Wiki notetaking in ConnectedText, & wiki Brainstorm?
Posted by talazem
on 10/30/2005
talazem
10/30/2005 1:41 am
In my ongoing search for the perfect (?!) note-taking app, and another for note storage & retrieval [is Daly reading? I'd sure appreciate a reply on academic usage of IH! :-) ], i came across a wiki note-taking app today called ConnectedText - http://www.connectedtext.com/features.html .
I know, i know...it's not an outliner. But i thought it might be of interest to some, and i wanted to know what people's experiences with using personal & desktop wikis for notetaking, brainstorming, and writing were.
Furthermore, i came across it as i searched the net while simultaneously preparing a lecture for a class tomorrow, using my current trial of Brainstorm (yes: procrastination). It made me think: the concept of Namesakes is very similar to the way a wiki link works. My problem with the namesakes, however, is that i've wanted to use them numerous times, but haven't been able to, due to the way they work: if you don't have two exactly identical entries, they won't connect. There's no way to have a particular word or phrase in an entry link to an entry with the same word or phrase.
For example, while preparing my lecture (on the syllogism for a course in classical rhetoric), i'd wanted to link, for example, the word "subcontrary" - which occurs in the middle of an entry - to its definition, which is its own entry elsewhere in my Brainstorm model. But alas, i can't do that, at least as far as i know.
I personally think this "wiki-ization" (do pardon me), or ability to choose words and phrases to link (internally, definitely, to other entries, but perhaps even as hyperlinks to external files!), of Brainstorm would really be a major enhancement to the project. Any hopes of seeing such a thing any time?
I know, i know...it's not an outliner. But i thought it might be of interest to some, and i wanted to know what people's experiences with using personal & desktop wikis for notetaking, brainstorming, and writing were.
Furthermore, i came across it as i searched the net while simultaneously preparing a lecture for a class tomorrow, using my current trial of Brainstorm (yes: procrastination). It made me think: the concept of Namesakes is very similar to the way a wiki link works. My problem with the namesakes, however, is that i've wanted to use them numerous times, but haven't been able to, due to the way they work: if you don't have two exactly identical entries, they won't connect. There's no way to have a particular word or phrase in an entry link to an entry with the same word or phrase.
For example, while preparing my lecture (on the syllogism for a course in classical rhetoric), i'd wanted to link, for example, the word "subcontrary" - which occurs in the middle of an entry - to its definition, which is its own entry elsewhere in my Brainstorm model. But alas, i can't do that, at least as far as i know.
I personally think this "wiki-ization" (do pardon me), or ability to choose words and phrases to link (internally, definitely, to other entries, but perhaps even as hyperlinks to external files!), of Brainstorm would really be a major enhancement to the project. Any hopes of seeing such a thing any time?
sub
10/30/2005 4:39 am
I think the current Brainstorm design couldn't allow this kind of approach, though early discussions on a Brainstorm Pro which would handle RTF and use as its basic information unit a character, rather than a paragraph, sound more open.
However, I wouldn't bet on Brainstorm Pro ever actually happening, unless the Brainstorm development team is externally funded and enhnanced. The current WIBNI (Wouldn't It Be Nice If) list is already very long and linked to the present concept. The closest it comes to WIKI is Internal Links/Pointers, which again refers to the whole entry.
By the way, I personally like this non-WIKI concept because it enforces structure; indeed, structure is an inherent part of the original Brainstorm concept. For example, you are not allowed to make a namesake subsidiary to "itself". In WIKI you can, because there is no hierarchy.
The Brainstorm concept aims to help one _make_sense_ of complex and interlinked information by structuring it, not just recording it. I have the impression that recent postings in this forum actually promote enhancing the structural/organising potential with high-level tools such an editable/interactive Aerial View and numbered "bins".
What I'm getting at is that sometimes having everything one wants is not the best of worlds; as useful as WIKIs are in researching material I would find it impossible to base a document on my own WIKI notes.
If you do like Brainstorm's approach (and not everyone will), then I would suggest that you use Namesake Keywords/Keyphrases above/below your text entries to link them together. From my experience, this actually helps one identify the key concepts in one's notes; for example, a Keyword/Keyphrase might not even be contained in the actual note.
alx
However, I wouldn't bet on Brainstorm Pro ever actually happening, unless the Brainstorm development team is externally funded and enhnanced. The current WIBNI (Wouldn't It Be Nice If) list is already very long and linked to the present concept. The closest it comes to WIKI is Internal Links/Pointers, which again refers to the whole entry.
By the way, I personally like this non-WIKI concept because it enforces structure; indeed, structure is an inherent part of the original Brainstorm concept. For example, you are not allowed to make a namesake subsidiary to "itself". In WIKI you can, because there is no hierarchy.
The Brainstorm concept aims to help one _make_sense_ of complex and interlinked information by structuring it, not just recording it. I have the impression that recent postings in this forum actually promote enhancing the structural/organising potential with high-level tools such an editable/interactive Aerial View and numbered "bins".
What I'm getting at is that sometimes having everything one wants is not the best of worlds; as useful as WIKIs are in researching material I would find it impossible to base a document on my own WIKI notes.
If you do like Brainstorm's approach (and not everyone will), then I would suggest that you use Namesake Keywords/Keyphrases above/below your text entries to link them together. From my experience, this actually helps one identify the key concepts in one's notes; for example, a Keyword/Keyphrase might not even be contained in the actual note.
alx
daly_de_gagne
10/30/2005 7:26 am
I think IH lends itself to academic work, especially with its classification scheme. It is not a bibliographic program as such, yet it is quite simple to have a group of sources, with one of the sources being assigned to each item.
There are some academics on the Yahoo group for IH, and the use of IH by academics has been discussed. I think you might find it helpful to peruse the messages, and ask specific questions there.
Daly
There are some academics on the Yahoo group for IH, and the use of IH by academics has been discussed. I think you might find it helpful to peruse the messages, and ask specific questions there.
Daly
trafficjamjoke
2/16/2006 3:18 am
talazem & group,
Hello, I am Stefan and coming from Germany. I have been looking for different applications to manage information, files, notes etc. like many of you. ConnectedText fits very nice to my workflow and my way of thinking. It is not an outliner, it is a text connector. I think that outlining is not enough to manage today's every day complexity. Don't understand me wrong: I don't think oulining is not important! When it comes to structure a document or to develop a website, outlining is essential. But I personally think that is is part of something bigger.
ConnectedText is a desktop text wiki system which allows not only to interlink all entered text but although to categorize them. Further, you can add links to files, websites and email addresses to a text page. And very important for me: You can go back to older versions of your written text when it is necessary. This feature is called 'Revision'. And best of all: You can view all the interlinked items in the navigator which is comparable to PersonalBrain (but not so nice looking and powerful).
Even I have added more than thousand topics to my ConnectedText file the application is still stable and I don't have the feeling to be lost.
I am using ConnectedTest for:
note taking
research
drafting of concepts (eBusiness, CRM)
bookmark manager
project / task / file manager
contact manager
I don't want to urge you to test or use ConnectedText. I just wanted to let you know what I personally think of ConnectedText and how I am using it. There are a lot of other very good applications around I am still using for specific purposes: Zoot (managing C++ code snips -> I will move them to ConnectedText later this year), MindManager (brainstorming).
Here is the link to the website of ConnectedText:
http://www.connectedtext.com/
The current version is 1.2.0.6. Version 1.5 will be realeased early in March with many new and interesting features (like docking the navigator on the left or on the right side).
Kind Regards,
Stefan
Hello, I am Stefan and coming from Germany. I have been looking for different applications to manage information, files, notes etc. like many of you. ConnectedText fits very nice to my workflow and my way of thinking. It is not an outliner, it is a text connector. I think that outlining is not enough to manage today's every day complexity. Don't understand me wrong: I don't think oulining is not important! When it comes to structure a document or to develop a website, outlining is essential. But I personally think that is is part of something bigger.
ConnectedText is a desktop text wiki system which allows not only to interlink all entered text but although to categorize them. Further, you can add links to files, websites and email addresses to a text page. And very important for me: You can go back to older versions of your written text when it is necessary. This feature is called 'Revision'. And best of all: You can view all the interlinked items in the navigator which is comparable to PersonalBrain (but not so nice looking and powerful).
Even I have added more than thousand topics to my ConnectedText file the application is still stable and I don't have the feeling to be lost.
I am using ConnectedTest for:
note taking
research
drafting of concepts (eBusiness, CRM)
bookmark manager
project / task / file manager
contact manager
I don't want to urge you to test or use ConnectedText. I just wanted to let you know what I personally think of ConnectedText and how I am using it. There are a lot of other very good applications around I am still using for specific purposes: Zoot (managing C++ code snips -> I will move them to ConnectedText later this year), MindManager (brainstorming).
Here is the link to the website of ConnectedText:
http://www.connectedtext.com/
The current version is 1.2.0.6. Version 1.5 will be realeased early in March with many new and interesting features (like docking the navigator on the left or on the right side).
Kind Regards,
Stefan