

TV EPG TV EPG download download tooltool

Radio Radio capture capture & EPG& EPG

PocketPC PocketPC transfer transfer tooltool

PocketRadio PocketRadio playerplayer

Import filesImport files

MyLifeBits MyLifeBits ShellShell

files

Legacy Legacy applicationsapplications

Browser Browser tooltool

InternetInternet

IM captureIM capture

MAPI MAPI interfaceinterface

Legacy Legacy email clientemail client

GPS import & GPS import & Map displayMap display

SenseCamSenseCam

Screen saverScreen saver

MemexAs We May Think, Vannevar Bush, 1945

““A memex is a device in which an individual stores all A memex is a device in which an individual stores all his books, records, and communications, and which his books, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility”exceeding speed and flexibility”

Full-text search, text & audio annotations, and Full-text search, text & audio annotations, and hyperlinkshyperlinks

I am data

The guinea pig

Gordon Bell is digitizing his lifeGordon Bell is digitizing his life Has now scanned virtually all:Has now scanned virtually all:

Books written (and read when possible)Books written (and read when possible) Personal documents (correspondence including memos and email, Personal documents (correspondence including memos and email,

bills, legal documents, papers written, …)bills, legal documents, papers written, …) PhotosPhotos Posters, paintings, photo of things (artifacts, …medals, plaques)Posters, paintings, photo of things (artifacts, …medals, plaques) Home movies and videosHome movies and videos CD collectionCD collection And, of course, all PC filesAnd, of course, all PC files

Now recording: phone, radio, TV (movies), web pages… Now recording: phone, radio, TV (movies), web pages… conversations and meetings to comeconversations and meetings to come

Paperless throughout 2002. 12” scanned, 12’ discardedPaperless throughout 2002. 12” scanned, 12’ discarded.. Only 30 GB!!!Only 30 GB!!!

Capture and encoding

I mean everything

50+ year old newspaper clippings

400 year old books

O(100s) tapes from videotape “black hole”

Personal LifeLog Applications

Conservator

Baby Book

Companion Caretaker

Babysitter

AdvisorMentorTutor

Autobiography

Photo Album

PersonalAssistant

Diary/Journal

Biography

Medical Manager

ExecutorObituary

Others Self

Assistant for Elderly

Application controlled by:

Oth

ers

Sel

fA

pp

lica

tio

n u

sed

by:

Personal Proxy

Parole Officer

Pers Flight Recorder

Meeting Prep

Captain’s Log

Trustee

Financial Manager

Why bother? ..some reasons Technology creates an opportunity e.g. 1 TB disksTechnology creates an opportunity e.g. 1 TB disks Technology creates a need e.g. jpgTechnology creates a need e.g. jpg It will decay or disappear if you don’t save itIt will decay or disappear if you don’t save it To eliminate physical storage (paper, CDs…)To eliminate physical storage (paper, CDs…) It costs more (in time) to delete than it costs to storeIt costs more (in time) to delete than it costs to store The mantra of the squirrel: “I may need it some day.” The mantra of the squirrel: “I may need it some day.” For posterity and nostalgia: “Maybe others will want it.”For posterity and nostalgia: “Maybe others will want it.” For memory enhancement & faster searchFor memory enhancement & faster search

(search your LifeBits rather than the web or your colleagues … (search your LifeBits rather than the web or your colleagues …

a single source to look for “stuff I’ve seen”)a single source to look for “stuff I’ve seen”) Let content analysis and data mining discover trends Let content analysis and data mining discover trends

and correlations in our lives…that even we don’t know.and correlations in our lives…that even we don’t know. Aid to aging or failed memoriesAid to aging or failed memories

So you’ve got it – now what do you do with it?

““A record if it is to be useful … must be A record if it is to be useful … must be continuously extended, it must be stored, and continuously extended, it must be stored, and above all it must be consulted” above all it must be consulted”

““The difficulty seems to be, not so much that The difficulty seems to be, not so much that we publish unduly … but rather that we publish unduly … but rather that publication has been extended far beyond our publication has been extended far beyond our present ability to make real use of the record” present ability to make real use of the record”

- Vannevar Bush- Vannevar Bush

Trying to use my life bits

#1: Folders#1: Folders

One item. One place.One item. One place.

It worked for 1000s of years.It worked for 1000s of years.

My docs and archive

S

Self

EE

X- Employer

EmployerEmployer

X-EmployerProjectProject

ProjectProject

Employer

Library/file cab

Library/file cab

Library/file cab

Library/file cab

Library/file cab

Library/file cab

Active Employer

Library/file cab

Library/file cabLibrary/file cab

<1995 Library/file cabLibrary/file cab

Project

BusinessInvests, family $s, & Legal

Personal, including Medical

Library/file cab

Freedom from hierarchyc:\my documents\talks\MyLifeBits.pptc:\my documents\talks\MyLifeBits.ppt

ID=location=organization=display stringID=location=organization=display stringDon’t make me invent unique namesDon’t make me invent unique namesDon’t make me file everythingDon’t make me file everythingOr let me pick multiple foldersOr let me pick multiple folders

“ “multiple categorization not only improves multiple categorization not only improves organization and retrieval times but also organization and retrieval times but also matches more closely with the way users matches more closely with the way users naturally think about organizing their naturally think about organizing their information” – Quan et al (MIT’s Haystack)information” – Quan et al (MIT’s Haystack)

MyLifeBits collection dialog

Of course Aliases and Shortcuts can be used albeit painfully to file by time and/or event, subject, location, type.

Trying to use my life bits

#2: Text annotations#2: Text annotations

Making bits more valuable and retrievable. Making bits more valuable and retrievable.

“Its just bits until it is annotated”

Getting the user to tell a story is the ultimate in media value

A story is a “layout” in time and spaceA story is a “layout” in time and space Most valuable content (by selection, and by being well annotated)Most valuable content (by selection, and by being well annotated) Stories must include links to any media they use (for future navigation/search – Stories must include links to any media they use (for future navigation/search –

“transclusion”).“transclusion”). Cf: MovieMaker; Creative Memories PhotoAlbumsCf: MovieMaker; Creative Memories PhotoAlbums

Dapeng was an Dapeng was an intern at BARC intern at BARC for the summer for the summer of 2000of 2000

We took him to We took him to lunch at our lunch at our favorite Dim Sum favorite Dim Sum place to say place to say farewellfarewell

At table L-R: Dapeng, Gordon, Tom, Jim, Don, At table L-R: Dapeng, Gordon, Tom, Jim, Don, Vicky, Patrick, JimVicky, Patrick, Jim

Annotation like this…

VoiceAnnotation

Annotation when you feel like it, how you feel like it

Screensaver is the killer app!Screensaver is the killer app!

Trying to use my life bits

#3: “I remember when…”#3: “I remember when…”

The 1The 1stst or 2 or 2ndnd most important retrieval handle. most important retrieval handle.

MyLifeBits time overlap

MyLifeBits on-the-fly time clustering

MSR Next Media Team

M Stewart Lifeline v2Mark Stewart’s Lifeline

Copyright Mark Stewart, 2004

Trying to use my life bits

#4: Relationships (links)#4: Relationships (links)

Using something near ‘it”, to find “it”.Using something near ‘it”, to find “it”.

Mark Stewart’s first page

Copyright Mark Stewart, 2004

The Stew family tree

Copyright Mark Stewart, 2004

PhotoFinder - Schneiderman and Kang

MyLifeBits Entities & Links

AnnotatesAnnotates

Caller in Phone CallCaller in Phone Call

Photo of EventPhoto of Event

TranscludesTranscludes

Trying to use my life bits

#5: I remember where#5: I remember where

Just essentialJust essential..

Trying to use my life bits

#6: more meta-data (properties)#6: more meta-data (properties)

I remember something about the contentI remember something about the content

(understanding a person’s work)(understanding a person’s work)

Lederberg Finder page

Dublin core of a given item

Trying to use my life bits

#7: classification#7: classification

Moving oward the ultimate time sink.Moving oward the ultimate time sink.

Is traditional classification required?

……at OCLC there was unanimous agreement at OCLC there was unanimous agreement among faculty and participants thatamong faculty and participants that

“access to electronic resources “access to electronic resources requires controlled vocabulary and requires controlled vocabulary and classification”classification”

OCLC Institute, “Knowledge Access Management: Tools OCLC Institute, “Knowledge Access Management: Tools and Concepts for Next Generation Catalogers”, 17-19 and Concepts for Next Generation Catalogers”, 17-19 November 1997, Dublin, Ohio.November 1997, Dublin, Ohio.

www.alberteinstein.info

Professional Life:

Organizations

Administrivia

Projects

Library

Lederberg papers official reports

Number of document segments

Lederberg Artifact types Abstracts Agendas not Announcements m; Application forms Articles m Autobiographies m Bibliographies m Biographies m Brochures m Certificates m Correspondence m Diaries m Drafts (documents) Drawings m Electronic images m Essays m Eulogies Excerpts Grant proposals Interviews m Invitations

Laboratory notebooks m Laboratory notes Lecture notes Lectures m Legal documents m Legislative records Lists Manifestoes Memoirs m Minutes Monographs m Narratives Newsletters Newspaper columns m Notebooks m Notes Obituaries Official reports Oral histories m Petitions Photographic prints m

Press releases mProcedures Proceedings mPrograms mProposals mQuestionnaires Reminiscences Reports mResolutions Resumes Reviews mSchool records Speeches mSummaries Tables (documents) Technical reports mTranscripts mTypescripts Video recordings m

Species: Animals: Chordata: Vertebrata: bony fish

Computer structures: digital computer: minicomputer

Computer structures: digital computer: minicomputer (refined: Digital Equipment Corp.)

Computer structures taxonomy: computers

Trying to use my life bits

#8: “ontology”???#8: “ontology”???

““Succumbing to the ‘ontology’ fallacy”Succumbing to the ‘ontology’ fallacy”-Bates-Bates

Company1

1. Generic organization: Correspondence, financial, manuals, notebooks, org chart, plans, products, stocks, etc.. Facets: doc type, dissemination, institution type

2. Generic org. plus projects x roles; facets: financial; legal3. Generic organization for club, foundation, museum,

professional org, religious, sport, etc.4. Books, CDs, papers, videos Facets: media type,

Employer2

Non-profit3

Library4

HealthLegal

Organizations

Academic Inst.2

Financial Assets

Family & related social

Ancestors, Parents,Siblings

Media

ArtifactsComm.

Library & archives: info & records.Personal archives (Ambiance…)

ChildrenSpouse/

Significant Other

Friends

Articles, bio, books,interviews, talks,

…web pages

Auto, home& other “things”

Property

Diaries

Family Business2

Self Family ($,property, legal, health)potentially private…

Institution type: academic,… companies, family, other Orgs…self

MyLifeBits: Some Lives(t) PersonalPersonal

Parents, children, grandkidsParents, children, grandkids CGB himselfCGB himself GKBGKB SSFSSF Close friendsClose friends

GB $s; Legal entitiesGB $s; Legal entities Personal incl. several legal Personal incl. several legal

structuresstructures Properties: autos, real estate,Properties: autos, real estate, Investments & contractsInvestments & contracts

Past prof. companies/organiz’nsPast prof. companies/organiz’ns DECDEC Carnegie-Mellon U.Carnegie-Mellon U. DEC, NSF, Encore, Ardent, DEC, NSF, Encore, Ardent,

Me Inc., Bell-MasonMe Inc., Bell-Mason

Bell-Mason DirectorBell-Mason Director Diamond & Vanguard Brds.Diamond & Vanguard Brds. Startups & boardsStartups & boards

CGB@ MicrosoftCGB@ Microsoft MLBMLB ClustersClusters TelepresenceTelepresence WWW presenceWWW presence

Computer History MuseumComputer History Museum BOD memberBOD member Fund-raisingFund-raising CyberMuseumCyberMuseum

GB Timeline

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

F F F F E E F E W F F E W W W W W W O F O F F F F

Roles & Institutions

I <am son of> ….I <am son of> ….

I <am father of> Brigham <1960->, Laura <1963->I <am father of> Brigham <1960->, Laura <1963->

I <studied at> MIT <1952-1957; 1959-1960>I <studied at> MIT <1952-1957; 1959-1960>

I <worked for> DEC <1960-1966; 1972-1983>I <worked for> DEC <1960-1966; 1972-1983>

I <am a member of> ACM <1960- ->… NAEI <am a member of> ACM <1960- ->… NAE

I <am on the board of> Computer Museum…I <am on the board of> Computer Museum…

Things

Can everything be part of the model?Can everything be part of the model?PetsPetsHousesHousesCarsCarsAssetsAssets

Trying to use my life bits

#9: logging & reports#9: logging & reports

Interface to xls

TV Usage

MyLifeBits Log of a video file

Open Problems

The “dear appy” problemDear Appy, Dear Appy,

How committed are you?How committed are you?Please come back to me.Please come back to me.Forever yours truly, Forever yours truly, Lost and forgotten dataLost and forgotten data

Who’s responsible?Who’s responsible?Media or 8 track cassette, 8” floppyMedia or 8 track cassette, 8” floppyEvolving platform, file, and databaseEvolving platform, file, and databaseEvolving, incompatible standards & formats for Evolving, incompatible standards & formats for legacy data that disregard ancestorslegacy data that disregard ancestorsEvolving and/or disappearing appsEvolving and/or disappearing apps   

A Storocratic Oath

1.1. Do no harm to datesDo no harm to dates(File creation, Photo taken)(File creation, Photo taken)

2.2. Do no harm to device created & Do no harm to device created & other meta-data.other meta-data.

• Camera data & location data are sacred.Camera data & location data are sacred.

3.3. Support & aid the creation of critical meta-Support & aid the creation of critical meta-data. data.

• When/how the user feels like itWhen/how the user feels like it• Auto-magically!Auto-magically!

4.4. Maintain user confidentialityMaintain user confidentiality

Classification wish list Download classifications rather than build themDownload classifications rather than build them Definitions & synonyms should help find what I wantDefinitions & synonyms should help find what I want Today it is too expensive to manually classify my Today it is too expensive to manually classify my

scanned paper. E.g. “right time” meta-data is critical!scanned paper. E.g. “right time” meta-data is critical! Next year I hope “the system” can classify my papersNext year I hope “the system” can classify my papers In 10 years I expect all documents to appear In 10 years I expect all documents to appear

electronically & classified electronically & classified with a little help from mewith a little help from me

Personal Search is notProfessional or Web search

System sees every entry & accessSystem sees every entry & accessEverything, not just a professional life Everything, not just a professional life Limited to SIS, not an infinite amount, Limited to SIS, not an infinite amount,

covers a profession & personal lifecovers a profession & personal life

Web as seen by search engines

MyLifeBits

Knowledge breadth e.g. Dewey classification

Depth e.g. information item types & coverage

Professional user

The killer app?? Input, File, Classify, and Find…Input, File, Classify, and Find…Observe every action…Observe every action…OperationalOperational

SIS (e.g. msg, name, paper, fact, birthday, SIS (e.g. msg, name, paper, fact, birthday, phone call, phone call,

Time & motion (routing, communicating, Time & motion (routing, communicating, scheduling … thinking)scheduling … thinking)

Archival one’s self Archival one’s self Finder aka Table of Contents aka Site Map Finder aka Table of Contents aka Site Map Story telling. Story telling.

Screen saver & personal ambienceScreen saver & personal ambience

The A/V/real time data Future: new capture modes/devices

SenseCam

Deja View

Body Media

Quindi

Sensecam &Interactive jewellery

www.MyLifeBits.com