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grocery database | project outline

so my final is going to be a prototype for something possibly larger. below is an outline of what the prototype will entail. on monday, I started cataloging everything I buy at my gelson's (the one that beck shops at, too. most cool people must shop at this store, huh?)

see my recent purchases here

blurb:
I upload the image from the store, and tag it with a set of metadata: the aisle it was purchased from, and the time it was taken off the shelf (from the timestamp, the date of purchase is extrapolated), and another tag that specifies type of purchase: solid, liquid, or other. This data is then stuffed into a database running on my server. For now, this transfer takes place manually, but it's not a huge deal to make this step automatic. The result of all this, is that over time, I will have a large database of all my grocery store purchases, and a decent idea of where these purchases transpired within the space of the store. The user will be able to interact with this database to explore my personal consumption space, and will be able to view/access this data in a number of different ways. The idea behind all this is that users can log on and piece together their own narratives that emerge from my vast purchasing power. The ulterior motive is to create a lasting archive of my eating and food-consumption habits. As the piece grows, a new element of metadata will be added -- a unique userID that allows users to view the consumption patterns of a host of other gelson's patrons. For example, the user could access all the items bought by system particpants on a given day, or a given hour, or view all items bought from aisle 2a. Users particpating in the system could use a path feature to map their own path through the store, then see what other items have been bought along that path on a particular day.

interaction: the UPV interfaces with the work over the web as an observer. The are presented with a series of options as to how to access the content database. The options are as follows: sort by date, hour, aisle, or type (solid, liquid, other). The last option is sort by path. Users are then presented with a rough floorplan of gelson's, and are able to draw a path through the store. When they have completed drawing, they are presented with a list of items that I have purchased on that path.

The UPV starts out with little information, but as they revist the site more and more, then begin building an image of who / what I am by observing the kind of food I buy, and growing narratives from that data.

Intervention in such a system is really based on the proposed system of involvement. In addition, users can interject themselves into my personal narrative by annotating -- commenting -- on individual products.

There is really no start and end to this piece. It will end if I stop deciding to catalogue my purchases and maintain the system. For the user, it is simply a decision of popping in and out of the space by deciding to enter or leave the webpage.