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RubyConf 2018 - Building a Memex (with Ruby!) Andrew Louisa In 1945, the Memex was supposed to be the ultimate personal library. In addition to storing information, users could navigate, organize, link, and share data. But tragically, it was never built. 73 years later, I’m building one in Ruby. I’ve created dozens of importers for different services I use, organized the 10M data points into a graph schema, and used Ruby to tie everything together. Almost all aspects of my life and personal history are now available through an API. I’ll go over the history of the Memex, how I used Ruby to build my own, and do a demo of what I can do with it.
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In his presentation at RubyConf 2018, Andrew Louis discusses his personal project, the Memex, which draws inspiration from Vannevar Bush's original concept from 1945. The Memex was envisioned as a revolutionary tool for organizing and navigating personal information and experiences. Andrew recounts the historical context behind Bush's ideas, particularly highlighting how the overwhelming influx of information during World War II led to the necessity for better information management tools. He outlines his journey of creating a personal Memex using Ruby to address challenges in personal archiving, detailing the following key points: - **Historical Perspective**: Andrew explains the significance of Vannevar Bush and his 1945 essay "As We May Think," where he proposed the Memex as a device for personal information management, emphasizing the need for tools to help individuals navigate their increasing data. - **Personal Archiving Challenge**: Andrew shares his passion for tracking personal history and experiences, which inspired him to build a system that consolidates various personal data sources like RSS feeds, browsing history, and digital communications into one cohesive database. - **Demo of the Memex**: He conducts a live demonstration showcasing the Memex's capabilities, such as visualizing queries related to GitHub activities or music history, enabling him to navigate his personal experiences effectively. - **Technical Implementation**: Andrew details the architecture of his Memex application, including the use of Electron for the interface and PostgreSQL for data storage, while discussing the importers needed for gathering data from various services. - **Challenges Encountered**: Throughout the development, Andrew faced significant hurdles with collecting personal data from various sources, such as the complexity of APIs and data structures of services like Kindle and iMessages. He emphasizes the difficulty of maintaining personal data control and navigating outdated or unreliable APIs. - **Philosophical Insights**: The presentation ties back to Bush's vision of using technology for personal insight, encouraging developers to create tools that empower individual users. Andrew stresses the continuous importation of personal data for better self-understanding and reflection over time. In conclusion, Andrew invites feedback on his work and expresses his desire to share it as an open-source project, highlighting the importance of personal data management tools in today’s digital landscape. He aims to ensure users maintain control of their data while fostering insights into their lives and memories.
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