View source for VRM West Coast R-Button Workshop May 2011

Meeting held 2 May 2011 at Computer History Museum

Agenda: determine info and actions needed from R-Button by various entities in Personal Data Ecosystem (PDE).

R-Button: open standard, minimal point of affordance for personal data ecosystem. User-driven data + services, VRM apps. It's the point in your frame (see below) where you manage your context.

'''Diagram 1:'''

ROW 1: Platform (tools that are separate from the app)
(Platform <- Infrastructure -> Data host - row 2)

ROW 2: Data Host : Website (foreground app) (widget/content) : App (sideground and background) (context-based, not www)
Example of apps: Kynetx app, GreaseMonkey, Toolbar
(Website + App are value-added services)

Examples of instantiations:
* Facebook: Facebook connect (on web pages)
* Mydex: Purple Button (on web pages)
* Kynetx: Tiki Button
* Switchbook: Toggler

ROW 3: Individual: 
* ACTION: manage/turn on/off apps/services/permissions
* ACTION: switch contexts
* ACTION: do context-specific things (may be taken care of by an app for that context). 
* INFO: State of relationship: 
** foreground service, 
** content/widget, 
** activity indicator. See Relationship Status below.
* ACTION: access app
* ACTION: r-button preferences
* ACTION: find app

Relationship status with service providers: unknown, active, inactive, terminated, potential


'''Doc's Diagram 2:''' person with thought balloon: (R-Button icon) = "relate"


'''Need:''' to facilitate function to something (icon and function) as ubiquitous as a back or home button. Needs to be on every bar, every browser.

'''Description of process:''' we have a frame (browser) with foreground activities and possibly idle foreground activities (e.g., other open windows or tabs in a browser). We also have some "sideground" that pays attention to foreground and background in a way that can interact.

* Mydex is not a sideground process, not watching the user. 
* Kynetx is a sideground process, watches everything in browser (acting as a platform). 
* Switchbook is a sideground process, watching surfing as foreground app, interacting within frame.
* ListenLog: user logs their own data for their own purposes. (NPR Tuner is foreground, stores in data host, access thru other apps or websites.)

R-Button is managing my context (personas, roles, etc.)
* Role: Privileges (could have liabilities if role has responsibilities)
* Actions -> Liabilities (generally)

'''Missions:''' Do what they don't! 
# Get the data that they don't offer
# Find the app to integrate into the experience

'''Question:''' How does an app get into the R-Button?
Example: 
# Mr.App (link) ->  
# http://mr.app.com/killerapp.mfst -> mime-type will trigger install r-button process
# permissions
## app
## salience - events of interest
## data stores
## UI





more... (keeping the connection alive)