User:YoungViet23/My sandbox

Flickr
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-08at74718PM.png

This is one of the best photo management and sharing websites in the world.

Technological Infrastructure
The Flickr infrastructure is built to serve the application and photographs at top speed, and the design of the site is optimized for searching, viewing and exploring images.

What are the tiers?
Tiers are different layers of the information system and it consists of the presentation, processing, and data tier. These three tiers intertwine with each each other as follows: the data tier is where all the information is stored, it is moved by the information system (processing) and is transferred to the presentation tier where it can be viewed by the end user.

What happens at each tier?
All three of the tiers help in providing the user experience.

Presentation
The Presentation Tier is all about decorations and different controls that the end user can control. It is the page type, input controls, and action controls that is presented on the monitor.

Processing
In the processing tier this is where everything is updated to get to the presentation tier. All the tables, columns, rows are updated and there are algorithms that work to get the tables, columns, and rows to show up in the presentation tier.

Data
The data tier is where all the tables and columns are held, it is pretty much the data warehouse storing all the information until it needs specific things pulled out

What is a function?
A function is something that you can do on the site that aids in providing the user experience. They are made up of algorithms that the user can utilize to have more options.

Why these are the most important functions to cover
These are the most important functions to cover because these are the functions that make Flickr what it is. Without Contacts and Groups, one wouldn't be able to share their info with other people. Commenting makes it so that when Contacts and Groups do see your photos, they can give their opinion on the photo, otherwise what would the point be to show others your photos other than getting feedback? Also, sometimes images can be very abstract, various comments help viewers to have a better understanding about the information or knowledge of the image, so they can get more involved than just looking at a beautifully shot photo. Uploading is the main point of Flickr, to upload photos. Explore is the fun way to view images outside of your Contacts and your own photos to find other people who could be possible Contacts or people who one could add to their group(s).

Flickr Contacts
The main point of Flickr is to share photos or videos with the people you know. You can use the contacts function to stay updated with other photographers, people who have similar interests or your colleagues.

User Interface
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at65656PM-1.png The image above depicts Flickr’s Contact User Interface.

Recent Uploads
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at65656PM-1.png

One part of Flickr’s Contact UI (User Interface) is the ability to view one’s contact’s recent uploads. Within the “Recent uploads” link, one can choose to sort by the “Date uploaded”, they can choose from “All Contacts” or only “Friends and family” and they can choose to see either “1 (photo) per person” or “5 (photos) per person”.

Photos of Your Contacts
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at72633PM.png Within the “Photos of Your Contacts” tab, one can view photos in which their contacts are tagged in.

Contact List
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at72639PM.png The main part of the Contacts function is the “Contact List”. Within the tab, it has a filter to show; everybody, friends, family or both friends and family. Or one can perform a search of their contacts. Within the tab one can also view their blocked contacts in “Your Block List”. It’s important to note that the “Contact List” displays all of the people one has added as their contact; this includes people who have accepted and people who haven’t accepted their friend request.

Who Calls You a Contact?
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at72645PM.png The “Who Calls You a Contact?” tab shows everybody on one’s “Contact List” that has received and accepted his or her friend request. This tab also has a filter where it can show: everyone who calls you a contact, one-way contacts and mutual contacts.

Invite
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at72711PM.png The “Invite” tab routes to a different part of Flickr outside of the “Contacts” function in which one can enter his or her friends’ info, then customize their invitation and send it.

Find your friends
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at72705PM.png The Find your friends tab lets one search for friends they may know through their contacts, or one can use their email addresses or social networks. (Yahoo, Hotmail, Facebook, etc).

Basic idea of the algorithm behind the feature
Not one algorithm can be attached to the Contact function. But the way to make contacts itself, which is the main point of the Contacts function has a basic algorithm. The algorithm is for the user to add a friend, the request goes through to the Flickr server, the server sends the request to the friend, then the friend has a choice to either accept or decline.

What info types and organizational structures it uses
The info type that Contacts uses is People. The way Contacts organizes its info is through indexes of the people.

Flickr Explore
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd427/fido4athene/Flickr1.png

The Flickr Explore feature allows the user to browse the database of photos based on different settings from the Explore page on Flickr.

User Interface
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd427/fido4athene/BubbleFlickr-PhotoSharing-GoogleChrome_2011-12-08_22-32-24.png

The main options allow the user to explore photos based on month, A year ago today, sets of photos, groups of photos, and by geo tags.

Basic idea of the algorithm behind the feature
Basic idea of algorithm: The flickr servers display photos based on the options you choose, and the tags each photo has. If, for example, you choose to view photos taken in December 2010, you will get back photos that are tagged to have been taken during that month

What info types and organizational structures it uses
The explore feature uses sequences, and tags to display the photos a user would want to see. Once flickr can identify which tags the user wants to view, the photos are put in order based on the time they were uploaded, this means the newest photos are shown first.

Flickr Upload
http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd439/dkkim0928/?action=view&current=K-1.jpg

Flickr Upload enables the users to upload photos and videos of their choice. Not only can they upload pictures on their PC but they can also upload pictures and videos from their phone, mobile devices, and definitely on the web. This function allows the user to display their interest or their lifestyle to the public. While uploading pictures or videos, Flickr also allows the user to add titles, descriptions, or tags.

User Interface
http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd439/dkkim0928/?action=view&current=K-3.jpg

The User Interface (UI) in uploading on Flickr would be "tagging" photos. Tagging could sound familiar due to tagging on Faceboook but tagging on Flickr is quite different. On Flickr, if you tag a word to a photo, then you have the ability to search for all the photos with the tags that you have put. For example, if the user uploaded a photo of Steve Jobs and tagged the photo as "Steve Jobs," then the user would be able to find all the other photos on Flickr that contains the tag "Steve", "Jobs", or "Steve Jobs". This UI of tagging on Flickr allows the users to easily find pictures similiar to those that they have uploaded and it could be easier to find people those who have common interests of Flickr.

Basic idea of the algorithm behind the feature
http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd439/dkkim0928/?action=view&current=K-4.jpg

When uploading a photo or a video on flickr, it is uploaded into an album that the user created. By uploading the specific photo or the video, it goes into the album and it is automatically arranged in the date that it was uploaded to the album. For example, if a photo of the London Bridge was taken and uploaded yesterday and the photo of the Space Needle was taken today and uploaded today, the Space Needle would be placed in front of the London Bridge in the album. The algorithm is for the user to upload the photo or the video, then it is uploaded into an album of the user's choice, then it is shown to the public or to the user.

What info types and organizational structures it uses
Uploading is a info type itself which includes many attributes. The attributes consist of choice, setting, and tagging. The value for choice would be choosing which photos or videos to upload; value for setting would be enabling the photo to be shown to the public or in private; and the value for tagging would be choosing who you want to add to the photo. As stated, uploaded photos are arranged by time it was uploaded.

User Interface
Commenting on Flickr is a feature where you can comment on various objects. Flickr allows people to share opinions and communicate freely. Comment section opens more discussions regarding the content, and let others have a better understanding about the content as well.

Basic idea of the algorithm behind the feature
Comments are organized and showed based on when comments are posted, top to bottom corresponds with the earliest comment to the latest comment. There is user name, comment content, profile picture, time that shows when the comment is posted. When click on user name, it will take you to this particular user's own profile, same function with the profile picture. When click on time, the comment section will start to show all the comments from that time period, near the time button is reply button, when click on that, you can reply to this particular comment. At the bottom of the comment section is your own comment box, you can type your comment in it, also there are various functions like different formatting, preview your comment. Besides commenting, there is also an 'faves' function, allows users to add photos to their favorites.

What info types and organizational structures it uses
Commenting is its own info types, it contains many attributes. These attributes are comment content, users, reply, favorites. The value for content is the text that describes the photo. Value for user is it can take you to that user's profile. Value for reply is to response to other's comments. Value for favorites is you can add photos to your favorite list. The comment section is organized by time; earliest comment goes on top of the comment list, the latest goes to the end.

Flickr Grouping
Grouping on Flickr is a feature where you can group different pictures together. Flickr allows people to organize their pictures into groups that can fall into the same heading. These pictures usually relate to each other in one way or another.

User Interface
When you see a group of pictures, sometimes the relationship can't be seen. They are in fact organized possibly by date, location, or some other relevance. You take a group of pictures and than make a folder where all those pictures can be aggregated. It looks sort of like Facebook where you have all your profile pictures in one album and all other pictures in another album. You can click on the album and all the pictures from that set will show up. Once in the album, you can click the thumbnail of the photo to view it in its original scale.

Basic idea of the algorithm behind the feature
When you click on "Make a Group?" you are clicking a link that creates a new web page in which you have control. It is a simple algorithm where the most recent groups are the ones that show up first. You click "Make a Group" and then the group will be formed and you can tell Flickr which pictures you want in that group. You upload different pictures from your computer to that corresponding group. When done, you will have different headings for each set of pictures and they will be ordered by dates.

What info types and organizational structures it uses
A group is its own info type and that group contains many attributes. Those attributes are considered to be a heading and the pictures contained in that group. The value for heading are texts that would describe the group and the value for the pictures in the group would be .jpeg files. The groups are organized by having a heading for that group and the pictures inside that group is organized by dates. It is organized however the user sees fit. They could put random pictures in one group thats heading doesn't relate but usually most people are not that unorganized.

What is an info model?
An info model is a way to model information. The information is modeled in different parts that consist of types, attributes, value patterns and the relationships between types. An info type is a way to structure information and organize it. Each info type's purpose is to create, store, and display data. In these info types there are various different attributes. For example, a name, address and sex are all attributes for the info type "People". In essence different types contain different attributes that are specific to them. Attributes have value patterns that are specific to that attribute, these value patterns are the letters or numbers you enter for that specific attribute. For example, the name attribute can only contain letters like John Smith and the phone number attribute may only contain numbers like (123)456-7890. The there are relationship between types where the specific type can be linked to another type by some attribute. For example, an artist has a song and a song has a recording but a recording does not have an artist. They are all linked in some order that makes it unique.

Info Model of Flickr
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd427/fido4athene/Infotypediagram.png

Intro for people who are not familiar with this kind of diagram
An info model displays the interactions between different information types of an information system. In this particular info model the photo is the center of attention, with different information types branching off.

Why these are the most important info types to cover
In Flickr, the five most important information types are Albums, Groups, People, Comments, and Photos. Without any of those information types flickr would not work the same. Flickr is a photo sharing website designed so people can share photos, and comment on photos that strike them as interesting in some way. With the use of groups and albums Flickr users can stumble upon photos with similar qualities that they, the user, may enjoy.

People
Info model of people

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Flickrinfotype.png

Info item of person screenshot

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-06at72645PM-1-1.png

Photos
Diagram of each type you cover

http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd439/dkkim0928/?action=view&current=K-1-1.jpg

Attributes

The attributions to photos are comments, tags, and descriptions.

Value patterns

The attribute of comments have a value pattern of the user's id that they use to comment on the photo. In the attribute of tags there is a value pattern of text and a link that leads to the same tags. The attribute of descriptions have a value pattern of .txt format.

Screenshot of one item of the type in the system’s UI with Callouts to attributes

http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd439/dkkim0928/?action=view&current=K-3-1.jpg

Groups
Info Item for Groups

http://s1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/hoangale001/?action=view&current=Groupstype.png

Attributes

The attributes in the Groups type are discussions, people, and pictures.

Value patterns

Within the discussions attribute there are words that have a value patteren of.txt. In the people attribute there are names of that people that have a value pattern of letters and numbers. In the picture attribute there are pictures with a value pattern of .jpeg.

One item of Group

http://s1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/hoangale001/?action=view&current=flickr-Groups-1.png

Albums
Diagram of each type you cover

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd427/fido4athene/Albumsmodel.png

Attributes

Albums have photos and comments. People on Flickr create albums.

Value patterns

Photos are the images that are uploaded, they are then tagged and titled. The comments are created by other users that have something to say about the photo. They contain text. The albums themselves contain photos, and a title of the overall theme of the album.

Screenshot of one item of the type in the system’s UI with Callouts to attributes

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd427/fido4athene/loveyoutilldeathdouspartFlickr-PhotoSharing-GoogleChrome_2011-12-09_10-13-19.png

Comments
Diagram of each type you cover

http://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/z459/yello921119/?action=view&current=Untitled2.png

Attributes

Attributes in the Comments are users, content, reply.

Value patterns

Within the users attribute there are personal profiles. In the content attribute, there are texts about the images, In the reply attribute, there are content on previous comments.

Screenshot of one item of the type in the system’s UI with Callouts to attributes

http://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/z459/yello921119/?action=view&current=C9DF4CD9-A314-4A98-ACE1-23EA59ADAC0F.jpg

What are organizational structures?
Organization structures is structures of organization. There are four types of organizational structures including: Hierarchies, Sequences, Links and Indexes. Hierarchies is info within info. For example, when one is on Facebook, they can find photos within albums, albums within profiles, and profiles within Facebook. In hierarchical order is thus: Facebook>Profiles>Albums>Photos. Sequences are information next to information. For example, pictures in a row is a sequence. Links are just hyperlinks that link to somewhere else that doesn't expand anything. Ads for example, are links. Indexes are tables of data organized either numerically or alphabetically. Below are examples of these organizational structures.

Heirarchy
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd427/fido4athene/WelcometoFlickr-GoogleChrome_2011-12-09_08-11-35.png

Most of the navigation on Flickr is organized hierarchically. An example of how this is organized is in the picture where everything that deals with the user's controls such as maps and tags are located under the "you" heading on the top navigation bar.

Sequences
http://s1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/hoangale001/?action=view&current=Sequence.png

Uploading is the most important feature on Flickr because it allows the user to post pictures. These pictures (Info Type) are ordered through date uploaded and then can be organized with a calender as the screenshot reveals. You can go through different months by clicking the month (or link) before or after the current month. Using upload is very easy because all you have to do is click upload and choose the picture you want on your computer. If the user doesn't organize it than Flickr automatically does it by date. This data or pictures in terms of information are organized by a sequence.

Links
http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd439/dkkim0928/?action=view&current=K-5.jpg

There are multiple links on Flickr that leads the user to another website or to another web page. This link shown on the picture is a link that leads to "Flickr Blog" which is a place where the user can see the best pictures or the most viewed photos of other users blogs. The link that leads to the blog and leading to a new page help the users of Flickr to see the best pictures and the most issued pictures on the website. This link to the Flickr Blog is just one of the many links on Flickr. The user clicking on each link will be led to a new site with new information.

Indexes
http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h450/Huyzeehuy/Screenshot2011-12-08at73422PM.png

The contact list is organized in multiple ways, but to sort it by username one can place usernames in alphabetical order and this become an index. One could also sort by “Public photos” or “Last Upload” showing the lowest number or highest number first and then going from lowest to highest or highest to lowest. The info type “People” is being organized in this index. The usability of this is quite simple, one merely has to click the “Name”, “Pubic Photos” or “Last Upload…” link and the it’ll be organized by that attribute.

The index within the Contacts List is simple enough to use, to organize by alphabetical order, one needs merely to click on the name hyperlink and it will be organized as such. With its simplicity, it makes it easy to use.