Interesting article of using Apple Notes with Zettelkasten.

MikeBraddock

Found this interesting article about using Apple Notes with the Zettelkasten Method on Medium.

How I Analysed Over 1,400 Articles in 6 Months Using Apple Notes

It leverages UID's and search much like the Textmate Demo. The author Includes shortcuts he developed and gives a shout out to Zettelkasten.de.

gdigesu

@MikeBraddock, thank you. Excellent article.

GeoEng51

@MikeBraddock Thanks Mike - a well-written article that describes both how to do it and the limitations. I'd rather use The Archive, but I can see the attraction of the other way. One needs some kind of workaround to write notes on mobile devices and then get them into The Archive; I believe that overhead is lighter than the one described in the referenced article.

Nick

I'm a little confused by this. It doesn't seem like he actually did any analyzing? He just talked about his set up and then the article ended.

I wanted to know what insights he gained from interconnecting his notes in such a way. Or once he had them more interconnected how he used the available software to come to new understandings.

I feel this is what is missing most in all the Zettelkasten related articles I read. Its very heavy on the setup part but lacking on the use part. Use as in analyzing a set of notes and then creating something new out of it. I don't know if that is because people just haven't used the system long enough, been industrious enough with their use, or it is just really hard thing to showcase?

MikeBraddock

I haven't seen much about Apple Notes being used with ZK in mind. I was hoping if the author followed the forum here, he might comment. Or someone that knows him might ask him to comment.

I use Apple Notes a lot with family because there is very low friction to sharing with others. Not for knowledge work, but to help support aging parents and interact with my spouse, etc.

Found it interesting someone would even try and use the Method with Apple Notes based on search, which was Christian's point with his TextMate demo. The "Method" doesn't give a rip what software you use.

I, too, would like to know more. Hopefully, this will somehow get back to him, and he will comment.

@Nick you make a good point, as always! What good are notes if they don't do something for you or someone else? Perhaps its a sign or trap of collectors fallacy?

Sascha

@Nick said:
I feel this is what is missing most in all the Zettelkasten related articles I read. Its very heavy on the setup part but lacking on the use part. Use as in analyzing a set of notes and then creating something new out of it. I don't know if that is because people just haven't used the system long enough, been industrious enough with their use, or it is just really hard thing to showcase?

The answer is in many cases: Yes.

But there are other reasons:

1. It is easy to think left-brainy. That is mechanical and sequencial. Then one might believe that it is enough to explain how things are set up. The right-brainy way would be demonstration, giving examples, thinking in processes (Zettelkasten vs. Zettelkasten Method..)
2. Sometimes it is just behaving economically. Technically, it is enough to explain the set-up for other people to know what to do. The set-up is explained quickly. All the demonstrations etc. take time.
3. I think one problem of showcasing is the need to share the actual content of your Zettelkasten. I am not doing it. There is unpublished stuff I want to keep private and there is private stuff (psychological profiles, personal anecdotes, information that was given me confidentially, etc.) I really want to keep private. But I think one might even feel shy about is own notes because a Zettelkasten is private. I didn't watch Christian's videos but I was impressed by his openess.

I think the one of the main problem is that people that are using the Zettelkasten Method for a long time are rare. So, distinguishing between all the cases is hard for most people. As in any field, there are many untested ideas that sound very cool. Only in practice they prove themselves wrong.

(I saw the same phenomenon in my own field, fitness and personal development, played out in the same manner examplified by the practice of cold adaption training. Many people had quite some opinions on how to do it but if you actually did cold adaption training seriously the ideas seemed very odd).

@MikeBraddock said:
Found it interesting someone would even try and use the Method with Apple Notes based on search, which was Christian's point with his TextMate demo. The "Method" doesn't give a rip what software you use.

Yes! I provide you with a virtual chest bumb, brother. Inofficial of course. Officially, I still feel your betrayal as I head you switched to Obsidian.. (No worry, you will come back when the next features will be published and you realise your mistake. )

MikeBraddock

Betrayal? Perhaps it is encouragement.
The Archive has a place of honor in my dock and heart waiting for progress on the roadmap.

Nick

@Sascha yes and my other concern is that of copyright. Sometimes I am a bad zettelkaster, and straight up copy-paste even though I know better and I'm only doing myself a disservice (reformulation is better for memory and learning).

I actually started a sub zettelkasten within my zettelkasten that I will publish and make public (following all the good zettelkaster rules) once Obsidian Publish Service goes live in the next week or so. But I'm debating how useful that would actually be? Which of the three options would have the most utility to people out there:

1. Zetttelkasten Only
2. Wiki w/ Zettelkasten Backend
3. Wiki Only

Sascha

@Nick I think it will be one of the most useful products out there because it comes from genuine practice and not from theoretical speculation.

I know the issue with the quotes. I follow the process like this:

1. Copy the whole quote.
2. Comment on each important sentence, concept etc.
3. Reduce every thing to one sentence.

(In the screenshot, the third point is executed as the title)

The more you comment the higher the chance of becoming independent on the quote unless it is just beautiful.