The System
From Meta Desktop
[edit] How things link together
This diagram describes how the system will work. It is a breakdown of the principal elements, and how they interact. A discussion of each component follows the diagram.
Note. All paths are bi-directional.
Image:High-level core flow rev4.png
[edit] Parts of the system
The diagram is divided into two main parts. Above the dotted line is the machine layer, invisible to the user, and below it is the user layer with human-interactive elements.
- Shows the main Data pool: Our 'shelfless', flat pool of files on a disk.
- Shows the Metadata index an index of files and data on the system capable of being interrogated via the API
- The Facet map informs the rest of the system of the taxonomic data structure upon which the filtering mechanism functions. Is informed itself by machine and user generated metadata. (The facet map needn't necessarily be file based)
- The API which the machine-layer and user-layer applications communicate through
- The Filtering application which could be a stand-alone user application or provide services to the file browser and command line
- The File browser enhanced so traditional tree-views and enhanced 'smart' views can be accommodated. The file browser would communicate heavily with the filtering application and have natural-language tools
- The Save & open dialogs, enhanced with suggestions based on facets and headings in the facet map. These dialogs suggest and add metadata to saved files and filter on metadata to open files
- The shell, with enhanced core programs (like ls)
- Smart directories allow filtering criteria to be applied as 'rules' to display files qualifying set criteria. These smart directories should be 'inheritable', i.e. a smart directory inside another inherits its parent's 'smartness'
- Traditional directories can be used too. Individual files can be located in multiple traditional directories allowing for the retention and enhancement of the traditional system.
- Finally, a File, as presented to the user or to an application.
[edit] User flow
Image:High-level user flow rev1.png
From a user perspective the system is very simple: Informed by information already in the facet map the machine and user contribute metadata which is incorporated back into the facet map. The filtering application uses the facet map information to return files to the user.
Next: In detail
