By Dale Farris, Secretary
Golden Triangle PC Club
October 2003

Program Overview

Scopeware Vision 2.1 is the latest upgrade to this powerful Windows-based software tool that helps manage documents and email on local or shared network drives. Whether you are a casual or power user, if you are looking for a solution to help you organize, discover, and easily access your stuff, then Scopeware Vision is for you.

Scopeware Vision 2.1 comes in three editions, including the Free Edition, the Personal Edition, and the Professional Edition.

New Features in Version 2.1

Scopeware Vision v. 2.1 is a significant new release that introduces new features and new modules aimed at further improving your computing experience.

• Outlook Integration
Scopeware Vision 2.1 is integrated with Microsoft Outlook, providing full access to calendar, contacts, notes, and tasks, in addition to email. You can now search within Vision for this personal information (known as PIM) that’s maintained in the Outlook database. When the information is modified in Outlook, Scopeware Vision reflects the updates. In addition, Vision 2.1 provides new saved streams allowing one-click access to your Outlook calendar, contacts, notes, and tasks.

This new level of integration lets Vision users interact with Outlook even more quickly and easily. It’s possible to find contacts or tasks in seconds, thanks to Vision’s powerful indexing engine.

• RSS Support
Scopeware Vision 2.1 supports access to RSS (Really Simple Syndication) information feeds. Vision users can subscribe to their favorite websites and weblogs published in an RSS format. When RSS-enabled websites publish new content, the Vision stream will reflect the updates. See the Vision community website, www.knowyourstuff.com, for a list of popular RSS-enabled websites.

A practical example of RSS functionality: To access world news from multiple websites, you typically have to access each site individually and browse to look for updated content. With Vision, you could add the URL of the RSS feed from your favorite news-oriented websites to your Vision RSS subscription list. As current news is added to the websites, you’ll be able to see this content in the Vision stream. You can pull content from many diverse websites, and it will appear in a single time-ordered sequence as it is posted. And you can filter and search on the content, merging it with other files and email as desired, for more complete information retrieval.

• Document Preview and Hit Highlighting
Preview documents displayed in the Scopeware Vision stream simply by placing your cursor over the document card. If you want a closer view of the document without having to open it in its native application, use the new preview feature. This feature shows you a larger full-page preview of many types of documents. You simply right-click on the document card, then select Preview from the menu. You’ll see a large preview of the file so you can view the contents in detail.

With the document preview feature, Vision now supports hit highlighting. If you are searching on a word or phrase, you can see all occurrences of this word or phrase highlighted in the document’s preview. Navigational controls let you scan the occurrences quickly, wherever they’re located in the document.

• Time Based Navigation
Scopeware Vision presents all your information in a time-ordered stream. To roll back in time, you can use the stream navigation arrows to scroll back to the desired date. With the new time-based navigation feature, you can click the date displayed below the Vision stream, and enter a new date in the calendar popup. The Vision stream will then jump backwards or forwards to the requested date. If you’re looking for information created or updated during a specific timeframe, it’s easy to jump to this date and then browse all the information displayed nearby in the stream.

• Thumbnailing
Thumbnailing provides rich visual cues so users can browse a large amount of information and quickly find the information they need. Scopeware Vision 2.1 incorporates a new thumbnailing engine, for faster and more efficient thumbnailing of documents. In addition, Vision now supports the thumbnailing of additional file types. See www.scopeware.com for a complete list of the file types supported.

• Channel Bar
Scopeware Vision 2.1 incorporates a new channel bar that helps you quickly and easily find and filter content. You’ll find four new channels:

Catalog: You can select or deselect content from specific sources such as email, local files, network files, Outlook content, and RSS feeds. If you would like to browse or search only network files and email, you can do so by selecting these data sources in the catalog channel.

RSS: You can select specific RSS feeds to browse or search in the RSS channel. If you have a large number of RSS feeds providing web-based content to the Vision stream, you can select only the feeds of interest and easily narrow down the information.

Streams: Using the Streams channel, you can select specific saved queries to efficiently filter the information in the Vision stream. Saved streams can select certain document types (such as Pictures or Contacts), only documents that meet certain conditions (such as Open Tasks or Recent Documents), or any set of documents you define in a custom search. Click once in the Streams channel to display the exact results you want to see.

Contacts: You can view and select the list of contacts contained in your Outlook contacts database with the Contacts channel.

• Document Keyword
Scopeware Vision 2.1 adds the ability to attach keywords to an existing document. You can then use a keyword as a search word or phrase to locate the document using Vision. For example, a document does not contain the term “2003 taxes,” yet you would like this document to appear when you do a search for “2003 taxes.” Add this term to the document as a keyword and Vision will find it when you use the keyword in a search. Add or modify a document’s keywords by right-clicking on the document card and selecting the “keyword” option.

• New Modules:
CRM Module
Zip Module
Archive Module

CRM Module

Scopeware Vision 2.1 contains a new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) module that is installed as an add-in to Vision Professional. The CRM module allows busy professionals to quickly find a contact’s name, along with their phone number and email address. Additionally, select a contact in the Contacts channel, and Vision will automatically search to see all the information on a local or shared network drive related to this contact or their company. If you need to make a phone call to a contact, you can easily access their phone number in Vision, and then access everything related to them as well, so you can reference these documents and emails during your phone call. The new CRM module allows for quick and easy access to all the information you need when you need it.

Zip Module

Scopeware Vision 2.1 supports indexing Zip files and their contents. With the Zip module, Vision catalogs the contents of compressed files using the Zip format, giving you complete access to all information. If you search using a word such as “Europe,” Vision will now find all documents containing the word “Europe,” including Zip files. Once you have located the Zip file, you can easily unzip it to access the required document.

Archive Module

The Scopeware Vision Archive module allows users to catalog content stored on CD or DVD using Vision. Search using a word or phrase contained in the archived content and Vision will display this content in the stream. If the source disk is no longer in the drive, Vision will prompt you to make it available so you can access the file. The Vision Archive module allows you to combine searches on local drives, shared network drives, and archived storage for more complete access to documents.

The Approach

Scopeware Vision is a super way to manage and find all the information on your computer. Up until now you have had to navigate Windows file folders by remembering file names and locations in order to find old email and files. Now Scopeware Vision offers you a simple to use, intuitive alternative.

Scopeware Vision is distinguished from typical search engines in how it presents the information based on your query. Vision works the way your mind works, and simultaneously presents the four key dimensions which mirror human recall. Imagine someone dumping a file full of different papers in your lap. Think how you would go about finding your birth certificate. You would think about when it was authored, what kind of document it was, what it looked like and the sense of what it said in order to locate it.

Time

People think logically in a time ordered sequence. Vision displays all your information in a single stream with the most current information in the front for easy access.

Type

As you have many different types of information, email, documents, spreadsheets, etc. on your PC, Vision provides strong visual representations of all the types of information contained in your computer so you can quickly find what you need.

Look

Vision will present you with a thumbnail representation of the document allowing for rapid visual recognition.

Essence

Rather than launching your applications to see what is contained in a document, Vision will provide you with a preview that presents a summary of the document for rapid recognition.

The Vision approach is simple, natural, and easy to use. Virtually all users say their relationship with their computer is never the same again, once they begin to work with the program.

The Importance of Scopeware Vision

You have many options for accessing information on your PC. However, given the increasing amount of information that computer users must deal with on a day-to-day basis, the standard methods of accessing it are no longer adequate. Vision provides a new option that is faster, easier, and more comprehensive.

Access via standard methods:
1.  Access files from within the application
2.  Browse folders to access files
3.  Search for files

Additionally, most of these search options do not take into account email. Email is the source of a large amount of valuable information.

Access via Vision:
1.  Access by keyword
2.  Access by chronology, regardless of file type
3.  Access via browsing through an intuitive stream which provides context

Scopeware Vision takes into account email and allows you to easily access this information, versus the complex task of searching for old email messages.

Vision takes a different approach to finding your information. The Vision approach is more comprehensive in that all your information is centralized through the Vision catalog, and the full text of the file is searched, not just the title.

Vision presents information in context. If you are searching for "New York" and "Hotels" you will get all the information on your PC related to these search words. Maybe you are seeking a Word document that lists your favorite hotels, but what you end up finding is this document along with web pages and emails related to New York hotels. Information you forgot existed, yet is very informative and provides context to the information you seek, is now more easily found.

Organize Your Stuff

With Scopeware Vision, it is now very easy to organize your files. Simply point Vision to your stuff, such as Microsoft Office documents, PDF files, pictures, MP3 files, your favorite web pages, even your email. Vision catalogs and remembers everything about your information, knows where it is, and understands what it contains. It even finds old stuff, stuff you forgot about. It's all together, in one place, in a single easy to use, time-ordered stream.

Discover Your Stuff

Want to find your stuff? Just type in a word or two contained in a document or email message, a client name or an upcoming vacation destination. Vision finds everything you need in seconds.

Browse. Refine. Find. Quickly flip through your information. You see visual symbols, timeframe, document type, thumbnails, and previews that help you get what you need.

You find everything fast, what you are looking for, as well as other important and related stuff. Everything that's important to you, whether you're meeting a client or preparing a vacation, is now more easily found.

Simplify Your Stuff

No more rummaging through your PC. All your stuff is in one place. A few clicks, and everything you need is displayed and ready to use. Never deal with complex file folders and directories again. Let your PC do the work for you. Find what you need, when you need it. Never say "where's my stuff!" again.

Features

Access Shared Network Drives (Professional Edition Only)
Email Technical Support (Professional Edition and Personal Edition Only)
Comprehensive Catalog of Information
Supports Common Document Types
Supports Email (Outlook and Outlook Express)
All Your Stuff in One Place
Advanced View for Power Users
Preview Your Stuff
Time Ordered Sequence
Always Up To Date
Document Filters
Create Detailed Searches Using the Wizard
Save Common Searches
Administrative Tools
Online Support

Basic Functions

Scopeware Vision is a super indexing utility that reads files, indexes the words in each file for fast retrieval, and provides a search screen to find and present files. However, calling Scopeware Vision just another index utility does it a great injustice. Information retrieval should fit the person doing the retrieving, not vice versa. Now, visual learners have an index utility that presents information geared for them.

Scopeware Vision works fast, offers plenty of search flexibility, and will launch the appropriate application if you click on the thumbnail. You can filter your searches for any type of Microsoft Office document (or all types at once), e-mail (if you use Outlook or Outlook Express), text, HTML, pictures, sounds, MP3 or video files, and search a block of time.

Another nice feature is the transparency mode. When you put the cursor on a card in the time stream, it changes to yellow for contrast and the cards in front that are blocking your view fade to near invisibility. This lets you see the tiny thumbnail on the card and puts the larger thumbnail up in the right corner of the screen.

The larger view displays the first page a bit larger, along with the first few lines of the file. The glyph indicating the file type appears in the upper left corner of the thumbnail, such as the icon for Word or an envelope for e-mail. If you click on the document title or the thumbnail image, the appropriate application will launch and load the file. A line called Operations under the title offers shortcuts to open, print, delete, properties, send to, and open with functions. Streams can also be saved and retrieved quickly.

The Importance of Scopeware Vision

The approaching operating system and information management revolution is more than speculation. Microsoft's new OS, internally dubbed "Longhorn," is supposed to be ready in late 2004, and its goal is to solve the information management problem. Bill Gates said in Summer 2002, "The one question we are trying to solve with Longhorn is, Where's my stuff?" In the future, when Microsoft does finally release their OS that will replace Windows XP, look for a brand new approach to a file system, including a means of organizing and finding these files. I suspect this approach will look very much like what you can now already do with Scopeware Vision.

How It Works

The key of course to this powerful file indexing program is the very hard work it does in indexing your stuff. This means the program must be first directed to complete the initial indexing step, and in some cases this initial indexing may take a very, very long time to perform. In my case, since I have on my hard disk nearly a full CD RW disc of data files that I regularly back up, this indexing process did indeed take as long as the program's instructions said it might.

However, on other systems with relatively fewer files to organize, this indexing process may be completed much more quickly. The program's documentation does indicate that you might need to set aside ample time to perform this indexing, including possibly the need to wait till an evening to start the indexing, a time when you would not need to actively work on your files.

If you are running the program on a networked PC, before you start this indexing, I suggest you log off your network, or reboot your system and bypass your standard username and password entry screen, in order to not allow your workstation to connect to the server. This is because in many situations, networked machines usually have a pre-set "time out" time period that occurs during late night or weekend hours, in order to keep the network traffic to a minimum for IS administrators to handle their regular network maintenance.

In addition, I also suggest you make sure all your background, terminate-and-stay resident (TSR) files are closed, such as antivirus protection, and especially keep those goofy screen savers turned off. In other words, you want to strive to keep other system resource users at a minimum when you start this indexing process. After the indexing process has completed, then you may begin to take advantage of the powerful features of Scopeware Vision.

In addition, although the program can be set up to run in the background to help you keep up with ongoing file creation and deletion, I suggest you consider turning off this feature, and manually schedule the indexing process so you can control the use of your system resources by the program.

Targeted Customers

Scopeware Vision is a powerful indexing utility that any computer user will want to seriously consider, especially heavy computer users with thousands of data files they need help in find something amidst their massive storage of data. The more data files computer users work with, the more difficult it becomes to find their files, and Scopeware Vision will definitely be a welcome asset to those with huge amounts of files.

Price

$79.95 Scopeware Vision Professional
$49.95 Upgrade from v. 1.3 or 1.2

$29.95 Scopeware Vision Personal
$19.95 Upgrade from v. 1.3 or 1.2

$19.95 CRM module (requires Professional edition)
$19.95 Zip module (requires Professional or Personal edition)
$39.95 Archive module (requires Professional or Personal edition)

Minimum System Configuration Requirements

P-III 500MHz or faster processor
Windows 2000 (SP2), XP Pro, XP Home
128MB RAM (256MB RAM recommended)
Scopeware Vision requires Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2+

If you plan on using email in Vision, we currently support Outlook 2000 or later and Outlook Express 5.0 and 6.0.

About Mirror Worlds Technologies, Inc.

The philosophy of Mirror Worlds Technologies, Inc. is based on the basic premise that information should be woven into a flowing narrative stream with a past, present, and future so you can tune in from anywhere. Information should mirror the structure of your life, not the structure of your computers, and it should be presented in a form that reflects human recall:  time, type, look, and essence.

Fueled by the research and writings of Dr. David Gelernter, world-renowned Yale professor and the company's Chief Scientist, and Dr. Eric Freeman, Mirror Worlds Technologies was established in 1997 to develop and commercialize the patented technology based on this premise.

The company launched the first commercial release of Scopeware enterprise solution in March 2001. A desktop product, Scopeware Vision, followed in 2002. Today the company has a significant number of partners and clients who benefit from their products. Scopeware has offices in New York City and New Haven, Connecticut.

Contact Information

Mirror Worlds Technologies, Inc.
195 Church Street, 14th Floor
New Haven, CT 06510
800-248-8263
sales@scopeware.com
www.scopeware.com