My opinions on PIM

 I have great interest in PIM and have spent all my spare-time on this area in 2 years.  My opinion in PIM is the research would follow the theroy of memory in Cognition Psychology. Memory problem in PIM , especially on Desktop, is the main problem causes other problems.  1) "I forgot the location of a file I downloaded a week ago", it's Long-Term Memory problem.  2) "In multi-task environment, I forgot what did i read few minute ago", it's Short-Term Memory problem.  3) "In multi-task environment, when I finished a cut-in task, I forgot what did I think before this task", it's Working Memory problem.  4) "I would do something in 10 minutes, but I forgot it at that time", it's Prospective Memory problem. Memory problem is an encoding problem. For example, 1. Why people like "pile up" files on computer desktop. It's easy to encode if file is on the desktop. Users often encode files on desktop by location, icon's color or shape, the first word of filename or file created time. Filename is uncommonly used for encoding, it’s always used for confirming if it's the right thing when a user finds a candidate during the retrieving process. Obviously, the location, the icon's color and shape, and the first word of its filename are easily to encode than its full filename in human memory. 2. Why people need folder on computer. Files are usually moved under a folder for following direct reasons,  1) Just archiving some files togethor as a file. Yes, work as a file, for example the folder contains a VC++ project, it has .sln file, .cpp file, .h file. The folder can be treated as a file.  2) Task folder. Users always create a folder for a task to collect the files, which are used in that task.  3) Concept and child concept. For instance, there is a folder(concept) named “Computer”, it has several sub folders(child concept), “UI”, “Network”, “Security”, “OS”, “Hardware”, etc. People use folders to cut down the number of items in a view. Because, as the theory of Short-Term Memory, human can only handle 7±2 items in Short-Term Memory. 3. Why out of sight out of memory? It often appeared on the memory for information scraps. If users move scrap files or folders into a folder for archiving and the folder isn’t very active. The items in that folder will be forgotten in one or more monthes. After a year, users even cannot remember what the items in that folder is. As theory of long-term memory, the code should be enhanced by repeating. If you don’t see the items, you cannot repeat the code you memory give to these items. Then you forgot them.

 I’v created several prototypes by VC++, Asp.net+Ajax and Python(with wxPython). Now, I’m trying to enhance the Windows explorer.exe to support the user memory on desktop.