Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#1

Post by lethologica » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:37 AM UTC

And if so, which software do you use? I'm fascinated by storing things that I learn outside of my own brain. Ideally I'd love to create my own mini intranet of information, basically a personal wiki, that I can go to first before having to Google things, especially for my field of study.

I've looked into various Wiki packages but none quite seem to offer what I'm looking for (Mac, no need for a webserver, cross device functionality, math markup, searchability, tags)

If you do keep a personal knowledge repository, can you please describe your workflow for using and maintaining one for all the new knowledge you acquire?

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#2

Post by osrec » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:49 AM UTC

I use adoc or markdown files in a personal git repo that I host on my own AWS instance. I use gitolite to manage access to the repo and even keep a version on my phone/tablet.

Works pretty well and is rather cheap.

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#3

Post by [deleted] » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:52 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#4

Post by Chirael » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:53 AM UTC

I use OneNote... just kidding, I actually use TiddlyWiki

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#5

Post by rootsudo » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:55 AM UTC

I actually do use onenote, and it's great.

Github would be better, actually....

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#6

Post by zakshay » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:56 AM UTC

VoodooPad, with web export.

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#7

Post by danboarder » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:56 AM UTC

For years I used the FreeMind mind-mapping app, but wanted to move all of it to a server that I could use across devices once smart phones came along, and moved to flat text files in Dropbox that I can edit with any text editor. The other thing with FreeMind is that the UX for navigating mind-maps can get unwieldy when they get big. (maybe there are other apps that implement this UX better, not sure). I have also tried using wiki software ( like https://tiddlywiki.com/ ) and other tools that just didn't work as good for me as flat text files at the end of the day. I don't feel this is a solved problem and I would explore other solutions. I think something that has a timeline view and very good search tools as well as integrates with media libraries in the same search and timeline (like my lightroom and my phone's google photos libraries) would be a really cool way to see thoughts and images in the context of time going back to the day you wrote something, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#8

Post by ravenstine » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:57 AM UTC

I stick everything into Notes on macOS in an unstructured way and just use the search function to go back and find stuff. I also use Trello for more complicated things, but use that way less.

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#9

Post by mthoms » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:57 AM UTC

It doesn't quite tick all your boxes but I've been really impressed with Typora for this purpose.

Re: Ask HN: Do you keep a personal knowledge repository?

#10

Post by pjmorris » Sat, May 25, 2019, 4:57 AM UTC

I used to use FreeMind [0], a mind-mapping tool that I really like, to keep track of projects, ideas, and things to follow up on. I eventually noticed that the pretty pictures could be represented, without loss of information, by a simple outline in a text file. Reading 'Getting Things Done' [1] got me to think in terms of a 'Current Task' list, which I now keep as a text file, backed up on Dropbox. Anything I need to do, or want to follow up on, or want to dream about in a practical way, gets jotted down in the file, with the most urgent matters at the top, Some really interesting stuff drifts down in the file as time passes.

As I do stuff, things move from the Current Tasks file to a Logbook file. Beyond 'accomplished todo's, that file gets stuffed with, for example, interesting quotes I run into, command lines I think I'll need again, and a record of what I've been up to. When I need to put together a status report, or figure out for myself where my time went, or recall how to do something intricate that I haven't done in six months, I turn to my Logbook.

With these two pieces, I feel like I've got a handle on what I want to do, and a record of what I've done. Now, if I just could find the time to follow through...

[0] http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done