Re: [unrev-II] multiple hierarchies + visual newsgroups

From: Alex Shapiro (alex@touchgraph.com)
Date: Thu Aug 23 2001 - 17:50:09 PDT

  • Next message: Alex Shapiro: "Re: [unrev-II] multiple hierarchies + visual newsgroups"

    Jack, Peter, Eric,  thanks a lot for your support.  I wish the development of TouchGraph was further along, so that there would be more to talk about.  But, your interest tells me that I did the right thing by talking before the job was done.

    I am glad to have found this group.  I look forward to contributing, and reading your posts.

    Also, I've been reading the IBIS/QuestMap manual, and I think the concept is pretty cool.  I like the scientific approach to conversation mapping.  I like that the basic idea is very simple (only three types of nodes).  I like that the participants are forced to divide their suggestions into atomic bits.  Finally, I like the thought process that goes into writing a short node label.  I have some criticism as well, like how scalable can this type of maps be, but I need to think them through more.

    Anyway, glad to be here,

    --Alex

    At 09:20 PM 8/22/01 -0700, you wrote:

    Every once in a while, somebody lays a great idea out before this
    group.  Eric Armstrong started it all with IBIS.  Now, TouchGraph.  I
    believe that all readers of this list should go play with TouchGraph, and
    download it, as I just did.

    Cheers
    Jack
    At 09:52 PM 8/22/2001 -0400, you wrote:
    >Hi, my name is Alex Shapiro, and I am very interested in the evolution of
    >hypertext, and computer-based mediums of interaction in general.
    >
    >I've read the thread on Malleable Archives, and the one about Taxonomies
    >and TopicMaps, and have a response that is vaguely relevant to both issues.
    >
    >(Funny, as I type this, my spell-checker tells me that the correct spelling
    >for "Maleable" is "Malleable", supporting the notion that the author should
    >be able to go back and alter his/her messages).
    >
    >Ok,
    >
    >I am developing some software (opensource), which can bee seen at
    >http://touchgraph.com whose eventual goal is to be used for browsing
    >multiple hierarchies, and associative networks.  Currently, it is just a
    >nice graph layout applet, and another for organizing links, but in a few
    >months the underlying structure will be completed, and rapid development of
    >features should be possible.
    >
    >The technology of easily browsable and editable associative networks will
    >make possible the creation of visual newsgroups.  I envision such a
    >newsgroup as a network of nodes, where posting a message will consists of
    >adding a node to the network.  The advantage of this type of format for
    >discussion, is that related messages can be placed next to each
    >other.  Whereas conventional newsgroups already achieve such adjacency with
    >threads, they have the disadvantage that old threads get forgotten about,
    >or not read by new members.  In a visual newsgroup, however, one should be
    >able to bring old threads back into focus by adding a link from current
    >messages to the old ones.  In fact, adding links rather then posting new
    >messages could be another way of contributing to the discussion.  Along the
    >same lines, one would no longer be constrained to responding to just a
    >single message.  One could chose to simultaneously respond to multiple
    >messages thus bringing the messages responded to closes together.  Some
    >experimentation with this idea using TouchGraph technology can already be
    >seen at http://memes.net
    >
    >Speaking of taxonomies, I think that a type of taxonomy that has been
    >largely ignored is that of hierarchies with multiple inheritance (or
    >multiple hierarchies).  It seems that a lot of information could benefit
    >from being organized into multiple hierarchies.  For instance, look at the
    >leaf-most categories in the open directory project.  Often we find lists of
    >links containing over 200 items.  Yet splitting these items into
    >subcategories would be impossible without making subjective choices.  The
    >best solution, would be to offer the user multiple options as to how they
    >want to divide the items.  That way one could narrow one's search to a much
    >more manageable set of 10 items or so.
    >
    >Thanks,
    >
    >--Alex


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