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451
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 13, 2020, 05:24 AM »
plain text files --> good looking website
-superboyac (July 12, 2020, 04:40 PM)
Markdown should certainly be good at this. It's part of what it was designed for and most websites accept markdown. PICO looks like a reasonable option for designing a website purely for your own documents,  though there's a lot of techie type setting up. Obsidian will be adding it as a (paid) option in the next few months, but I think it will need to be simpler for many users (many Obsidian users appear to be programmers, IT students or techie other - but many are at the other end of the techie spectrum).
452
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 13, 2020, 05:17 AM »
I find Markdown attractive for writing on the computer.  The guy has good points. 
Part of the attraction is that developers have been trying to use markdown to create nice gui's for writing, like zettlr.  It's very satisfying to see all the colors and headings change by putting the pound or asterisk symbol, etc.

It's nice that a lot of people have latched on to the format, and we all feel we can use these text files to get around in life.  I think part of this guy's comments doesn't appreciate the aesthetics of the writing community.

But again, on a technical level, he has points...and I have struggled very much with the conversion of documents.
-superboyac (July 12, 2020, 04:40 PM)
I think he's writing out of long experience and frustration.
And he's right in that markdown was devised for techies  - programmers and web writers of the day. Thats why code blocks have a degree of precedence. And it doesn't have many features, like colour, that some writers use: random acceptance of different HTML is frustrating. As is random acceptance of bits from other languages like YAML. It's like a bicycle invented by a carpenter, the idea is good but it's stuffed with issues that many feel they can solve with a bit of bodging; and competing carpenters conventions which decide which bodges should be used more widely.

And all the previews and wysiwygs depend on a conversion to HTML,  which conversion is inconsistent,  as he points out.

Most of the time it doesn't matter to me. I'm usually quite happy with text. But it depends what I'm doing. I'm used to using multi colour highlighting when I'm editing or reviewing, but colour use is reserved for syntax in a text editor (otherwise they'd compete). I'm used to sophisticated tables in some areas of writing; there are some fairly easy primitive editors,  like Typora, but generally much easier to produce tables in a word processor.
453
General Software Discussion / Re: Brave: A new browser with built-in adblock and payment solutions
« Last post by Dormouse on July 10, 2020, 05:08 AM »
In other words, the Brave fork won't be a Brave fork much longer.
-Deozaan (July 09, 2020, 08:28 PM)
Not so brave then

Or very bold
454
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 10, 2020, 04:47 AM »
What’s Wrong with Markdown?
https://www.adamhyde...wrong-with-markdown/
-panzer (July 09, 2020, 08:52 PM)

I enjoyed reading this, but it stopped so quickly.
I think he could make it a weekly blog for a few years and then bundle it up into a book.
455
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 09, 2020, 04:28 PM »
GitJournal has just added wiki style links for compatibility with Foam, Obsidian etc.
-Dormouse (July 09, 2020, 01:53 PM)
Had a quick look. Not super impressed. Doesn't use the syntax that works elsewhere for colour and font size. Didn't see the wikilink working.
Loads of premium features, including backlinks, for £2.09 a month.
I'm not short of markdown apps and I'm not sure I want another anyway.
456
General Software Discussion / Git
« Last post by Dormouse on July 09, 2020, 01:53 PM »
GitJournal has just added wiki style links for compatibility with Foam, Obsidian etc.

A number of Obsidian users are recommending having their Obsidian vaults on Github. Benefits of versions and no cost. Some express concerns about privacy. GitJournal is a mobile markdown editor that syncs into Git which sounds as if it could create a very smooth workflow.
457
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 09, 2020, 01:41 PM »
Are the MD files taged somehow to indicate that they are linked to other files
-sphere (July 09, 2020, 10:07 AM)
Multiple links to other files and notes in most md documents. Read by any program that can interpret md.

Try it yourself to get a feel for it.
458
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 09, 2020, 01:38 PM »
I am curious what other systems you use and to what purpose.
-sphere (July 09, 2020, 10:10 AM)
My system is only starting to evolve. Hesitant to put too much weight on it when I know that Obsidian could be very different in 6 months.

So I have WriteMonkey 3 sharing some files with Obsidian. They are in the WM database with the synced copy accessible to both. In Obsidian those files are linked to many other notes related to the MSS being written.
I prefer writing in WriteMonkey and its incredibly convenient to have all the related gubbins networked together and visible in Obsidian.

I also have the folder with those texts open in ProWritingAid simply to aid analysis as I progress.

Naturally I also write notes in other apps, especially on Android, and they're transferred into the folders of the Obsidian vaults.
459
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 09, 2020, 04:21 AM »
Most of what you listed can already be "in" a plaintext note
-Nod5 (July 09, 2020, 03:12 AM)
And one of the aspects I like is that the note itself isn't "in" the system. It can simultaneously be "in" many systems so long as conflicting changes are avoided. Work in one program, save before switching to another.

Obsidian looks as if it will grow into a great spider, with any number of mites on its back, but lays no claim to own any of the notes.
460
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 08, 2020, 04:50 PM »
However, in theory it means I might be able to use that scripting to automate some of my workflow going forward, and if I am lucky,  incorporating that vast amounts of files I have scattered in different formats. 
-sphere (July 08, 2020, 02:34 PM)
And presumably the same would be possible through the Obsidian API.
461
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 08, 2020, 04:45 PM »
It does also seem to have a huge following that will likely drive it as well
-sphere (July 08, 2020, 02:34 PM)
Very true. There appear to be hundreds developers eager for the API, all delirious at the prospect of an early alpha/beta that's likely to change before full release. I've little idea what they want to develop, they mostly just seem to want to develop something.

And a thriving industry in CSS themes which are capable significant functional changes.

Some of them are clearly very good going by what they have done so far.

The developers anticipate that much future functionality will come from independently produced plugins.
462
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 08, 2020, 04:36 PM »
for instance I can't seem to render math
-sphere (July 08, 2020, 03:08 PM)
Obsidian renders math perfectly well now.
Editor is okay, but external editor is always an option.
463
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 08, 2020, 01:23 PM »
Having a system freely showcases the inherent connections between pieces of information is really attractive.  I think Roamresearch and Obsidian are getting closer to that.
-sphere (July 08, 2020, 10:35 AM)
The graphs are interesting. Pretty, even if they're not very useful yet. Can zoom in. Quite a lot of examples on the Obsidian discord channel. They will become much more powerful. I assume Roam has similar, though I've not been interested enough to look.
464
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 08, 2020, 01:20 PM »
I did read the Trilium website,  and looked at the pictures.
Quite a lot of things put me off trying it.
The emphasis on scripting suggested that I wasn't part of its target market.
Database instead of files.
Syntax.
Overstretched developer.
Looks. I'd probably write look and feel if I had actually felt it.
Lack of mobile version or confidence in one coming.

At one time I would have considered it more deeply,  but Obsidian is a good fit for me. File based, so I can use other programs and don't have to worry about export. Syntax that's easy to write. Experienced professional developers who seem to be working well within themselves and, I'm sure,  have a financial plan and already have a successful program. Developing fast and mobile should be here by year end (and they're not Scrivener,  so target dates have been met so far). Always possible they take it in a direction I dislike,  but then I still have all my files.
465
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 07, 2020, 06:09 PM »
I think I'll have a look at Notable
-Dormouse (July 07, 2020, 02:30 PM)
Does at least include wiki-links since the developer was talked into allowing it.

Another program that has one pane glaring, unless I hide the whole pane.
466
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 07, 2020, 02:30 PM »
noteless
-panzer (July 07, 2020, 12:06 PM)
So this is an Android version of Notable. Which is a recently closed source markdown app for Windows. I think I'll have a look at Notable, despite its hating wysiwyg, but I'm not so keen on installing apps through the app. Interesting.
467
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 07, 2020, 04:31 AM »
the features in this one are a lot more polished from what I've seen so far.
-wraith808 (July 06, 2020, 09:57 PM)
Useful to know that,  thanks.
It's not something I wanted to test for myself.
My impression was that Foam had more ambition for the future.
468
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 06, 2020, 06:42 PM »
I don't actually spend much time in Obsidian yet, but its existence has enabled a major workflow shift.
Partly that's simply using markdown documents, and I was getting there anyway.
Mostly it's because it has made it easy to use WriteMonkey for nearly all of my writing (well, a lot is on Android but ends up in WriteMonkey; and Obsidian). I'll need to dig up the old workflow diagrams to look at the difference, though I'm not sure they'll reflect the extent of the experienced change.
Virtually everything can be in documents. All the fancy and bitty stuff goes into Obsidian. And WriteMonkey works on those parts that count as writing. The writing itself isn't the major part of writing - that's planning, researching,   organising, revising,  reviewing, editing, polishing,  as well as everything related to publishing - but a comfortable environment for that makes a huge difference. Previously I wrote in a wide range of programs. Some of that was required, some was because I adapted easily, but mostly it was because the very different bitty needs of different projects pushed for this program,  then that, and the other. And there's none of that now.  ;D
469
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 06, 2020, 04:16 PM »
Semilattice on iOS
They don't stop coming
470
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 06, 2020, 04:48 AM »
The file name will also need at least one letter. Number only gives problems too.
471
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 05, 2020, 07:55 AM »
afaics most users have little awareness of sampling bias when looking at their graphs. I won't be tempted to use them until I can use sophisticated queries.
472
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 05, 2020, 07:48 AM »
I like how Zettlr has the preview sort of built into the main editor
-superboyac (July 02, 2020, 05:43 PM)
I notice that many zettlr users have problems transitioning to other programs because filename isn't the same as the note name
473
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 03, 2020, 07:39 PM »
I'm not sure what they'll do when they hit capacity limits
-Dormouse (July 03, 2020, 04:40 PM)
Thinking about it, the WriteMonkey route would fit current design, and they could offer option for database in json format + linked files.
474
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 03, 2020, 04:40 PM »
One of the things I like is that programs like Foam and Obsidian work with files,  but function like databases. I'm not sure what they'll do when they hit capacity limits, but I'm sure they'll do something. I doubt I'll be in the first half users hitting such limits,  so I'm confident the problem will be tackled by the time I get there.
475
General Software Discussion / Re: I'm thinking of going primitive, with discursion into zettelkasten
« Last post by Dormouse on July 03, 2020, 04:36 PM »
All these programs are developing and changing rapidly.
I'm avoiding getting too stuck in a particular workflow or program. Stuff will change. Today's deal breaker is tomorrow's dead bug, in some programs at least.

I'm concentrating on the bits that will endure: documents, folders, project organisation, links and tags.
Working out fuzzy tags was a big step forward for me. Working out the project/folder organisation is another.
Fixing on [[]] whatever programs do is another. I'm sure they will follow in due course if they're not already there. Could do without the markdown mafia  - this is about programs that revolve around links not about markdown.
Current focus is on which programs will do what,  given they are all working on the same folders. I'm sticking with Obsidian for now,  but don't need to use it most of the time so long as I conform to its syntax.
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