OurStory.com - Get the whole family in on it
I spent a few minutes this morning stumbling around the web, and happened upon OurStory.com - a web2 site that’s offering people a means for cataloging events by visual, annotated timelines.
I actually see this as being similar to a genealogy software suite, as the timelines are quite broad. What’s unique here is that it’s collaborative (one of the things that’s been missing from conventional genealogy suites), it’s web-based, and it appears to be free. That being said, I’m sure that the truly exploit its functionality, one will want to upgrade; it’s in Beta, and I don’t see any pricing options yet…so who knows?
Initially, I guessed this was yet another blogging site, but their blurbs are pretty good:
Stories about our life experiences help make us who we are. Collect the big and little moments of your life and organize them with OurStory’s easy-to-use timeline. Tell your stories at your pace, whenever you have a few minutes, from any computer.
Sadly, one of the first things that enters my mind when I see cool new sites like this is: “Okay, will this site still be around in two years? Will I dump hours into a great new “timeline,” only to find out that the company’s gone bankrupt?” It’s a fair question - but at least they offer the option to print out your timelines once they’ve been done.
As I was reading the list of features, I remember thinking, “Wow, I’m surprised Apple didn’t include something like this in iPhoto.”
Check it out.
December 27th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Tim,
Glad you found us. You raise a good point about persistence of your work…we plan on being around, but just in case, at any time you can get a DVD (good for about 100 years) with all your photos and writings on it…throw that in the safe deposit box for the grandkids.
But the real pleasure is to be had right now, not later, as you find a new voice in the context of consciously writing about your past and present life events with an eye to the future…and you will find the voices of kindred spirits in OurStory who create a captured correspondence on common experiences, questions, beliefs, and events. This experience now just happens to carry with it the growth of a priceless collection of your thoughts, photos, and conversations with family and friends. I have been told by relatives and friends that there is a magnum jump in the quality of communication and connection they experience with me now, simply as a result of reading and occasionally commenting/reflecting on my entries in OurStory.
Now if only I can get my older brother to join the rest of my family in OurStory, the multiple Halliday perspectives on our lives from the 1950’s to the present might be more complete!
best regards,
Andy
http://www.ourstory.com/andy
December 27th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
Thanks for the response.
I’ve actually shared the site with my wife, and after reading my post (with your response), she’s going to give it a go.
I’ll provide some updates as we move forward with it.
Cheers!