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Tools for Better Thinking

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Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#121

Post by petra »

henrik_w wrote: post #110
beefield wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly this. What is really weird, though, is that I have occasionally tried to promote this approach to people that ask my help, simply by asking them to write the request to me instead of calling. Also, getting the help request in written helps me to think the case and open issues in my own pace uninterrupted by discussion. The weird part? I have a strong feeling that more and more often (luckily not too often yet…

Maybe in some cases it is helpful (for both parties) if it is written down. However, in my experience, a conversation can often be very helpful as well - you can ask clarifying questions etc. It becomes more of a brainstorming together. Has helped me many times (on both sides of the conversation).

I find the instant messaging is even better(for informational conversations).

It gives you time to think, can decrease miscommunication and the psychological element of conversation(giving more clean space for the informational element) and increase the depth and details of a conversation.

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#122

Post by petra »

playing_colours wrote: post #104

TRIZ ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ ) “theory of the resolution of invention-related tasks”. It was invented in Soviet Union. TRIZ is basically a toolset to analyse and solve engineering problems; it can help with “inventing“ tasks. The system is well developed and quite sophisticated with a variety of techniques and approaches. I found this book to be a good introduction: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/TRIZ+for…

Have you found it useful to non-mechanical problems?

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#123

Post by M5x7wI3CmbEem10 »

rukuu001 wrote: post #56
M5x7wI3CmbEem10 wrote: post #10

does anyone know a simple app that allows hyperlinking within notes? I want to create a roam-style knowledge base, but most tools are too heavy for my purposes. I prefer to keep things cross-compatible and future proof with .txt or .rtf, but to my knowledge, neither allow hyperlinking to documents

Hate to be that guy but... org-mode :) I use it as an outliner, to link to documents (using org-roam), and liberally sprinkle TODOs among the notes, which the agenda picks up. Took a while to get comfortable with it, but it's totally worth it.

I'm concerned because the emacs community is significantly smaller than the vi community. Do you happen to know anything about vim-org?

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#124

Post by M5x7wI3CmbEem10 »

ImprobableTruth wrote: post #28
M5x7wI3CmbEem10 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

still a bit too heavy for my purposes, but it looks like it may be the only option. I was trying not to resort to `.md` files, but that may be a more future-roof option to be honest.

if you do decide to check out emacs, look at org-roam. My experience with it has been amazing so far.

how is it compared to org-zettelkasten or vim-org?

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#125

Post by dunefox »

cmehdy wrote: post #11
M5x7wI3CmbEem10 wrote: post #10

does anyone know a simple app that allows hyperlinking within notes? I want to create a roam-style knowledge base, but most tools are too heavy for my purposes. I prefer to keep things cross-compatible and future proof with .txt or .rtf, but to my knowledge, neither allow hyperlinking to documents

Yesterday there was a Show HN about Obsidian[0] which you might be interested in. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23324598

Not that great since it lacks Latex support.

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#127

Post by lowdose »

kiba wrote: post #115
typicalbender wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's amazing how much a technique like rubber ducking[1] helps to work through issues. The number of times I've felt like I have no idea how to solve a problem until the moment after I ask someone else is incredible. I think the act of thinking how to explain the problem to someone else really helps trigger the problem solving side of the brain. That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more produ…

They call it the Einstellung effect[1]. It's a recommended strategy to take time away from the problem to let your brain subconsciously work on the problem. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstellung_effect

How is this different from the Innovators Dilemma?

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#128

Post by mrshu »

M5x7wI3CmbEem10 wrote: post #10

does anyone know a simple app that allows hyperlinking within notes? I want to create a roam-style knowledge base, but most tools are too heavy for my purposes. I prefer to keep things cross-compatible and future proof with .txt or .rtf, but to my knowledge, neither allow hyperlinking to documents

If you do not mind a bit of setup, I have found Vim in combination with VimWiki (https://github.com/vimwiki/vimwiki) a very good fit for this scenario.

It supports markdown formatting, does hyperlinks pretty well (even jumping back and forth is quite nice), is as cross-compatible as Vim and stores the notes in future-proof .md files.

I suggest you give it a shot.

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#129

Post by kwhitefoot »

daemoncoder wrote: post #98
typicalbender wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's amazing how much a technique like rubber ducking[1] helps to work through issues. The number of times I've felt like I have no idea how to solve a problem until the moment after I ask someone else is incredible. I think the act of thinking how to explain the problem to someone else really helps trigger the problem solving side of the brain. That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more produ…

I've heard this concept called the cardboard colleague - you explain the problem to a cardboard cutout representing a colleague instead of an actual person. Of course it remains a concept, I don't think anyone would go so far as make one :-)

You can use an actual colleague.

Many years ago when I was designing and programming embedded controllers (early '80s) I worked alongside, but not with, another engineer who was building devices using the same fundamental components (6520, PIA, etc.) In our tea breaks we would explain our problems to each other. Neither of us suggested any solutions to the other or responded with anything other than simple platitudes and sympathy for each other's troubles. It was remarkable how many problems had simply vanished by the end of the tea break.

Re: Tools for Better Thinking

#130

Post by lubonay »

pinouchon wrote: post #109
Pandabob wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. I've gotten a new appreciation for Stackoverflow in the past year or so. Half of the drafts I write do not end up as published questions, just because the writing process itself is often helpful in figuring out what ever problem I have with my code.

Sometimes I wonder how big a tragedy it is that many well-written questions are simply dismissed because the author found his solution in the process. I'm sure many of those questions are high quality and would get edits, upvotes and answers had the author just pressed the submit button.

Actually it's acceptable to answer your own question, as long as it's a useful contribution, so it might be worth it to just post the question after all.
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