Andrew Louis Talk on Memex

A Note from Andrew:

First proposed in 1945, the Memex was supposed to be the ultimate personal library. Users would be able to sit in front of this desk-sized device and navigate through information, organize it, link it together, and share it with others. Unfortunately, it was never built. 

73 years later, I’m attempting to build a digital Memex. I’ve digitized records from my past and created data importers for the dozens of different online services I use. Almost all my personal history from the last fifteen years is now available through a graphical user interface — every message, every photo taken, every thought recorded, every web site visited, every song listened to, and more.

Beyond just being a practical tool, this project has become an experiment in exploring how far I can go in making my past available for retrieval and introspection. What new behaviour and abilities emerge? What changes about my relationship with the past and present? How do I visualize myself and my place in the world?

For more information about the project: https://hyfen.net/memex/

Bio:

Andrew is a software developer based in Toronto. He’s currently working on building a digital Memex as well as researching the history of similar projects. Previously, he was the co-founder and CTO of ShopLocket, an ecommerce startup acquired in 2014. When he’s not coding, he spends his time on  obsessive projects such as attempting to bike on every street in Toronto, taking photos of only doors (instagram: @hyfen), and making voxel art.