FAQ
Which websites are connected?
Currently, the following websites are connected in the Metagrid-Plugin:
- Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland Dodis
- Année Politique Suisse APS
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz HLS
- Database of parliamentary proceedings Curia Vista
- Swiss Federal Archives BAR
What does the Metagrid-Plugin do?
The extension displays resources that have a certain similarity in content – known as cosine similarity – with the web page the user is browsing. The similarity is calculated using large language models (LLM) and complex mathematical algorithms and depends largely on the text passages and metadata being compared. The content of the connected research infrastructures forms the basis. In the case of Dodis, this includes the metadata and the summary of a document; in the case of the APS platform and the HLS, it is the respective article. The Metagrid-Plugin is language-agnostic and thus able to link to similar content in another language, regardless of the original language of the base text.
How do I install the Metagrid-Plugin?
The Metagrid-Plugin is available for free download from the Chrome Web Store. It can currently be used in all Chromium-based web browsers (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Samsung Internet, etc.). Once installed, the plugin is ready to use immediately. For further information on how to install the Metagrid-Plugin, you can watch our Installation-Video.
What happens to my data?
The Metagrid-Plugin is only active on connected websites; outside of these sites, it remains inactive. As soon as a user visits a connected website, the URL of the visited page is transmitted to the Metagrid server. There, a query is made and potentially related articles are returned. The application is operated by Dodis, which has data sovereignty. Only voluntary feedback is collected. This feedback is stored at Dodis and will be used in future to train the recommendation system so that the suggested articles are continuously improved. No data about users is collected. See also our Privacy Policy.
How is the Metagrid-Plugin improving?
Thanks to a feedback loop, the Metagrid-Plugin is constantly evolving. As soon as the tool redirects to a thematically related page, it asks for an assessment of the connection it has made. Was it relevant in terms of content? The more people use the plugin, the better it becomes. Extensive and critical feedback enables Dodis to improve, further develop and expand the Metagrid-Plugin. Please send your comments to metagrid@dodis.ch
