Which Media

Introduction

This article should serve as a point of discussion for choice of daily media. We all are required to keep track of life's events; whether it be in written form, in printed form, in digitally scanned form, online; but where do these lines become blurred? When is one medium more appropriate for storing information, and when are we creating problems for ourselves by using our chosen methods? This article serves as a discussion about the mediums themselves, and not the technical challenges or experiences surrounding them.

Media Exploration: Offline Storage

Offline storage for me is potentially a case-closed, although I will discuss it later (When Media). I choose to to store all information, or as much as possible, in digitally scanned form. Whenever I receive say a bank statement, that statement is scanned in as a searchable PDF document which is then stored in an offline location. The originals are then destroyed, with the option to reprint when required.

Benefits of this method include a searchable, non-degradeable, portable method. An entire life's history can be taken with you in a portable, cross-compatible form. Issues with this method include security implications, possible data loss if backups are not maintained, and having to keep original copies of certain documentation that you may have to provide at a later date (certificates for example).

Media Exploration: Google Notebook

Google Notebook at its release, was for me a way forward. It appeared to be the solution I had been looking for. Quick streamlined user interface, an option for both public and private storage, and provided by one of my favourite pioneers. I quickly backtracked here, because Google Notebook had some very coherent flaws. No images (or limited support), a messy (albeit clean to-the-view) user interface which garbled text input, no editing by untrusted sources and once it had began filling up... very slow indeed. It served one purpose however, it sparked my innovation, and told me that there must be something better out there.

Media Exploration: HTML

HTML was a medium that I briefly considered. With myself at the helm it would have the advantages of being clean, and quick to access. The disadvantages to this method however would be that files would need to be coded by laborious HTML, manual uploading of files would be required, there would be no dynamic editing and no area for external comments. In short, it was a method with potential, but just lacked an ease of use feel. It should be noted that although I considered HTML, it was never actually used.

Media Exploration: Blogger

Again, with Google's acquisition of Blogger, I was excited. Could this be the method I had been looking for? It certainly had the features of Google Notebook, with a quick streamlined user interface, an option for public and private storage and again the support of Google; but there was something missing. Although Blogger really brought home a blogger style feel, it lacked manageability for non blogger content. For example, every entry had to be organised by date. It also followed Google Notebook in garbling input, meaning that editing or adding information was sometimes a hit and miss affair. I understood this, that Blogger was never meant to be a general use all medium, but I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, so the search continued.

Media Exploration: Wiki

Wiki was a medium that I had previously ignored. Certain that it must be some type of collaboration deal, and used only for project based recording, I had completely dismissed it. It wasn't until I started looking into wiki that I became interested. I became aware that wikis could be used for the smallest sites, for a huge array of data management needs. I had found my solution.

Wiki was online, quick to access, quick streamlined user interface and an option for public and private storage. With wiki, content could be categorised, could be commented on by registered users and where appropriate, edited by those same users. If a user saw that one of my notes was incorrect, that same user could correct it. If a user had more information on a subject I had written about then that user could add that information, not in comment form but actually into the main body of the information.

Wiki had a few flaws; HTML content could not easily be added. To be able to add HTML content a security setting had to be disabled, lowering the security of the wiki. Additionally secure HTTPS could not be used for extra sensitive information, HTTPS seemed to have an adverse effect on the wiki. Image management would be my last gripe, because images had to be uploaded using a built in uploader and then referenced from within the wikipage.

Conclusion

As you can guess I finally settled on the wiki medium of online data management and digital archiving for the storage of offline information. The next question, and indeed point for discussion will be not Which Media, but When Media; a look into proprietary when using different types of media.