donutag

A note tag placed on a two-dimensional space such as a map, store shelf or Website. The premise is that well-rounded content and ads for micro-enterprises or endeavors can not be well managed or placed at the global level. It’s targeted for a local level. The control of content lies within the power of a local representative, or franchise. They have a vested interest in it. A highly intuitive interface allows users to easily and quickly submit business or noncommercial information and customize their tag by dragging ads, pictures or background images onto a landing pad. Right on the tag. Right now. No apps. No search engine. No SEO. No 17 million results. No Webmaster.

The system is all modular and portable in structure. It is meant to provide vast amounts of useful information, be ever-growing, and yet — and this is key — almost completely self-sustainable, with users trading ad space for content.

Why is it unique and important? 1). It takes a menagerie of tagging systems and pulls them together under one roof. If users enjoy the familiarity and consistent uniformity, you own the roof. If catches on, users will flock to a system their friends an colleagues also use — there's a lot at stake! 2). This product opens up the possibility of tapping into about 75 percent more Web content than is currently in circulation. That’s a bold statement — how could that be possible? Well, it invites the masses by going way beyond those looking for pizzas, car rentals and hotels. It treats commercial and noncommercial as equal. It easily dances fluidly between inter- and intra- business. One system for both information and commerce. One system for both retail and management.

Doesn't the internet already do this? Yes and no. Yes, content is out there if you have the resources to produce, update and sell it. No, it’s a mess. It’s weighted and biased; confusing and expensive. A streamlined approach offers more balanced content, and more of it. This just does not exist right now — and the company that can realize this opportunity will be a future leader. And the company stuck in the status quo will be left behind.

Peer into the future:

donutag screen grabs

Take a quick peek:

I’ve struggled for a couple of years to define what this product actually does. I do know, however, that it has the potential to do a lot. It challenges the very foundation of what we conceive as the Web itself. In that it’s a template written for open source expansion, its boundaries are ever expanding.

The paradox is that it’s designed NOT to have a definition. A definition would mean boundaries. Just parameters for consistency and most of all — simplicity, and all the benefits that come with that simplicity.

At first, I targeted what I considered holes in the Google/search engine method of processing information. Particularly, the idea of gathering ALL information, and then working backward to sort and find relevant data. It works, don't get me wrong, but it seems like a terribly inefficient approach for some of the tasks it's used for. An A-to-Z approach, similar to a printed Yellow Pages directory seems more logical and efficient approach for many applications — where only data needed are collected. Other issues I have with this process are that it is intrusive, in that it needs to collect all data; it depends on the search engine to decide what is relevant to you, which is: 1) open to corruption of influence, 2) poorly responsive in that it asks a global entity to give local answers — could McDonald’s realistically fill your drive-through order of fries from Oak Brook, Illinois? and 3) requires your personal history to determine your future needs; and information seems like it could be more naturally secure if delivered in sealed packets.

The donutag approach involves sorting information based on groups and categories from the get-go. This information is then modularized for portability to different, ever-changing platforms.

I find the history of how the Web has evolved to be fascinating. Certain models, or dare I go retro and say “killer apps”, have changed and twisted the course to give us the picture we see today.

But what if browsers and models had evolved differently? What if fate took a different turn? Things might look a lot different.

With the evolution of devices, they certainly will look different in the future. Older models will be stressed.

Perhaps an alternative foundation or backbone is in order. I propose a lite, streamlined outer skin. Maybe put the Web on a diet?

Keith Kraus

(By alternative, I literally mean “alternative.”
I am not suggesting changing what already exists,
just exploring new horizons.)

This is my take on the parameters to strive for:

donutagTM cheat sheet 1

Master
panels
control
key:

Intro

Glance

Scenarios

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