:Mozilla Digital Memory Bank Blog

The Mozilla Map is now quasi-functional and has been integrated into the site (replacing, sadly, the fun map mock-up). Because few of our archive entries are geo-coded, the map is relatively sparse (get to it, people!). Also, there are some bugs to be worked out, including the map’s search function, but we’re getting there.

The completion of this portion of the site puts us one step closer to full functionality! The timeline is still under construction, so enjoy the Men At Work while you can…

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Thank you for all your suggestions for a name for our new software product (see my previous post). The ideas ranged from the historical (“Vaultaire” and “Alexandria”) to the mythical (“Cerberus” and “Griffin”), to the brand loyal (“Memozilla” and “MoMem”).

Which leads me to a clarification: I should have explained that we want to stay away from using any permutation of the word “Mozilla.” Even though Mozilla was our first subject using the new software, it will not be the only subject that the product will feature. The product is simply an online collecting tool for our line of Digital Memory Banks. (Nor do we want to violate Mozilla’s clearly stated trademark policy by abbreviating or combining “Mozilla” with any other word or words.)

That said, I think Christopher Finke’s suggestion of “Vault” plays well with our Digital Memory Bank brand. So, after some consideration, we have chosen “Memory Vault” to round out the brand compatibility. It truly captures the essence of the product as a place to store, organize, and protect digital data and metadata. Thank you Christopher!

I also want to take this opportunity to ask all of you to visit the Mozilla Digital Memory Bank and contribute any stories, anecdotes, or testimonials you have about your experiences with Mozilla products. We appreciate your input!

~ Jim Safley

3 Comments

I need your help.

Branding a project is among the most important actions a project manager can do. It gives the product a personality, and creates a culture where there was none. If conceived before major work is done, a brand name can define the trajectory of the project. This is a mixed blessing, however. I’ve seen too many products that were inspired by an imaginative name rather than an innovative idea. On the other hand, if conceived after major work is done, a brand name must define a hitherto nameless product, a product with an already evolved and mature personality. Naming such a project is almost an act of hubris.

This is my dilemma. The software that drives the Mozilla Digital Memory Bank needs a name. Basically it is an online repository for digital material. It was designed specifically to drive the Center’s line of Digital Memory Banks, projects that collect, present, and preserve testimonials and files from online users. However, it uses a generalized approach to collecting and storing data and metadata, meaning it can be adapted to the particular needs of almost any online collecting project. It is the younger, more streamlined sibling of ADAM, the Center’s first digital archiving software. There are more details, such as geolocation, categories, and a powerful administrative interface, but I’m sure you get the picture.

Unfortunately I did not have the foresight to name this product before or during development, and I am having trouble coming up with a suitable name. Considering my description of the software and your experience with the Mozilla Digital Memory Bank, what would YOU name this product?

I appreciate your input.

~ Jim Safley

12 Comments

Things are moving pretty quickly for the Mozilla DMB here. We currently have over 500 objects entered into the archive, thanks mostly to the heroic efforts of our summer intern Robby. We’ve tended to pluck the low-hanging fruit so far (a natural tendency for historians starting a project I think), so you’ll find a lot of Flickr images, press releases, and status updates, with a few interviews and bibliographic entries sprinkled in.  We are starting to come to fully comprehend the seemingly endless scope of this project, but are excited to be moving forward so quickly already.  Some of our latest discussions have involved whether Google really has any copyright over Usenet discussions (hopefully they will just allow us to republish the material) and how we might ingest blogs (any ideas here would be welcome).

The archive is currently browsable, although the map and timeline features have not been implemented yet.  The map should be live soon, but the timeline will likely take some … well, time to work out.  It should be pretty neat when it comes about, especially if we can work something like this into it.

~Ken

2 Comments