Why SuperMemo, not Photo Gallery?

From: anonymous
Country: {{{Country}}}
Sent: Mar 11, 2014
Subject: Windows Live Photo Gallery

Question:

You write that SuperMemo is great for keeping photo albums. Why would I want to use SuperMemo if there are many specialized applications. For example, Windows Live Photo Gallery is free. It has many functions that I do not see in SuperMemo. Photo Gallery is also very easy to use, which is not what your users say about SuperMemo.

Answer:

The main advantage of keeping photos in SuperMemo is to build visual memories associated with the photos. Using priorities, intervals, tags, search&review, etc. You can build strong memories of important pictures that may impact face recognition, episodic memories, temporal changes in people and their environment, etc. Those memories are also useful for simply knowing/remembering what you keep in your archive.

SuperMemo cannot compete with specialist application in all their functions (tagging, archiving, visualization, slides, web synchronization, etc.). There is no social aspects in your archive (no likes, no comments), unless you forwards specific pictures to specific people via mail. The main advantage of SuperMemo is the learning process. Once you discover that your perception of "history" in your SuperMemo photo collection depends on memory processes, you will never want to go back to keeping your pictures in a static archive. You simply need a systematic review process that keeps the collection live in your memory.

In short, photo albums stored in SuperMemo live in your memory, and please your senses. This makes them very different from static albums that you never have time to review, esp. when they grow into thousands of pictures.