BBC Domesday Reloaded facts for kids
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Screenshot showing a written account from D-block GB-540000-252000
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| Available in | English |
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| Owner | BBC |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | None |
| Launched | 12 May 2011 |
| Current status | Archived, non-functioning (July 2018) |
BBC Domesday Reloaded was a special website that brought an old project from 1986 back to life. It shared information about local history from all over the United Kingdom. The website was launched in May 2011 by the BBC.
It let people explore a huge collection of digital content. This content came from the original BBC Domesday Project, which was created in 1986. Users could even add their own updates to the site during 2011. On its very first day, more than two million pages were viewed!
Contents
Bringing History Online: The Domesday Project Reloaded
The BBC worked with The National Archives to make this website possible. Their goal was to transfer all the old information into a new digital format.
How the Old Data Was Saved
The original Domesday Project used special computer disks. To get the information off these disks, they used a BBC Master computer. This computer could read the old disks. Then, the data was moved to a modern PC compatible computer.
Two people who helped with the original project also helped with this transfer. Simon Guerrero was a teenage contributor back then. Andy Finney was an engineer on the first project. Their help was very important for saving the data.
Interactive TouchTables for Exploring Data
In December 2011, the BBC announced a cool new way to explore the Domesday data. They created large, flat touchscreens called "TouchTables." These tables were installed in special locations.
One TouchTable is at the BBC's MediaCityUK site in Salford. Another is at The National Museum of Computing in Bletchley. These tables have a huge 52-inch screen. This was bigger than most touchscreens available at the time.
The TouchTables were designed by a company called eMoot. Up to four people could use a table at once. They could all browse the information together using 12 different touch points.
Website Moves to The National Archives
In June 2018, the Domesday Reloaded website was officially moved. It is now looked after by The National Archives.
What You Could Do on the Website
The Domesday Reloaded website gave everyone access to the original project's content. You could view many images and read articles from 1986.
Visitors also had a chance to add new information. Until the end of October 2011, people could update details about their own local areas. Some local libraries even held events to help residents contribute their updates to the site.
