We have arrived at the future as predicted by Saturday Night Live.
DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
91–99 of 99 posts
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#92Ok so ignoring the fact that this relies on magic... I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005. I can't say the same about my filesystems even with the help of "cloud" services of more recent years. Our brains are definitely wired to get clues from lots…
> I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005. I can't say the same about my filesystems even with the help of "cloud" services of more recent years.
You have a point.
There has been research on making "File Explorer"-like applications have similar "enriched" context as what you're referring to, but it never took off.
(various interesting ways to approach this idea, but they are irrelevant to the point I want to make here)
I think one reason (though probably not the/foremost reason) might be that, unlike an actual physical storage context, there is no guarantee that whenever you view a particular folder, it will be displayed in this particular manner.
Some applications have their own file-explore/open dialog, sometimes apps or websites will transform your view. Currently, most OS's have at least three different ways to "view" the same folder (list/icons/details).
If your data is on a USB-stick, it's even worse, every device will show you its particular "interpretation" of your filesystem structure. This was less of a problem with the smaller 512MB sticks that might contain just a few files, but nowadays 32GB sticks are not uncommon, holding a user's entire documents library (or a copy thereof).
Contrast with a physical file system, nobody is going to impose their "view" or "interpretation" of your personal (physical) files. In fact, it's considered bad manners to reorder someone's bookshelves without permission ;)
That's (part of) the reason why you can find files so easily in physical systems, because every time you interact with it, your memory of where particular items are located is reinforced, because there is just one representation of that system, regardless of context. This representation might even be sub-optimal qua efficiency, and you can still at least reap the benefit of familiarity.
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
More like two connections plus a ton of short circuits...
I was anticipating a very smart connecting board that can determine two working connections and disable the others. I wasn't arguing it's completely viable but simply that it's not beyond the laws of physics as OP suggested :)
I'm sorry I don't understand your description. You said a grid of conductive dots right? You'd need two separate grids of dots if you're going to use one-wire. Would you superposition both grids? Then it would short. If you have one 'band' on top and one band below, then it's just a rail setup.
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#94Ok so ignoring the fact that this relies on magic... I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005. I can't say the same about my filesystems even with the help of "cloud" services of more recent years. Our brains are definitely wired to get clues from lots…
"I think there is something to using physical locations to keep references to files. I can remember the shelf that I stored a notebook and the rough location in the notebook of a sketch for a project from 2005."
I see where you are coming from now and I think this would be true if search was absent from digital note takers. Now, though all you have to remember is where/which project you usually use to store notes and then search.
That is why, in my opinion, physical locations are less relevant when talking about digital content.
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
phones have seriously limited space. 16 or 32 gigabytes won't even hold one uncompressed movie that you need for work. With everything moving to remote servers, streaming etc, I don't see that changing sadly.
True but it's still more possible than this. You can actually buy SD cards with much more than 32 gigabytes. They are pretty rare though.
And expensive, and very easy to lose. I like how this kind of storage almost seems disposable.
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#96Why are so many people naysaying this? We have NFC, we have super slim (and super thin) consumer-accessible memory cards. The magnetism bit might be a little tricky (getting the object to stick to the data reading surface), but why is this so far-fetched? What they say aside (it seems that they are designers, not really engineers) -- saying this could never exist is an over-step
I agree. I really don't understand the negativity here, and it reminds me of the immature and close-minded lambasting that the 3Doodler received. It's very disappointing to see the HN community act this way. The majority of the negativity seems to stem from it not being an existing product, which is a silly thing to be indignant about, especially considering the first two words on the page clearly state "design conce…
I've got half a mind to try and make this thing, if I didn't have what seems like a billion other projects going...
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
True but it's still more possible than this. You can actually buy SD cards with much more than 32 gigabytes. They are pretty rare though.
And expensive, and very easy to lose. I like how this kind of storage almost seems disposable.
Few people lose their phones and the problem is that my files are not disposable.
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
"I don't think there's anything misleading here, but there's still something irritating about it. These authors spend loads of time and money writing stories about the future, and giving each other awards for it . In the meantime, we mere mortal engineers are wallowing in the pits of reality, solving actual problems like the plebs we were born to be. I know it sounds horribly bitter, but I really do sympathise with t…
But when I read Sci-Fi, I'm consuming: - The author's creativity and intelligence in extrapolating the technology's wider implications - A good story, including character development - Often some incredibly clever prose - Possibly, as a very secondary thing , elements of "Hey, imagine if AI was complex enough to form human relationships!" (for example) Here, I'm being offered the content of "Hey imagine if USB sticks…
I understand where you're coming from; I get similarly annoyed when people that are not UX experts design UI mockups that look cool but have no consideration of usability, feasibility, maintainability, etc.
On the other hand, I love concept videos.
Re: DataStickies: USB drives as sticky notes
#99Earlier quoted context omitted.
I was anticipating a very smart connecting board that can determine two working connections and disable the others. I wasn't arguing it's completely viable but simply that it's not beyond the laws of physics as OP suggested :)
I'm sorry I don't understand your description. You said a grid of conductive dots right? You'd need two separate grids of dots if you're going to use one-wire. Would you superposition both grids? Then it would short. If you have one 'band' on top and one band below, then it's just a rail setup.
There's nothing special about ground, it's the same as a digital pin set to low (from an M/C perspective). You don't need to have two separate grids. Just try out combinations of pins as data/power and ground until you get a set that works and float (disconnect/set as input) the others.