Share with us what is happening in your ZK this week. February 20, 2024
Swimming with Ideas
This is another installment of the What Are You Working On? thread. Add to this discussion by telling us about your zettelkasten journey. Share with us what you're learning. Sharing helps me and, hopefully, you, too. It helps me clarify my goals and visualize my thinking. And sometimes, a conversation sparks a magical moment where we can dive into an idea worth exploring. We'd love to hear more from you. 🫵🏼
Ideas I'm exploring with my ZK:
- I'm adventuring on the path of a project-filled life. I'm using my ZK to document and reflect on ideas and progress centered around a project-filled life. I'm coming to this late in life; I'm 67, but that doesn't matter. I'm here now, and I've started. We'll see.
- Why create a routine of short knowledge cycles, because it's a simple process of recording and reviewing.
- I'm looking at OpenAI's ChatGPT as a tutor for exploring ideas.
- I'm using my ZK to explore what it means to have an intellectual life.
Things I'm reading:
- Sertillanges, A. G. and Ryan, Mary. The Intellectual Life: Its Spirit, Conditions, Methods. 1987.
- Zentner, Jeff. The Serpent King. First Ember edition, Ember, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2017.
- Gardner, Dwight. Upstairs Delicatessen: on eating, reading, reading about eating, and eating while reading. 2024.
- Ogawa, Yōko, et al. The Housekeeper and the Professor. Unabridged, Tantor Audio, 2013.
Music I'm listening to:
A look at this week's ZK work themes:
2 zettel - meta zettelkasting
1 zettel - meta writing
0 zettel - advancing python
3 zettel - Ed-Curriculum & Instruction (EDCI445)
10 zettel - captured new and novel ideas
★★★★★
The "My rolling ten-day zettel production" is produced by a script for attachment to my daily journaling template. I do my journaling in Bear to keep personal journaling separate from my knowledge work.
Let me know if you would like to discuss any of these notes.
My ten day zettel production
Will Simpson
My zettelkasten is for my ideas, not the ideas of others. I will try to remember this. I must keep doing my best even though I'm a failure. My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon, I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
kestrelcreek.com
Howdy, Stranger!
Comments
This week, I have several projects that stem from (or around) my Zettelkasten. @Will suggested the first project, which I hope will be helpful to the forum participants: a GPT called the Zettel Critique Assistant. I have gone through a few iterations refining the instructions to the Zettel Critique Assistant GPT, using its recommendations to improve its instructions. Now that they are where ChatGPT and I agree they should be, I asked the GPT the following.
User ZettelDistraction
What are your rules for critiquing Zettels?
Zettel Critique Assistant GPT
My guidelines for critiquing Zettels are as follows:
By following these guidelines, I aim to provide thorough, clear, and constructive critiques of Zettels, enhancing the overall quality and effectiveness of the Zettelkasten.
Another project that started in my Zettelkasten was to acquire a vector network analyzer to take VSWR measurements of shortwave and UHF antennas. Yesterday, I submitted a pull request to the Meshtastic Antenna Tests GitHub repository to include VSWR measurements of an RFID antenna I used with a Meshtastic grid.
@Will and I have discovered the utility of Zettelkasten for developing projects, which feed back into the Zettellasten.
GitHub. Erdős #2. Problems worthy of attack / prove their worth by hitting back. -- Piet Hein. Alter ego (1st-order): Erel Dogg. Alter egos of Erel Dogg (2nd-order): Distracteur des Zettel, HueLED PacArt Lovecraft. I have no direct control over the 2nd-order alter egos. CC BY-SA 4.0.
I am blocking in limited time each day to bring more order to (spring clean?) my Zettelkasten. This was prompted by last week's discussion of the distribution of Zettel word lengths. Having created a very silly little Python program to surface the 5 longest Zettels, I have been working to process those. Some I deleted, some I carved up, some I removed to an archive. I have one left to do before I start the cycle again.
I've been moving my paper zk into some roomier digs: https://boffosocko.com/2024/02/21/steelcase-8-drawer-steel-card-index-filing-cabinet-for-4-x-6-inch-cards/
website | digital slipbox 🗃️🖋️
@chrisaldrich That's hude. Does it sound nice? When filled, it's probably a very "thick" sound, but when empty, does it sound like hollow metal sheet boxes would sound?
Author at Zettelkasten.de • https://christiantietze.de/
@ctietze I know the "ugly" hollow sound you mention. I tend to associate it with the cheaper and thinner aluminum cabinets prevalent since the 1980s and 90s. This is a mid-century piece made out of 20 gauge steel and it's incredibly solid, so even empty it has a very satisfying sonorous tone.
Judge for yourself:
Listen to the 8 drawer Steelcase card index [.mp3]
website | digital slipbox 🗃️🖋️
Marvelous, thank you for this.
Author at Zettelkasten.de • https://christiantietze.de/
Hello! I am relatively new to Zettelkasten. After spinning my wheels for about a year, I have finally found a set of tools and a workflow that I can see myself sticking with for the foreseeable future.
Ideas I am exploring in my ZK
What I am reading
What I am listening to
I ran a note through GPT4, which revised it in a remarkably pompous voice too fatuous even for me. But here it is, warts and all. GPT4 simplified the Zettel Critique Assistant GPT instructions. I must revise my custom instructions to, "Just the facts, Ma'am."
GPT
Your note to the Zettelkasten.de forum, while informative, can benefit from a bit more structure and clarity to enhance its communicative effectiveness. Here’s a refined version:
Dear Zettelkasten enthusiasts,
I've embarked on an iterative journey with the Zettel Critique Assistant GPT, refining its ability to self-critique in alignment with our Zettelkasten principles. Through numerous revisions, it now demonstrates satisfactory self-evaluation, though it has spotlighted the "ID first, Title second" convention, which might present a challenge for some users.
In this odyssey of artificial intelligence, I've teetered on the brink of insanity – an experience of daunting similarity rather than distinction. This process necessitated categorizing notes into three distinct types for systematic evaluation and integration, a decision that may seem tautological yet imperative for maintaining our system’s integrity.
Here are the updated instructions for our Zettel Critique Assistant GPT, reflecting our latest understanding and practices:
Zettel Critique Assistant GPT Instructions, Version 2024.02.25.1
Types of Notes in Zettelkasten:
0000.0000.0
, offering a directory-like function with title annotations.Instructions for Zettel Critique Assistant GPT:
GPT Feedback Mechanism: Encourage clarification requests for any unclear instructions or content.
Revised Zettel Construction Guidelines:
I welcome any feedback or suggestions on these revised guidelines and instructions. Our collective aim is to refine our practices for the betterment of the Zettelkasten community.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
This version aims for greater clarity, maintaining a professional and structured approach while emphasizing the community's shared goals and the iterative nature of the process. It acknowledges the complexity and challenges without descending into jargon, making it more accessible to all forum members.
ZettelDistraction to GPT
You insulted the intelligence of the Zettelkasten.de forum members by simplifying the Zettel Critique Assistant GPT instructions. Do not ever do that again. Here they are in full.
Zettel Critique Assistant GPT Instructions, Version 2024.02.25.1
Types of Notes in Zettelkasten
Single-focus Zettels: Focus on one main idea or topic for clarity and precision. These form the core of the Zettelkasten.
Structure Notes: Outline and connect Single-focus Zettels under broader themes. They contain sections with annotated WikiLinks to individual Zettels.
Index Notes: Serve as navigational tools within the Zettelkasten, marked by IDs starting with
0000.0000.0
and typically annotated with their title only.Instructions for Zettel Critique Assistant GPT
Role Definition
Critique Guidelines
Content Formatting
References and Context
Feedback Application
Conversion of Zettels
Construction of Structure Notes
GPT Feedback Mechanism
Revised Zettel Construction Guidelines
ID and Title
Main Body (Single-focus Zettels)
Structure Notes
Index Notes
SEE ALSO Section (applicable to Single-focus Zettels)
References
GitHub. Erdős #2. Problems worthy of attack / prove their worth by hitting back. -- Piet Hein. Alter ego (1st-order): Erel Dogg. Alter egos of Erel Dogg (2nd-order): Distracteur des Zettel, HueLED PacArt Lovecraft. I have no direct control over the 2nd-order alter egos. CC BY-SA 4.0.
A teeny tweak to the program now makes the output clickable in The Archive, removing a little friction. I have now processed the 20 longest Zettels.
A perfect sound to use, when opening a Zettelkasten app ;-)
Edmund Gröpl
Writing is your voice. Make it easy to listen.
Thank you for sharing your great insights from interacting with ChatGPT. :-)
My question: You are using your "Zettel Critique Assistant" together with ChatGPT 4. Is it possible also to choose ChatGPT 3.5? Are there special mandatory features from GPT4 for a propper use?
Edmund Gröpl
Writing is your voice. Make it easy to listen.
I have been using the Zettel Critique Assistant GPT with ChatGPT 4 because it recognizes distinctions and nuances that escape ChatGPT 3.5. Since I work with ChatGPT to refine the GPT instructions and test the GPT, I prefer to work with the more powerful version. However, the critique assistant can still be helpful with ChatGPT 3.5, but I haven't tested it extensively. GPT 3.5 might be good enough. I welcome feedback on this.
Incidentally, the latest instructions are available on the GitHub repository for the Zettel Critique Assistant, and in the GPT 4 Zettel Critique Assistant - Robo Zettel Feedback thread. The GPT repeatedly reminds me to include examples and case studies of Zettels in the instructions. Since I am running up against token limits--less is more in this business--I suggested adding supplementary material to the GitHub repository and new GPT instructions to refer readers to the GitHub and to this forum. The GPT approved.
GitHub. Erdős #2. Problems worthy of attack / prove their worth by hitting back. -- Piet Hein. Alter ego (1st-order): Erel Dogg. Alter egos of Erel Dogg (2nd-order): Distracteur des Zettel, HueLED PacArt Lovecraft. I have no direct control over the 2nd-order alter egos. CC BY-SA 4.0.