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Hmmm... I can't seem to escape to take notes abou note-taking. But then
again, note-taking is a form of PIM.
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Gabriel Arazas 2021-05-07 12:08:40 +08:00
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:END:
#+title: File metadata
#+date: "2020-04-13 17:32:27 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:15 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 12:03:59 +08:00"
#+language: en
File metadata is one of the most subtle requirements in [[id:88f2256a-3359-4d10-92a3-9273cabce414][Personal information management]].
File metadata is one of the most subtle requirements in [[roam:Personal information management]].
It embeds data without relying too much on filesystem such as the file name, creation date, and modification date.
Each type of files have different ways of embedding metadata:
- Image files such as JPEG or PNG, metadata are embedded in Exchangeable image file format (EXIF).
- MP3 files have the ID3 as the de-facto standard for embedding contextual information such as the artist, album, genre, comments, and others.
- MP3 files have the ID3 format.
- Vorbis comments is a universal format commonly found on OGG.
- HTML documents contain the ~<head>~ element to store the metadata.
- Org mode documents allow file-level properties that are functionally equivalent to embedded metadata.
- [[roam:Org mode]] and Asciidoctor documents allow file-level properties that are functionally equivalent to embedded metadata.
- There are also universal formats such as Extensible metadata platform (XMP) or Meta Information Encapsulation (MIE) available either as embedded or a separate file.
There are also universal formats such as Extensible metadata platform (XMP) or Meta Information Encapsulation (MIE) available either as embedded or a separate file.
Beware about caring too much on metadata to the point of our metadata takes more space than the data themsevles.
Cautionary tales such as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Fnd_in_a_Lbry][MS Fnd in a Lbry]] have been written about it.
They are, after all, merely data on data;
if the referred data does not exist in the first place, might as well as the metadata.
Tools exist for writing and reading data such as [[https://exiftool.org/][Exiftool]].
While file metadata are good and dandy, don't worry too much on them.
Just start with the more important data such as the title, authors, and the date.
It is preferred if you can edit the metadata manually so you can mark more relevant information.
Having too much however might as well have no metadata due to information overload.

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:END:
#+title: Maintain your own digital library
#+date: "2020-04-14 18:28:55 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:08 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:48:51 +08:00"
#+language: en
#+tags: personal-info-management
@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ A digital library should have the following features:
Instituition libraries such as Internet Archive and ArXiv are the go-to examples for a long sustaining digital library.
On the other hand, personal digital libraries are basically personal information management systems where your resources are stored: documents, notes, references, and media files.
* How to create one?
I have been thinking of creating a digital library for myself.
These are the tools I've been using for my experiment:

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:END:
#+title: Note-taking
#+date: "2020-04-15 14:35:55 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:10 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 10:55:02 +08:00"
#+language: en
@ -11,4 +11,7 @@ The practice of note-taking is universal — it is everybody's concern how to wr
Note-taking does not only involve the act of writing but also the act of retrieval from finding contextual relationships from two notes, separating notes into digestible chunks, and searching notes effectively.
There are different ways of note-taking.
Among the endless list of methods, popular methods include [[id:4259636e-e0e8-49e4-8210-758ec59728a3][Zettelkasten]], Cornell method, or a simple hierarchical notebook.
Among the endless list of methods, popular methods include [[id:4259636e-e0e8-49e4-8210-758ec59728a3][Zettelkasten]], [[id:24b5e144-dda4-482c-9684-958a00d6c986][Roam Research]], Cornell method, or the traditional [[roam:Linear notes]].
When doing something like this, one could take notes how to make their notes interesting to read.
One could start to [[id:d024516b-35ea-40ae-9433-ceacea695073][Write paragraphs like music]], create notes with [[id:79357d56-74bf-4854-820c-c0ad849f2468][Classic prose]], and [[id:b318dc2b-5fa1-48ff-9d33-6fbbdee46a2f][Write down the simplest possible example]].

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:END:
#+title: Org mode: Babel
#+date: "2020-04-17 21:41:30 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:07 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-06 00:13:13 +08:00"
#+language: en
#+tags: research.reproducibility
@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ return o[0]
* Functions
* Creating dynamic content with meta-programming
With [[https://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/babel/intro.html][Babel]], you can call named code blocks anywhere from blocks to inline.
This creates a "function" with Babel using different languages.
@ -114,10 +114,11 @@ Very helpful in reducing places you need to edit (not to mention less prone to e
* Sessions
* Executing code blocks in the same session
Each of the source code block runs on an individual session.
However, you can connect source code blocks in the same session with ~:session <SESSION NAME>~.
This allows you to cut code blocks and add more detailed explanations for them.
Let's start with a simple example where we want to demonstrate some Python shenanigans.
Here's one Python code block.

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:END:
#+title: Personal information management
#+date: "2020-04-23 23:21:47 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:51:33 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:50:54 +08:00"
#+language: en
Personal information management is self-explanatory as it is.
It is the act of managing your information from emails, contacts, calendar, notes, and so much more.
Personal information management (PIM) is self-explanatory as it is.
This also includes managing [[id:ccb3bc14-a801-4ed0-b066-50b1bcd853aa][File metadata]], [[roam:Note-taking]], library management, and much more.
* Practicing information management
While there's no correct way to practice PIM but to start:
- [[id:66337935-420c-40e6-81a6-f74ab0965ed5][Maintain your own digital library]] which can make managing personal belongings from your personal photos, academic libraries and references, and your anime collection all the more easier.
- While not a good one, the 3-2-1 rule is a good starting point for practicing backups.
The rule is simple: 3 copies of your data stored in 2 media (e.g., internal hard drive, external storage) with at least 1 of them stored offsite of your computer (e.g., remote location, cloud service).
- Start to manage [[id:ccb3bc14-a801-4ed0-b066-50b1bcd853aa][File metadata]] but only for the most relevant resources.

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:END:
#+title: Evergreen notes
#+date: "2020-05-07 21:53:21 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-05 17:06:24 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:51:21 +08:00"
#+language: en
#+tags: pim writing
@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ With this in mind, evergreen notes should have the following properties:
- It enables you to develop further insight.
- As you develop more evergreen notes, more time is put on editing them rather than creating them.
To start writing an evergreen note, you could start with your [[id:3d1c0313-fa3d-4b18-b435-51d3837e3e2c][Fleeting notes]] and outline the main ideas.
An evergreen note does not have to be finished within one sitting.
In fact, it is preferred to build it incrementally, editing the note as you go developing insights.
Writing evergreen notes is a [[id:0d2264a6-e487-4761-818a-d17d2833120f][Note-taking]] process to make your current notes a worthwhile read.
* Getting started to write evergreen notes
- [[roam:Start small and improve later]].
Most notes start as [[roam:Fleeting notes]] and later create evergreen notes as you get more insight on the topic.
[[roam:Create an inbox to store your thoughts]].
- Make a habit out of writing.
- Reflect on the common topics between the transient notes for each video, books, paper, etc.
As you write more notes on more resources, you'll begin to notice the overlapping concepts between each note.
The overlapping concepts are the best starting points.

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:PROPERTIES:
:ID: 810dc8b6-db64-4c80-a0aa-f9e6d5fa4acf
:END:
#+title: Create a writing inbox to store your thoughts
#+title: Create an inbox to store your thoughts
#+date: "2020-06-25 12:37:23 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-06 00:51:59 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:54:40 +08:00"
#+language: en
@ -16,4 +16,6 @@ For this, you want to make a dedicated repository.
Like our emails, our writing inbox should be cleaned up each time we visit our inbox.
Not all of them are going to be important so feel free to remove entries that are not in need.
If you want to store an idea for an indefinite future (e.g., a project idea, future hobbies) that you cannot surely do now, you can then create a dedicated inbox.
In practice, this is great as a starter point for [[roam:Fleeting notes]] or a reading list to [[roam:Maintain your own digital library]].

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:END:
#+title: Fleeting notes
#+date: "2020-06-25 13:12:09 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-05 19:16:52 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:05:55 +08:00"
#+language: en
@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ Like all things of the past, fleeting notes can be a tool for creating more comp
The workflow should make it easier retreiving them, making it easier to start writing.
Here's how I make things happen with them.
- With messy thoughts and inputs, you should [[id:810dc8b6-db64-4c80-a0aa-f9e6d5fa4acf][Create a writing inbox to store your thoughts]] all in one place.
- With messy thoughts and inputs, you should [[id:810dc8b6-db64-4c80-a0aa-f9e6d5fa4acf][Create an inbox to store your thoughts]] all in one place.
- You could [[id:799c5a72-2e8f-48a3-a22d-6657b9d1c05d][Apply search tools and techniques for your digital library]] to make things easier.
- Then, select certain fleeting notes and improve upon them eventually creating evergreen notes — [[id:05a39f96-fb1c-4d71-9be1-fc4c2e251e8f][Start small and improve later]].

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:PROPERTIES:
:ID: b318dc2b-5fa1-48ff-9d33-6fbbdee46a2f
:END:
#+title: When reading mathematical texts, write down the simplest possible example
#+title: Write down the simplest possible example
#+date: "2020-06-27 18:31:40 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:06 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 09:16:20 +08:00"
#+language: en
On practice, writing down the simplest possible examples allows you to get started working on the definitions.
When you're done with the simplest possible example, you can then start with a more complicated example (relative to the simplest one) until you worked your way to a real mind-boggling example that really made you bang your head to a wall.
This is one of the foundation to building mathematical intuition.
That said, this habit can mold well into writing [[id:431532c3-6506-4565-b193-dbfb60eac7d6][Evergreen notes]].
Since you're dealing with the simplest possible examples, you can write easy-to-understand notes which can help you retain information even more.
This also makes a good transition in writing more complex topics and more complex examples.
As they say, [[id:05a39f96-fb1c-4d71-9be1-fc4c2e251e8f][Start small and improve later]].
On the non-practical side, it is said to be a cultural thing for mathematicians.
It is an unwritten rule for a reader to immediately write down examples and not pass through the text until they have understood it.

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:PROPERTIES:
:ID: 8d2c7fb0-d57f-4cb1-a873-0428b98a6e0a
:END:
#+title: Make personal backups effectively with the 3-2-1 rule
#+date: "2020-12-10 20:49:03 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:09 +08:00"
#+language: en
If you want to start good backup practices, the 3-2-1 rule is a good starting point.
The 3-2-1 rule states that your backup should have 3 copies of your data stored in 2 media (e.g., internal hard drive, external storage) with at least 1 of them stored offsite of your computer (e.g., remote location, cloud service).
This is especially important for your personal data such as your digital library (see [[id:66337935-420c-40e6-81a6-f74ab0965ed5][Maintain your own digital library]]) for example.
Making at least three copies of your data is a good way of mitigating against certain things like hardware failure, data corruption, and theft.
Maintaining those copies in different media (e.g., storage drives, email accounts) is easier said than done.
- Firstly, having multiple copies on the same medium doesn't count.
If the data corrupted, you'll also have the other copy corrupted.
If the online storage service will shut down, all of your copies are gone.
- Both of the media may not be available at the same time for one reason or another.
You may have left your external hard drive or you may not be able to access your online storage account.
- Different requirements may apply to different mediums.
For your local storage, all it needs to do is to copy the files to the drive.
For others such as online storage, you may have to upload each file into your account.
(To be fair, most online storage such as [[https://www.dropbox.com/][Dropbox]], [[https://nextcloud.com/][Nextcloud]], and [[https://www.google.com/drive/][Google Drive]] has a desktop sync option making it simple as drag-and-drop the files in a specified directory.)
For maintaining data between different media, we could easily automate them with backup tools.
For local storage, we could use [[https://www.borgbackup.org/][Borg]], [[https://rsync.samba.org/][rsync]], and [[https://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/][Unison]].
For online storage services, you can use [[https://rclone.org/][rclone]] or [[https://restic.net/][rustic]] offering support for various services such as Nextcloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and even the local filesystem if you really want to only use one tool for the job.
If you want a stronger backup option, you can setup a dedicated machine with the appropriate software.
In the software side of things, you can install appropriate filesystems such as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_File_System][Network File System]] (NFS) and [[https://www.gluster.org/][GlusterFS]] making it easier to create storage pools.

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:END:
#+title: Future-proofing your notes is only worth if the future is relevant
#+date: "2021-04-07 18:53:58 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:09 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:06:44 +08:00"
#+language: en
@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ Future-proofing your notes creates pressure on managing your note-taking serious
You don't want to take notes haphazardly and the overall notes structure will stay the same throughout a year.
They should eventually evolve into [[id:431532c3-6506-4565-b193-dbfb60eac7d6][Evergreen notes]], branching out of the original notes structure and making a better graph for navigation.
An alternative to trashing your notes is to [[id:810dc8b6-db64-4c80-a0aa-f9e6d5fa4acf][Create a writing inbox to store your thoughts]].
An alternative to trashing your notes is to [[id:810dc8b6-db64-4c80-a0aa-f9e6d5fa4acf][Create an inbox to store your thoughts]].

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:END:
#+title: Zettelkasten
#+date: "2021-04-22 14:00:50 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-04 20:52:07 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:03:37 +08:00"
#+language: en
Zettelkasten is a note-taking method popularized by Niklas Luhmann known for his prolific writings from 400 academic articles to 70 books in a lifetime.
This system, manifested as a shelf of 60,000 notes, was credited as his writing partner.
The main idea of this system is creating a global cloud of atomic notes without any hierarchy or separation.
The main idea of this system is creating a global cloud of [[roam:Non-linear notes]], individually called as zettels, without any hierarchy or separation.
This non-linear system encourages freely linking between each ideas making it easier for gaining new ideas similar to neurons in your brain.
While the absence of hierarchy is good for free-linking and filling gaps between wildly different topics, those ideas have to start from somewhere.
The traditional [[id:d3fbdb1a-9629-45ef-9f08-32c6e49025bb][Linear notes]] still have a place that it enforces structure.
Eventually, if the structured note is getting too big, you can separate the points into multiple zettels.
To make it more efficient, the workflow further describes the idea of creating good future-proof notes (see [[id:3994e8d7-8d77-4f52-9650-330369e82143][Future-proofing your notes is only worth if the future is relevant]]).
Most writings about this seem to agree to the following ideas.

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:PROPERTIES:
:ID: d024516b-35ea-40ae-9433-ceacea695073
:END:
#+title: Write paragraphs like music
#+date: "2021-05-07 09:00:43 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 10:49:18 +08:00"
#+language: en
Reading consecutive sentences with similar lengths can have an impression of being monotonous.
Writing as if it's music keeps the interest of the inner narrator as if they subsconciously demand variety in their reading.
To make musical-like quality of writing, the following guidelines can make things easier.
- Vary the sentence length per paragraph.
- Instill a gram of personal expression.
- Create a playful persona.
While musical-like writing invoke a sense of creativity and playfulness, it doesn't have to be this way.
You can occasionally apply it on certain situations where it can make interesting reading.
Examples include writing in a playful persona when writing explanations and introductions, instilling personality only with short phrases, or creating a short narrative inside of the writing while interleaving technical information.
For technical documentations, I think it could be applied.
But not forgetting that you're writing for the user who expects an accurate writing with a factual tone.
Several style guides such as from [[https://styleguide.mailchimp.com/][Mailchimp]] has casualness and informality.
Overall, it is going to be a task of balance.
It is especially interesting for personal note-taking.
The place where the personal needs are first before a hypothetical reader can make notes of various writing styles with various completeness.
But you shouldn't forget that you're writing for yourself, not the audience.

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:PROPERTIES:
:ID: 835941c8-b021-44da-9c1f-a55d43a57cc2
:END:
#+title: Types of notes
#+date: "2021-05-07 09:22:06 +08:00"
#+date_modified: "2021-05-07 11:03:21 +08:00"
#+language: en
* Linear notes
:PROPERTIES:
:ID: d3fbdb1a-9629-45ef-9f08-32c6e49025bb
:END:
The "traditional" method for personal note-taking.
The notes formed with linear notes tend to be tree-like thus it is useful for ordered information.
Useful for initial learning where you want a roadmap of the lesson.
Linear notes also tend to create hierarchy over time.
While nice to have, it can also limit the information you can put in each note.
Tools like [[https://www.dendron.so/][Dendron]] help with hierarchical notes.
* Non-linear notes
:PROPERTIES:
:ID: 2713f862-6664-4f36-9a2a-b4ddadfe4c8b
:END:
While linear notes are great with ordered learning, it is not great with linking the notes.
The solution: free the hierarchy.
Non-linear notes free you the worrying where to put the note by removing the structure.
This allows to freely make notes and extend in any direction.
One of the notable features of non-linear notes is the freedom to link different topics.
This is where non-linear notes like the ones found in [[id:4259636e-e0e8-49e4-8210-758ec59728a3][Zettelkasten]] or [[id:24b5e144-dda4-482c-9684-958a00d6c986][Roam Research]] tend to shine because of freedom from hierarchy.