Exploring Gadget-Based Interfaces for the Social Semantic Desktop

A large number of tools has recently emerged supporting information management for individuals in their social context. Semantic technologies play an important role in the development of such tools because they allow for advanced organisation, annotation, navigation and search capabilities. In this paper we present SPONGE (Social and Personal Ontology-based Gadgets), a set of gadgets for representing and accessing information in the personal and social space of knowledge workers via cross-media and cross-application linking and browsing of information resources based on semantic Web data structures, coupled with automated metadata generation support. In SPONGE, we aim to provide a richer, faster, and potentially lighter-touch way to build personal and social knowledge spaces than current desktop applications allow. Moreover, provisions are made to support ad-hoc collaboration between individuals and to enable seamless access to personal and shared resources.