Outline

Introduction The tape cassette study Problems with digital music libraries Results of analysis Design Implications Conclusions

Introduction

Research question:What can we learn from the storage of analogue media that can be applied to the design of digital music libraries?

Introduction

Itunes, Winamp, Windows Media Player

Problems

Proposed framework Organizing: issues around browsing a

collection Personalizing: Issues around customizing

items in a collection and sharing them Digitization: Issues around the loss of

physical affordances and documentation

Organizing Emphasizes search and sort Tapes could be browsed

Personalizing

Mix tapes represent relationships and events Could be shared

Digitizing

Personal & musical histories are recorded by old media

“this is a tape from 1998 or so from jenna, an old penpal. i still miss her. the othertapes are ones i made or sssb made.”

Analysis of organization

“lisa ici says:

Heh, that could be my tape collection.”

“aoneko says:

Hee! I have a crate like this too. Lot of the same tapes in there.”

Ratings not used (75%) 30% report not organizing

their collection

Analysis of personalization

“The personal feelings sewn into those drives is something that measures far above the cold, distanced feeling I get from sitting around someone's computer listening to shuffled music.”

75% had more than one mixtape in their collection

80% reported making a mix at least within the past year.

Analysis of digitization

“so i was cleaning (trying to) my room earlier. hehe and i opened 1 of my cassette drawers.. hehe instant flashback. i havent listened to them for ages. maybe last time was when i was in college? cassette was the way to go... ” - pale spectre

Tapes kept for , sentiment, Nostalgia AND fear of loss

The music was still listened to by many

Conclusions

Tapes were more useful Much more research to be done Music libraries can be improved

Thanks! =)