6.2.1 Synchronizing contacts between applications and the PIMO
The Semantic Desktop allows to manage persons and organizations in the PIMO. In order to access and exchange contacts in the PIMO with third party applications, the Semantic Desktop offers the CardDAV endpoint - a standard internet protocol for for synchronizing address book information with a server. Using the CardDAV endpoint software and devices can access and synchronize contacts. This works for smart phones like the iPhone, as well as, for email clients like Mozilla Thunderbird.
The following video shows how contact information is created, modified and synchronized between the address book in Mozilla Thunderbird and the PIMO.
Contacts deliver good candidates for preservation contexts
Like with events, persons and organizations are really good corner stones in the human mind to reminisce affairs. By allowing the PIMO to observe the interaction with such contacts, we allow the PIMO to estimate the level of importance around such contacts (or "agents" as we call them in the PIMO). Knowing somebody or some institution who/which did something "big" in the past is important for our lives. And as such, they resemble really good context providers to enrich preserved knowledge. Throughout all human history, agents (e.g., persons or organizations) were always named along important matters like inventions, political decisions, etc. Also in the personal scenario other humans play an important role and set corner stones in the reminiscence of our lives. Hence, we will make use of such agents as context providers.