About this project

This is the dissertation project of Christoph Burgdorfer for the Master of Arts course in Networked Media Environments at the Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. The topic of this dissertation is to propose an alternative search and discovery method for the web where meta data and therefore search algorithms are created by the users themselves. The project consists of two parts:
  1. An extension that can be added to the Firefox Browser which allows users to leave unlimited tags to unlimited websites. This extension can be downloaded for free from here.
  2. A search engine which can be used to browse tags and their respective websites.
The dissertation can be downloaded here.

Support

Please read the FAQ below

What is synopse?

Synopse is a novel approach index the Web. It relies on users adding tags to websites and therefore creating machine readable metadata. It is yet heavily experimental but it's set up in a flexible way so every test result can easily be addressed and hopefully fixed for the better.

Synopse bases on the following principles:

Synopse?! What a stupid name!

The name of the project is "Synopse", an artificial word made up of "synopsis" (general overview or summary of an article or text) and "synapse" (the connectors of brain cells). These two words combined reflect the functionality of the application. Firstly, the tags should give an overview or even a summary of the content of a specific site. Secondly by grouping websites with tags, the tagging mechanism should act as a connector between two sites. A common tag generally refers to the fact that there must be some sort of contextual link between two sites.

How can I use synopse?

In order to tag websites, you need a Firefox Browser. Secondly, you need to install the extension. You can start tagging straight away and don't need any registration, username, password etc. If you wish to be able to find the sites you have tagged, we recommend you use a "static tag" which is a tag, that gets added to all sites you tag. Your static tag can be configured in the preferences under "Tools" -> "Add-Ons" -> "Synopse" -> "Preferences". If you then wish to find your sites, just search for your static tag. Needless to say that your static tag has to be unique to yourself. So check it before you use it.

I have installed the extension and restarted my Firefox Browser - nothing changed!

Look closer! There is now a little word saying "Tag!" in the bottom right corner of your browser. Click on it to tag the site. Or simply browse through to the bottom of the page and the tagging bar will appear automatically. Oh, and if it didn't install, maybe it's because your version of Firefox is too old?

How can I find the sites I have tagged?

If you wish to be able to find the sites you have tagged, we recommend you use a "static tag" which is a tag, that gets added to all sites you tag. Your static tag can be configured in the preferences under "Tools" -> "Add-Ons" -> "Synopse" -> "Preferences". If you then wish to find your sites, just search for your static tag. Needless to say that your static tag has to be unique to yourself. So check it before you use it.

What is the Internet?

The Internet is not the Web.

What is the Web?

The Web is not the Internet.

How can I join the cool crowds who are working on this project to help out?

Nothing simpler than that. Just write me an e-mail to

How the heck do you make money?

At the moment it's all donations. If you're not sure whether you should donate, read my blog post and then donate here:

Easy, isn't it?

How can I get in contact if I want to acquire this project?

No problem, please contact

Terms of Service

Welcome to synopse.By accessing the synopse website ("Site") or using the services offered by synopse ("Services") you agree and acknowledge to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms or to our Privacy Policy, please do not access the Site or use the Services. synopse reserves the right to change these Terms at any time. We recommend that you periodically check this Site for changes.

1. Usage License

synopse grants you a limited license to access the Site and use the Services in accordance with these Terms and the instructions and guidelines posted on the Site. synopse reserves the rights to terminate your license to use the Site and Services at any time and for any reason or in the future charge for commercial usage.

2. User Responsibility

You are solely responsible for your use of the Site and Services. Because synopse merely serves as a repository of information, user-posted content does not represent the advice, views, opinions or beliefs of synopse, and synopse makes no claim of accuracy of any user-posted material. synopse allows for the posting of links to third-party websites. The linked websites' content, business practices and privacy policies are not under our control, and we are not responsible for the content of any linked website or any link contained in a linked website. The inclusion of a link on the Site or Services does not imply any endorsement by or any affiliation with synopse. In accessing the Site and Services or following links to third-party websites you may be exposed to content that you consider offensive or inappropriate. You agree that your only recourse is to stop using the Site and Services.

3. User-Posted Content

By posting content, you are granting permission to us and others to access and use it in connection with the Services, the Site and otherwise in connection with our business. You can mark content as private to restrict access and use to those users to whom you explicitly grant access. For publicly accessible content, you can label your compilations with one of several possible licenses. It is important to note that you can only copyright the compilation itself, not the individual links that make up the compilation. Please also note that just because your compilation does not have a license agreement attached to it does not mean that it is public domain. For a compilation to be classified as such, it must be explicitly labeled as belonging to the public domain. Your use of a license in connection with your compilation does not affect synopse's right to access and use it in connection with the Services, the Site or otherwise in connection with our business.

synopse does not provide legal services, and therefore, providing you with the ability to attach a license agreement to your compilation of links does not create an attorney-client relationship. The license agreements and all related information are provided on an "as is" basis. synopse makes no warranties whatsoever regarding the license agreements and the information provided, and disclaims all liability for damages, including without limitation, any general, special, incidental or consequential damages, resulting from their use. synopse will include this license label in making your content accessible to others, but any enforcement of your chosen license terms remains your sole responsibility.

synopse is explicitly not responsible for the manner or circumstances by which third parties access or use public content and is under no obligation to disable or otherwise restrict this access. synopse provides you with the ability to retrieve and remove your posted content and your personal information from the Site and the Services. This ability does not extend to copies that others may have made or to copies that we may have made for backup purposes.

4. Feeds and API

synopse provides access to portions of its Site and Services via RSS feeds and an API; for the purposes of these Terms, such access constitutes use of the Site and Services. synopse asks that you use these features respectfully, as outlined in the documentation. You may not use these or any other features or the Site itself to allow the display of a substantial portion of the synopse database or reproduce, duplicate or copy the synopse Site. synopse reserves the rights to change these features at any time and to disable access to the feeds and the API at any time for any reason.

5. Intellectual Property (Trademarks & Copyrights)

synopse, the synopse logo and the synopse design are trademarks or trade dress of synopse, and may not be used without express written permission from synopse, other than for attribution. All other trademarks not owned by synopse that appear on this Site are the property of their respective owners, who may or may not be affiliated with, connected to, or sponsored by synopse.

synopse-originated content included on the Site, such as text, graphics, logos, data compilations, APIs, software and the compilation of all content on the Site, is the property of synopse and its licensors and protected by European and international copyright laws. Except as set out in these Terms, no reproduction of any synopse-originated content is permitted without written permission from synopse.

User-posted content is copyrighted, and any use or reproduction of user-posted content must comply with the terms of the respective license(s) and must include a label indicating such license.

6. No Warranty and Limitation of Liability

synopse PROVIDES THE SITE AND SERVICES "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OR CONDITION, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY. synopse SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, INFORMATION ACCURACY, INTEGRATION, INTEROPERABILITY OR QUIET ENJOYMENT. Some states do not allow the disclaimer of implied warranties, so the foregoing disclaimer may not apply to you.

You understand and agree that you use the Site and Services at your own discretion and risk and that you will be solely responsible for any damages that arise from such use. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL synopse BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (HOWEVER ARISING, INCLUDING BY NEGLIGENCE), INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RELATED TO USE, MISUSE, RELIANCE ON, INABILITY TO USE AND INTERRUPTION, SUSPENSION, OR TERMINATION OF THE SITE OR SERVICES, DAMAGES INCURRED THROUGH ANY LINKS PROVIDED ON THE SITE AND THE NONPERFORMANCE THEREOF AND DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, SALES, DATA, GOODWILL OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT synopse HAS BEEN ADVISED OF SUCH POSSIBILITY. YOUR ONLY RIGHT WITH RESPECT TO ANY DISSATISFACTION WITH THIS SITE OR SERVICES OR WITH synopse SHALL BE TO TERMINATE USE OF THIS SITE AND SERVICES. Some states do not allow the exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above exclusions may not apply to you.

7. Other

synopse and you are independent entities, and nothing in the Terms, or via use of the Site or Services, will create any partnership, joint venture, agency, franchise, sales representative, or employment relationship between synopse and you.

These Terms supersede any previous agreement and represent the entire agreement between synopse and you. If any provision of the Terms is adjudged to be illegal or unenforceable, the continuation in full force of the remainder of the Terms will not be prejudiced, and the illegal or unenforceable provision of the Terms shall be severed accordingly. Any notices must be sent to synopse in English at .