Te open source operating system allows people to visually sculpt, remix and

synthesize bits of data (text, images, video, sound) into hybrid, interactive document
maps. Te two primary metaphors which guide its functionality and way of thinking are
time and space, unlike other systems which are based on hierarchies of les and folders.
In regards to the metaphor of space, documents are composed on a single boundless
canvas, similar to the ways geographical data is navigable with Google Maps. In regards
to time, documents are simply snapshots of a conguration of bits, at specic moments.
One can easily trace the evolution of an individual document by navigating its complete
version timeline, and can trace their work across documents over a given period of time.
Tis is somewhat similar to chronologically traversing posts in facebook, navigating along
commits in version control software, or selectively accessing discrete points of a history
stack in Photoshop. Two additional core ideas are:
variable granularity: any document can be shattered or broken down into smaller bits,
which can be recombined and recongured, a la digital Lego.
the ability to establish connections, or parallels, between bits, and to annotate and
share creations and discoveries built from the content
PARALLELS
is a project consisting of two interdependent parts, an open source operating system
coupled with an open data knowledge base. As one, it allows people to seamlessly
create, connect, and explore the evolution of their ideas, in connection with others.
@makeparallels
STEVEN J. DALE (718) 216.6696 lifeinchords@gmail.com www.cstreams.com @lifeinchords
makeparallels.org
People using the operating system have the ability to seamlessly publish documents
directly via the interface. Data made public is stored in an open data knowledge base. As
a massive, crowdsourced knowledge project, this is similar to Wikipedia, however two key
dierences exist:
1. For the benet of uid interaction, knowledge in Parallels is only accessible inline,
through the use of the operating system. One does not browse to a separate and dedicated
location like parallels.org to access the information in the database, but rather interacts
with bits of knowledge directly on the canvas through the persistent availability of a HUD-
like, extensive search function. Search not just by text, but in novel ways such as image
similarity, shape, color, or parallel type.
2. Te project highlights the beauty in the diversity of perspectives, and is not designed to
guide people towards consensus. Content generated is not curated or moderated. Tis will
present unique navigation and content challenges, though it is an anchoring philosophy.
As an integrated system, Parallels oers new possibilities for creating, exploring and
synthesizing ideas associatively and semantically, without traditional spatial (page) or
temporal (le versioning) boundaries. Tese ideas have been explored independantly in
diagramming, argument mapping, concept mapping, notetaking and document authoring
software, but do not coexist holistically in current software or web systems.