Time Machine File Manager

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Time Machine File Manager
Interface Design, and semantics of a time
traveling file manager
Namespace
Sandeep Ranade
Final project, Advanced Distributed Systems
Department of Computer Science Johns Hopkins
University
Time
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Interface design (1)
Date Zoom In
Date Zoom Out
Path Edit Bar
Time Changer Clock
Date Slider
Time Status Bar
Status Bar
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Interface design (2)
Resets time to current time, and place to Home
directory
Current Directory View (At selected Time)
Creates a Portal (Shell Console) at the selected
Time, in the selected directory
Shows different versions in time, of the selected
file/directory
In the Version View, Compares selected version
with the current time file
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Features (in the present)

• Interface built on the Time-Machine Metaphor
• Intuitive graphical user interface, enabling you
  to master Namespace and Time
• See the file system state change as you time
  travel!
• Easy access to past time, using Date-Slider-Bar
  and Time-Changer-Clock
• Zoom in and Zoom out to control window of
  time-travel
• Portal in time and space using the Shell-In-Time
  button
• Version View
• Version Comparison View
• Two status bars File System status and Time
  status

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Features (in the future)

• Search in Time and Space
• Capturing Temporal structure for easy transport
• Remembering special files in the past using
  Bookmarks
• File Browser features (drag and drop, context
  menus, restoring a version, etc)
• Enhanced visualization of timelines, activity
  clustering, event markers, etc

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Different Semantics
Application Semantics
vs
User Semantics

• File Inode , File ? Path
• Rename (file ? new_file) ?
• Copy (file ? new_file) Delete(file)
• if inode(file1) inode(file2) N
• ? file1 file2
• /a_at_t1/b/c ? /a/b_at_t1/c ? /a/b/c_at_t1
• /a_at_t1/b_at_t2/c_at_t3 cd ..
• /a_at_t1/b_at_t2 cd ..
• /a_at_t1

• File Path
• Rename (file ? new_file)
• Copy (file ? new_file) Delete(file)
• if path(file1) path(file2) P
• ? file1 file2
• (/a_at_t1/b/c /a/b_at_t1/c) /a/b/c_at_t1
• /a_at_t1/b_at_t2/c_at_t3 cd ..
• /a_at_t1/b_at_t3 cd ..
• /a_at_t3

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Screenshots
Standard View
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Screenshots
Version View
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Screenshots
Compare View
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Screenshots
Shell In Time
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Conclusion

• Time Machine metaphor translated to the User
  Interface
• Space in Time Machine ? Namespace in File System
• Time in Time Machine ? Time in File System
• Easy time traveling interface
• Powerful paradigm, effective visualization of
  time
• Effective in finding important files
  lost/changed/destroyed in the past
• Allows visual comparison between versions and
  current state for ease of locating versions with
  important changes
• Gives mastery over Space and Time in File System