Benefits to Pointsware as a web application

The Sketchup 3d modeling environment available for download over at google, contains an API written for ruby and might make a logical next step as a venue for the visualization of output from Pointsware.
A 3d environment of interconnected concepts configuring themselves based on query terms sounds very compelling. I however am only slightly wooed by the flash of a 3d implementation, and more interested in a migration to a web application.

The application I am envisioning provides the user with a site where they paste a block of compound subject,complement clauses (formatted like the dataset.txt) into a text field and run the code on the website. A .ps file is generated and displayed or downloaded to the users local machine. This way a user has the convince of not being burdened with the installation of ruby and all the subsequent, perhaps novel use of the command line.

This type of web application also provides for hosting of peoples dataset information, editing of stored data through a handheld device, and possible mingling of datas with other people who also have stored datasets. think of a social networking site that conducts latent semantic analysis on your supplied text... how scary... o wait they all do that to you already. (ever wonder why the adds that popup next to your email have relevance to things that you have been emailing about.) (EVERYONE BACK TO PINE!1!!11!!) just kidding.

Out of all the things that a web application would provide the most important to Pointswares use pedagogically is the ability to be accessed remotely via a handheld device. Not for the reason of being able to create analysis from any where, which might be nice. but rather for the ability to record ideas at any point during the day.

Here is the significant relevance, there is a difference between the setting aside of time for the disciplined studio practice of journaling or keeping a sketchbook of ideas, and recording ideas during the course of the day as they occur to you. The difference is composed in large part by the artificial pressure you exert on your brain to come up with or remember ideas that happened recently. The simple solution to this is always have access to some type of record making device. A small pad of paper, a small sketchbook, audio recorder, pda, smart phone anything that is comfortable for your situation to be carried with you at all times.

I have always had trouble getting students to buy into carrying a sketchbook as a daily practice. It is all to easy to feel burdened by an object which needs to be remembered and administrated. Students tell me that it is so hard to remember to take it with them everywhere. To this I love to point out that they all remembered their cell phone.

This is funny, but at the same time useful. Everyone carries a cellphone and most new phones have a notepad feature. (encoding issues withstanding) These devices with their ability to make simple textfiles are the perfect tool for maintaining ideas in the subject,complement clause format used by Pointsware.

It is my opinion and experience that useful ideas are synthesized from contact with daily activity and a current problem your mind is trying to solve. when this synthesis occurs it is best captured immediately or all to often it will flow out of short term memory and be forgotten. My hope for this software system is to harness the wealth of creative effort that a person produces over the course of time and provide a platform for its access.