Using Horoscopes to Predict Data Provenance

Wacky Idea #1

Athena Starwoman II(AKA Jane Hunter)

Basic Idea

• Given the creation/birth date of a piece of data or digital object

• Determine the object’s star sign

• Generate its astrological chart

• Predict key events in digital object’s life

Map Predicted Events from Real World to Digital Domain

• Births/Children = Derivative Objects• Deaths = Deletion/Inaccessibility• Sickness = Corruption• Love/friendship = relationships to other

data/objects• Travel = change in storage/location• Money = Value/IP associated with the object• Popularity = Frequency of access

Value-added Services

• Develop a Provenance Search Interface– Select Object– Ask “What star sign are you”?– Creation date = June 1, 2005– Starsign = Gemini – Generate and present detailed astrological chart – For example - http://www.kozmikhoroscopes.com/

• Subscribe to daily horoscope services for objects in a collection

• Notify collections manager when key events predicted e.g., death, travel, riches, love

• Monitor and respond before/when events occur

Benefits

• Easier than retrospectively determining provenance or recording all event data

• Only execute as required

• Save on data/metadata storage – only require creation date

• Fun, exciting, mysterious

• Adds a spiritual element to the digital domain