11

MyLifeBits: Realizing the Memex Vision

Santa Clara University13 May 2004

Gordon Bell, Gordon Bell, Jim Gemmell & Roger Lueder Jim Gemmell & Roger Lueder

www.MyLifeBits.com www.MyLifeBits.com

www.research.microsoft.com/~gbell www.research.microsoft.com/~gbell

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Mylifebits collage

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Outline … MyLifeBits

Background…fulfilling the Memex visionBackground…fulfilling the Memex visionCyberizing everythingCyberizing everythingFile to database transitionFile to database transitionUse…beyond searchUse…beyond searchWorking with Media Center for home useWorking with Media Center for home useLong-term agenda and outlookLong-term agenda and outlook

Archiving persons and things.Archiving persons and things.

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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

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Capturing what you see

66

I am data

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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!!!

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Capture and encoding

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Quindi conference capture

1010

I mean everything

1111

Wearable & interactive jewellery LEDs flash Wearable & interactive jewellery LEDs flash according to sensor type triggeredaccording to sensor type triggered

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Potentially useful trivia – but Potentially useful trivia – but not normally photographednot normally photographed

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GPS: tells where and whenGPS: tells where and when

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Kentaro Kentaro Toyama Toyama wwmx.orgwwmx.org

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gbell wag: 67 yr, 25Kday life

1

1 0

1 0 0

1 , 0 0 0

1 0 , 0 0 0

1 0 0 , 0 0 0

1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

1 0 0 -5 K B

M s g s

1 0 0 -5 0 K B

p a g e s

5 -1 0 0 K B

T i f s

0 . 1 -1 M B

B o o k s

1 0 -4 0 0 K Bj p e g s

4 0 K s1 K B p ss o u n d

0 . 1 -1 0 0 M Bs o n g s

1 -1 0 G B

V i d e o s

L i f e t i m e s t o r a g e ( G B )

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MyLifeBits organization: time and space

Timeline/Context(space)

Personal(some $s)

GB Co.(angel, etc.)

ProfessionalACM, etc., …@Microsoft.com,

New co’s.

Archival (time) Working

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MyLifeBits: Some Lives(t) PersonalPersonal

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

GB $sGB $s 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., Me Inc.,

CGB@ MicrosoftCGB@ Microsoft MLBMLB ClustersClusters TelepresenceTelepresence WWW presenceWWW presence

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

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

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Bell Lives timeline

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

C,L m d d

CGB... GB SR mB,L KF SB

Where KvMO B ABosP B WCa

6-year --GS-HS---MIT DEC---+++++.+++---++++

Education KV-----mit,F cmu

Work Bell Elec DECcmuDEC E,NSF MSFT

ComputerMuseum M B SiValley

Books BN SBN HiTechVent

Computers 4-6 11 VAX E A

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Personal LifeLog Applications

Conservator

Baby Book

Companion Caretaker

Babysitter

AdvisorMentorTutor

Autobiography

Photo Album

PersonalAssistant

Diary/Journal

Biography

Financial Manager

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

2020

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 toolcapture tool

Radio EPG Radio EPG tooltool

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

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MyLifeBits is:

Memex and more (audio and video)Memex and more (audio and video) Universal store for all personal stuffUniversal store for all personal stuff Guiding principles for the system:Guiding principles for the system:

1.1. Full text search & Full text search & collectionscollections (> than hierarchy) (> than hierarchy)

2.2. Visualizations for search, display, insightVisualizations for search, display, insight

3.3. Annotations and links add value and essentialAnnotations and links add value and essential Increase search ability and value of information.Increase search ability and value of information. So make many kinds and them easy to create!So make many kinds and them easy to create! Stories are the ultimate annotationStories are the ultimate annotation

4.4. Keep the links when you author: “transclusion”Keep the links when you author: “transclusion”

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MLB database: size and content?

Database features are essential: Database features are essential: Consistency, Indexing, Consistency, Indexing, Pivoting, Queries, Speed/scalability, Backup, replication.Pivoting, Queries, Speed/scalability, Backup, replication.

Folders &Files were the starting point >> database into sets Folders &Files were the starting point >> database into sets aka “collections” that are identical to the folder structureaka “collections” that are identical to the folder structure

Outlook (msgs, attachments, calendar, contacts)Outlook (msgs, attachments, calendar, contacts) Web trails including voice message annotation Web trails including voice message annotation Journal (Outlook), trails: every document use & transactionJournal (Outlook), trails: every document use & transaction What about? What about?

Money (transactions, payees, etc.)…is their lifelog/trailMoney (transactions, payees, etc.)…is their lifelog/trail Streets and trips to cross-index to all docsStreets and trips to cross-index to all docs Attributes for photos for retrieval? Location, time, settingsAttributes for photos for retrieval? Location, time, settings Presentations as a report or trail. Each slide an object!Presentations as a report or trail. Each slide an object!

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Why bother? An existence proof.The following exist in abundance:

Shoeboxes full of photosShoeboxes full of photos Photo albums & framed photosPhoto albums & framed photos

Creative Memories is a thriving business selling resources for Creative Memories is a thriving business selling resources for created high-end photo albums that are well laid out and highly created high-end photo albums that are well laid out and highly annotated, using long-lasting materials.annotated, using long-lasting materials.

Home videosHome videos Bookshelves and filing cabinetsBookshelves and filing cabinets Old bundles of lettersOld bundles of letters Professional video/photo companies do capture at kids’ Professional video/photo companies do capture at kids’

sports events and sell content like hotcakessports events and sell content like hotcakes Probably not accessed very often but Probably not accessed very often but TREASURED TREASURED

(what’s the one thing you would save in a fire?)(what’s the one thing you would save in a fire?)

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Why bother? ..more reasons To eliminate physical storage (paper, CDs…)To eliminate physical storage (paper, CDs…) It costs more (in time) to delete than the cost the It costs more (in time) to delete than the cost the

storagestorage You may only want to retrieve one of many items You may only want to retrieve one of many items

in the future, but cannot predict which one in the future, but cannot predict which one (which is why you file many things now)(which is why you file many things now)

For posterity and nostalgiaFor posterity and nostalgia For memory enhancement & faster searchFor memory enhancement & faster search

(search your LifeBits rather than the web … a single (search your LifeBits rather than the web … a single source to look for anything you have ever seen)source to look for anything you have ever seen)

Let content analysis and data mining discover Let content analysis and data mining discover trends and correlations in your lifetrends and correlations in your life

Extensible XML schemasLogical viewsProgrammatic relationshipsSynchronization serviceInformation agents

Extensible XML schemasLogical viewsProgrammatic relationshipsSynchronization serviceInformation agents

application specific datasyste

m

people

application specific data

user

application specific data application

specific data

infrastructure

application specific data

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Annotation like this…

VoiceAnnotation

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Pivot to look at all of MLB(t)Call, contact, pivot by time to find web page

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Find brig, image, and look for 80

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Here are the photos

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Timeline view tells a story

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Interface to xls

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Statistics of use

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Value of media depends on annotations

““Its just bits until it is annotated”Its just bits until it is annotated”

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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

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Value of media depends on annotations

Auto-annotate whenever Auto-annotate whenever possible e.g. GPS cameraspossible e.g. GPS cameras

Make manual annotation Make manual annotation as easy as possible. XP as easy as possible. XP photo capture, voice, photo capture, voice, photos with voice, etcphotos with voice, etc

Support gang annotationSupport gang annotation Make stories easyMake stories easy

no

ne

au

to

au

to-u

sag

e

use

r-ba

sic

use

r-story

Annotations

“Its just bits until it is annotated”

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Future work: Visualizations Don't give me a little card Don't give me a little card

image and say, "That's all image and say, "That's all you've got, because that's you've got, because that's what I thought you should what I thought you should want for your virtual want for your virtual shoebox." There have got shoebox." There have got to be multiple modalities to be multiple modalities and the designers have to and the designers have to be able to deal with that. be able to deal with that. … don't metaphor me in, … don't metaphor me in, don't give me only one don't give me only one way of looking at things.way of looking at things.

-Andy van Dam, Hypertext '87 Keynote -Andy van Dam, Hypertext '87 Keynote AddressAddress

Next MediaNext Media

Web ScoutWeb Scout

U. MarylandU. Maryland IN-SPIRE

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LifeLines (Plaisant et al.) LifeLines (Plaisant et al.) www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/lifelines www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/lifelines

University of Maryland

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Rethinking collections & files

Date collections (“summer 99”)Date collections (“summer 99”)Much better as a queryMuch better as a query

By Person (“Photos of Bill”)By Person (“Photos of Bill”)Better as links of type “photo of” to person Better as links of type “photo of” to person

“Bill”“Bill”By Event (“Trip to UCLA”)By Event (“Trip to UCLA”)

Better as links to event in calendarBetter as links to event in calendarWorking setWorking set

Better as query that figures it out for me so I Better as query that figures it out for me so I don’t need to maintain itdon’t need to maintain it

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Facets and people• Time (& stage of life). Events… • Location (lat/long vs home, vacation)• Institution (relations including family, work, clubs,…)• Role (student, professional, parent, owner, etc.)

• Content type– Audio, graphics, photo, video aka moving picture– Document t type o(200) plus profession specific

ad, bill…will, cards (calling, credit, grade, greeting), certificate (birth…death), correspondence, diary, essay, forms, legal (6), instructions, lists, resume, reservation, scrapbook, transcript,

• Dissemination – Book, electronic, serial, unpublished,

• Special collections (e.g. geology, stamps, species, places)

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Facet Lists

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Certificate facets

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“By region” and “by time” should be facets!

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Telephone, Television, and Radio in the

Home of the Future

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Evolution of media in the homeEvolution of media in the homeYesterday:Yesterday: Today:Today: Tomorrow:Tomorrow:

Analog storage Analog storage and transmission and transmission on separate on separate networksnetworks

Physical space Physical space limitationslimitations

Tedious Tedious management management and manual and manual searchsearch

Digital storage (CDs, DVDs, Digital storage (CDs, DVDs, PVRs, MPEG & WMA/V)PVRs, MPEG & WMA/V)

Digital cable, internet radio, Digital cable, internet radio, but phone is mostly analogbut phone is mostly analog

Still limitations on what we Still limitations on what we can storecan store

Different stores for different Different stores for different stuffstuff

All digitalAll digital Everything Everything

connectedconnected Unlimited storageUnlimited storage Everything in a Everything in a

databasedatabase

SQLSQL

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CD

VCR

Cassette

Plasma Panel

DVD

MediaCenter

Computer

Set top

Set top

Kbd Mse

Wfr

Spkr

SpkrIR

Cable/Satellite

Ethernet SVHS-wide

5.1 digital

5 speakers

stereo

stereo

stereoVideo*

5.1 digitalcomp.

stereoVideo*

Video*

Cables/linksSpeaker 5+1Plasma 2 or 3Cable/Enet 2IR 8Stereo 45.1 digital 2Comp./S-video 3Plasma panel 1Power 10Kbd/mse 2Monitor II (opt.) 4Camera 2Total 42 – 46 Things 18+remotes

*Video = composite or S-videoCamera

Mic

Receiver

Legacy

Legacy

Legacy

Redundant

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The Agenda for the Tbyte(s), Lifetime, PC:The killer app after office and mail.

1.1. Guarantee that data will live forever! “dear appy” problemGuarantee that data will live forever! “dear appy” problem2.2. Cheap, easy, and data-rich (e.g. time, place) capture:Cheap, easy, and data-rich (e.g. time, place) capture:

GPS and time everywhereGPS and time everywherePaper capture has to be as easy as discarding (scanner/shredder)Paper capture has to be as easy as discarding (scanner/shredder)Personal meeting capture...Personal meeting capture...E-book…e-magazines & journals need to have critical mass! E-book…e-magazines & journals need to have critical mass! Telephony and audio capture with indexingTelephony and audio capture with indexingMedia Center compatible for entertainment (photos, video, TV, radio)Media Center compatible for entertainment (photos, video, TV, radio)

3.3. Content analysis (critical for photo & video!)Content analysis (critical for photo & video!)4.4. Information control: privacy, security, expunge/deniability,… Information control: privacy, security, expunge/deniability,… 5.5. Having to be schizophrenic or have a lobotomy when leaving a “life”Having to be schizophrenic or have a lobotomy when leaving a “life”6.6. One One dbase for everything (articles, books, conversations, ... financial dbase for everything (articles, books, conversations, ... financial

transactions) …vs. long-term use of hierarchical files. transactions) …vs. long-term use of hierarchical files. Is dbase intuitive?Is dbase intuitive?7.7. Annotations/meta-information add every-increasing valueAnnotations/meta-information add every-increasing value

Easy annotation for aiding search and Easy annotation for aiding search and it becomes the contentit becomes the content8.8. The “killer apps”: Alzheimer, immortality, surrogate memory?The “killer apps”: Alzheimer, immortality, surrogate memory?9.9. GUI’s to improve use (e.g. time to learn, use, retention)GUI’s to improve use (e.g. time to learn, use, retention)

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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, Lost and forgotten dataLost and forgotten data

Who’s responsible?Who’s responsible?mediamediaplatform, file, and databasesplatform, file, and databasesevolving standards and formatsevolving standards and formatsevolving and/or disappearing appsevolving and/or disappearing apps

  

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Problems: “Amnesia” control & deleting corporate “life” bits

Full sharing of bits that are mineFull sharing of bits that are mine I created them, OK to copy and distributeI created them, OK to copy and distributeDRM: purchased for my own useDRM: purchased for my own use

““OK to look at, but I only own half the bits”OK to look at, but I only own half the bits”Controlling forgetfulnessControlling forgetfulness

Private, do not “demo”Private, do not “demo”Expunge forever... “this never happened”Expunge forever... “this never happened”The bits “belong” to a corporation or org.The bits “belong” to a corporation or org.

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The Content Analysis Problem

1.1. ““Cliplets”: Automatic segmentation of a Cliplets”: Automatic segmentation of a pile of documents and video into pile of documents and video into individual documents and scenes.individual documents and scenes.

2.2. Item typing: Would like a minimal Dublin Item typing: Would like a minimal Dublin Core for each item: date, creator, title, Core for each item: date, creator, title, source, abstract, and typesource, abstract, and type

3.3. ““Type” classification: articles, letters, Type” classification: articles, letters, memos, etc.memos, etc.

4.4. Ontology creation for collectionsOntology creation for collections

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The End

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Archiving persons and things…

• www.oac.cdlib.org for 0(1K) corporations, people, places, things. – List of finders, usually -> paper boxes!– E.g. Apple collection at Stanford points to 600’ or say $1K/ft.

• www.AlbertEinstein.org Einstein’s papers, etc.

• diva.library.cmu.edu/Newell/ for Allen Newell• profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ Nobel Prize winners, Lederberg • www.ComputerHistory.org computing artifacts• www.MyLifeBits.com project to capture entire life

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List of finding aids

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Apple at Stanford

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www.alberteinstein.info

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Allen Newell page

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Lederberg

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Computer History Museum

• 1401 Shoreline, Mountain View

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Archiving computing artifacts• Charles Babbage Institute …Smithsonian is similar

– 135 collections 8K cu.ft. (20 M pages; 2 TB)– 160 oral histories (30MB/hr =6000 MB) – 150 K photos (@1MB, 150 GB)

• Computer history Museum– 6 K physical objects: world’s best artifact collection– 10 K photos– 2 K videos (<1 TB); including recent DV taped interviews– 12 M pages books, manuals, brochures, papers, (1.2 TB)– ?? Of executable source & object codes– 200 volunteers & many more world-wide

Amateurs versus professionals.

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Computer History MuseumArtifact Collecting… the world is bits• Artifact (“the machine”)

– Dormant or operating– Hardware or software

• Project, people, plan– Timeline of project– Plan, schedule– Specification, manuals– Design– Organization– Communication– Articles, books– Interviews, talks, etc.

• Business aspects– Plan, sales, marketing– Ads, brochures, etc.– Competitors

• Use– User experience– Video about it’s use

• Accessibility – Raw bits, finding aid– Interpreted story– Exhibit

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ChM Software Acquisition