Week 8 Brett Harmon on Databases.

I feel glad that we had to look into digital databases this week because I feel like sometimes projects like these can be looked over and dismissed quickly just because they are the collections of information and stories. When in fact databases are treasure troves on information and the chronicling of stories from everyone that is affected by whatever the database is talking about.

Take the good life for example, when we are learning of the United States’ history of intervention in Latin America we are just told the facts, the Monroe Doctrine, Panama Canal etc. What are often glossed over are how the people were affected and their lasting impressions. As I clicked though several of the videos I found some of the responses interesting. Many seemed bitter at the United States for causing their countries to rely on the US totally, but then their feeling that they had been abandoned. Here are all of these people from different countries saying many of the same things all in one place that was available for consumption.

Postsecret has been something that has fascinated me for quite some time. For full disclosure I used to look at the site at least once a week, looking at what people where telling to a complete stranger knowing that their horrible secret will be posted on the internet for all to see. Unlike the other websites that we looked at Postsecret is unique in that there is no real way to search throughout the site for a specific type of secret. Yes you can go back though the archives but that will take quite a bit of time. The site is kind of like an actual secret being told, it is said and then after a time it will be forgotten by most but can be found again if you really want to dig for it.

I think the most comprehensive database though was the Hurricane Digital Memory Bank. With this site a viewer can search and find stories, pictures, and information about two of the worst Hurricanes in recent memory. It has information from before during and after the storms to make sure that as much information about these events is not forgotten.

The one thing that links all of these items is the audience participation that is required for them to survive. Without people mailing in their secrets than Postsecret would have no way to survive, the Hurricane Memory Bank while has official photos from government sites and news organizations, is made a richer site with the fact that people can upload their own stories and photos to the site to make for am a far more compelling database. Without participation databases can be useful, but they are sterile and are just the facts, adding in participation adds more to the databases and will ultimately help them survive.