# The Potential Merits of an Itemized OS by Alexander Obenauer ## Metadata - Author: [[Alexander Obenauer]] - Full Title: The Potential Merits of an Itemized OS - Category: #articles - URL: https://alexanderobenauer.com/articles/os/1 ## Highlights added June 11, 2024 at 2:18 PM Each item is some data that can be consumed by a *view* (not necessarily a visual interface component, but in this article we will stick primarily to that case). ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0jrmsb2hmeg9efe7tscr24)) items are *universal reference containers* for any number or type of other items. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0jv0mpzf531ktc5k655s6r)) In this way, the basic structure of data that a user stores in their system is an item graph. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0jw3tptn374d1zr36qyazt)) browsing context displaying opened items side-by-side, in a horizontally-scrolling path. The user is able to work through their “train of thought” visually, on screen. This browsing context is specifically called a *browsing path*, or simply, a *path*. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0mt3zvpgdn1z0pw4x9z0g2)) When the user has a new train of thought, they might begin a new browsing path. Should they want to return to a past browsing path, a *recent paths* list displays the items in each recent path, allowing the user to pick back up where they left off. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0mv18memkyv9cz8hdhnqgv)) Items are rendered by views, with more or less detail depending on whether they are being viewed alone or within a broader context. The user is able to choose a view as the default for all items of a certain type, and they are able to quickly flip between applicable views on any open item. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0n0r2qjs0tm214pnyd8wwm)) Items can be shared with other users, alone or in entire subgraphs. Since view definitions are items as well, a user can share some set of their items, along with their custom views, to allow others to browse within an environment of their own design. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0n2frwcb2bavvzbrtkhzp1)) Choosing new views for certain item types does not affect the service used to bring that data into the system; the two are separate, and developers can independently provide a new view for a certain item type without having to replicate the implementation of the service used to bring that data into the system. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hz0n42dc1j899gf0t1gkqppf))