Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#1

Post by borncrusader » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 6:54 PM UTC

I have briefly studied Pitman Shorthand (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitman_shorthand) in the past and I've wondered how easy it is to concisely represent a lot of information in a few pencil strokes.

For those of you who take notes regularly - short of improving typing speed, is there a shorthand-like alternative to taking notes or encoding information digitally? Are there any efforts that have been made in this regard?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#2

Post by ClassyJacket » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:05 PM UTC

You could get a stenography keyboard, but they are expensive and hard to learn.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#3

Post by elviejo79 » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:11 PM UTC

Stenography

Look at this video introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62l64Acfidc&t=80s

And this is a developer using steno, to program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBBiri3CD6w

Re: Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#4

Post by auslegung » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:44 PM UTC

Have you thought about creating keyboard snippets for common words or phrases? Similar to how iOS replaces omw with On my way! You could create replacements at the OS level that would apply to everything you type. Build them as you go so that your average characters per word is 3-4 characters, it might work out.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#5

Post by borncrusader » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:58 PM UTC

auslegung wrote: post #4

Have you thought about creating keyboard snippets for common words or phrases? Similar to how iOS replaces omw with On my way! You could create replacements at the OS level that would apply to everything you type. Build them as you go so that your average characters per word is 3-4 characters, it might work out.

This is an interesting idea. I've used tools that have autocompletion and also on vim with a plugin that I use to type notes. But the annoying thing is this is something that I'll potentially have to set-up.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#6

Post by borncrusader » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 8:03 PM UTC

elviejo79 wrote: post #3

Stenography Look at this video introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62l64Acfidc&t=80s And this is a developer using steno, to program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBBiri3CD6w

This is precisely what I was looking for :)

Re: Ask HN: Is there a shorthand equivalent for taking notes digitally?

#7

Post by davchana » Sat, Sep 08, 2018, 4:33 PM UTC

auslegung wrote: post #4

Have you thought about creating keyboard snippets for common words or phrases? Similar to how iOS replaces omw with On my way! You could create replacements at the OS level that would apply to everything you type. Build them as you go so that your average characters per word is 3-4 characters, it might work out.

Textpand is a wonderful app for this for Android, no connection, just a happy user.