The IU Knowledge Base (a.k.a. KB) is a service to provide computing supporting questions and answers to the students, staff and faculty of all of the Indiana University campuses. It was originally designed as a suite of pre-existing answers to common questions received by the email support group and then grew as technology allowed to be a self support service. Originally an email folder in the early 90s, then a shared database on a Netware server, then gopher and finally many different forms of web service. Many extremely talented people have helped to create the KB and the content within.

Chris Dent worked with a small group on the KB around 2003. It was during this time that PurpleUniverse was being explored and developed. It saw its most complete implementation with the KB dev team.