A.nnotate
Encyclopedia
A.nnotate is a web service for storing and annotating documents. Documents are either uploaded by the user or fetched from a web address supplied by the user. Uploads are accepted as PDF, Microsoft Word
, office formats supported by OpenOffice
and common image formats. When a URL of a web page is entered, the service makes a local copy of the HTML and stylesheet. The service offers a browser bookmarklet
to facilitate making snapshots of web pages.
Uploaded documents are rendered as images on the server and the images are sent to the user's browser for display and annotation. Annotation with regions and arrows is supported for all documents. For text documents, the server also
sends the positions of words on the page allowing the client to offer text search and highlighting. Annotations can
be displayed in the right-hand margin, as floating boxes above the text, or as footnotes. For web snapshots they can also be displayed within the main text flow.
By default, all documents and annotations are private. A user can issue invitations by email to allow other users to
view and annotate a particular document or to access all documents in a folder. A "reply" option on annotations allows
other users to comment on existing annotations offering a form of Threaded discussion. Access controls allow the document owner to specify what annotators may do, including viewing each others annotations and defining new tags.
from the Scottish Government for a project on authoring structured content from text
.
The resulting software, "Notate" is described in a white paper from 2007
which included support for semantic web
authoring.
In 2008 the company started selling standalone versions of the system for installation on local hardware and developed an
API
allowing web application developers and systems integrators to add annotation capabilities to existing document management systems. It offers off the shelf modules for integration with Documentum
and Moodle
.
According to the case study on Entrepedia
A.nnotate makes use of Cloud computing
on a.nnotate.com
to scale its services.
, Microsoft Office
formats, ODF
formats and images as PNG, JPEG and GIF.
The client browser requires javascript and cookies to be enabled. A.nnotate can be used with
Firefox, Internet Explorer
(versions 6, 7 ,and 8), Safari
or Google chrome
"I have yet to find the perfect online collaboration tool. A.nnotate is a service that gets as close as anything I've found on the Web." on makeuseof.com
CNET calls it a "real fun annotation tool (at least fun compared to Microsoft Word)"
OpenJason includes it in their list of 44 excellent productivity tools
LifeHacker discusses its uses for peer review ; KillerStartups says it seems "very easy to use"
Others warn that people have actually been trying to get annotation right
for over a decade
and mention alternatives to A.nnotate such as Reframe It
, Evernote
, Fleck
, WebNotes
and TrailFire.
Rev2.org notes that to date "annotations ... haven't really taken off"
and wonders if A.nnotate can finally bring document annotation to life.
BNet.com business tips notes that "online collaboration is a crowded party"
.
The Library 2.0 blog notes that it could be very useful in education for marking assignments, but considers pricing a possible drawback as the free version limits the number of documents you can upload
Alternatives listed on the AlternativeTo
site include Foxit
and
Adobe reader
The ability to import PDF files
has led some people to use it a replacement for Google docs for annotating PDFs.
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is a word processor designed by Microsoft. It was first released in 1983 under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms including IBM PCs running DOS , the Apple Macintosh , the AT&T Unix PC , Atari ST , SCO UNIX,...
, office formats supported by OpenOffice
OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice.org, commonly known as OOo or OpenOffice, is an open-source application suite whose main components are for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and databases. OpenOffice is available for a number of different computer operating systems, is distributed as free software...
and common image formats. When a URL of a web page is entered, the service makes a local copy of the HTML and stylesheet. The service offers a browser bookmarklet
Bookmarklet
A bookmarklet is Unobtrusive JavaScript stored as the URL of a bookmark in a web browser or as a hyperlink on a web page. The term is a portmanteau of the terms bookmark and applet, however, an applet is not to be confused with a bookmarklet just as JavaScript is not to be confused with Java...
to facilitate making snapshots of web pages.
Uploaded documents are rendered as images on the server and the images are sent to the user's browser for display and annotation. Annotation with regions and arrows is supported for all documents. For text documents, the server also
sends the positions of words on the page allowing the client to offer text search and highlighting. Annotations can
be displayed in the right-hand margin, as floating boxes above the text, or as footnotes. For web snapshots they can also be displayed within the main text flow.
By default, all documents and annotations are private. A user can issue invitations by email to allow other users to
view and annotate a particular document or to access all documents in a folder. A "reply" option on annotations allows
other users to comment on existing annotations offering a form of Threaded discussion. Access controls allow the document owner to specify what annotators may do, including viewing each others annotations and defining new tags.
A.nnotate development
Early development of A.nnotate was enabled by proof-of-concept funding to Textensor Limited,from the Scottish Government for a project on authoring structured content from text
.
The resulting software, "Notate" is described in a white paper from 2007
which included support for semantic web
Semantic Web
The Semantic Web is a collaborative movement led by the World Wide Web Consortium that promotes common formats for data on the World Wide Web. By encouraging the inclusion of semantic content in web pages, the Semantic Web aims at converting the current web of unstructured documents into a "web of...
authoring.
In 2008 the company started selling standalone versions of the system for installation on local hardware and developed an
API
allowing web application developers and systems integrators to add annotation capabilities to existing document management systems. It offers off the shelf modules for integration with Documentum
Documentum
Documentum is an enterprise content management platform, now delivered by EMC Corporation, as well as the name of the software company that originally developed the technology. EMC acquired Documentum for $1.7 billion in December, 2003...
and Moodle
Moodle
Moodle is a free source e-learning software platform, also known as a Course Management System, Learning Management System, or Virtual Learning Environment...
.
According to the case study on Entrepedia
A.nnotate makes use of Cloud computing
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network ....
on a.nnotate.com
to scale its services.
File formats and requirements
Documents are accepted as PDFPortable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
, Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a non-free commercial office suite of inter-related desktop applications, servers and services for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, introduced by Microsoft in August 1, 1989. Initially a marketing term for a bundled set of applications, the first version of...
formats, ODF
OpenDocument
The Open Document Format for Office Applications is an XML-based file format for representing electronic documents such as spreadsheets, charts, presentations and word processing documents....
formats and images as PNG, JPEG and GIF.
The client browser requires javascript and cookies to be enabled. A.nnotate can be used with
Firefox, Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
(versions 6, 7 ,and 8), Safari
Safari (web browser)
Safari is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. and included with the Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. First released as a public beta on January 7, 2003 on the company's Mac OS X operating system, it became Apple's default browser beginning with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther". Safari is also the...
or Google chrome
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and the public stable release was on December 11, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or...
Reviews
The first release received positive coverage from many bloggers, e.g.:"I have yet to find the perfect online collaboration tool. A.nnotate is a service that gets as close as anything I've found on the Web." on makeuseof.com
CNET calls it a "real fun annotation tool (at least fun compared to Microsoft Word)"
OpenJason includes it in their list of 44 excellent productivity tools
LifeHacker discusses its uses for peer review ; KillerStartups says it seems "very easy to use"
Others warn that people have actually been trying to get annotation right
for over a decade
and mention alternatives to A.nnotate such as Reframe It
Reframe It
Reframe It is a free social networking and website annotation/commenting tool thatrequires the download of a free browser extension or the addition of a bookmarklet . This recommended Mozilla add-on is a virtual margin at the right of any internet page that users can open or close to make comments...
, Evernote
EverNote
Evernote is a suite of software and services designed for notetaking and archiving. A "note" can be a piece of formatted text, a full webpage or webpage excerpt, a photograph, a voice memo, or a handwritten "ink" note. Notes can also have file attachments...
, Fleck
Fleck
Fleck is a surname, and may refer to:* Alexander Fleck , British chemist, FRS, born and educated in Glasgow* Abbey Fleck, invented the Makin' Bacon microwave oven bacon cooker in 1993* Béla Fleck , American banjo player...
, WebNotes
WebNotes
WebNotes, Inc is a web based application in the field of Web Annotation. Their hosted solution allows users to highlight text and add sticky notes to web pages...
and TrailFire.
Rev2.org notes that to date "annotations ... haven't really taken off"
and wonders if A.nnotate can finally bring document annotation to life.
BNet.com business tips notes that "online collaboration is a crowded party"
.
The Library 2.0 blog notes that it could be very useful in education for marking assignments, but considers pricing a possible drawback as the free version limits the number of documents you can upload
Alternatives listed on the AlternativeTo
AlternativeTo
AlternativeTo is a website which lists alternatives to web-based software, desktop computer software, and mobile apps, and sorts the alternatives by various criteria, including the number of registered users who have clicked the "Like" button for each of them on AlternativeTo.Users can search the...
site include Foxit
Foxit
Foxit Corporation is a California headquartered software corporation with offices in United States, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Founded in 2001 and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Foxit believes in innovative, standards-based technology and unrivaled customer support, with a deep...
and
Adobe reader
The ability to import PDF files
has led some people to use it a replacement for Google docs for annotating PDFs.
See also
- CrocodocCrocodocCrocodoc is a website that allows users to collaboratively review, mark up and comment on documents. Document types that are supported include PDF, Word and Powerpoint documents, PNG and JPEG images, and web pages...
- Web annotationWeb annotationA web annotation is an online annotation associated with a web resource, typically a web page. With a Web annotation system, a user can add, modify or remove information from a Web resource without modifying the resource itself...
- MarginaliaMarginaliaMarginalia are scribbles, comments, and illuminations in the margins of a book.- Biblical manuscripts :Biblical manuscripts have liturgical notes at the margin, for liturgical use. Numbers of texts' divisions are given at the margin...
- List of word processors
- Comparison of office suites
- Comparison of notetaking softwareComparison of notetaking software-General features:-Formatted text features, others:-See also:* Comparison of web annotation systems...
- List of PDF software
- Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis SoftwareComputer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis SoftwareComputer Assisted/Aided Qualitative Data AnalysiS is the use of computer software to aid qualitative research such as transcription analysis, coding and text interpretation, recursive abstraction, content analysis, discourse analysis, grounded theory methodology, etc.-Definition:CAQDAS is used in...