@ellane@pkm.social avatar

ellane

@[email protected]

I'm an Australian designer, writer, and plain text advocate. Educational publisher for more than 30 years. I help simplicity-focused Apple users to plan and learn effectively without needing shiny gatekeeper apps. Using less paper, sustainably. FYI You spell/say my name as it appears in the word “miscellaneous”. INFJ-T #fedi23 #productivity #technology #pkm #obsidian #ObsidianMD #iawriter #PlainText #planner #writing #paperless #analog #PlainTextAccounting #français #shavian tootfinder

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EpiphanicSynchronicity, to obsidianmd
@EpiphanicSynchronicity@pkm.social avatar

Just a reminder in all the holiday bustle, you can lock in 5x as much storage for the same yearly price if you subscribe to #Obsidian Sync before January 1. (Current Sync users get the upgrade automatically.) https://obsidian.md/blog/new-sync-plans/

FYI, I don’t work for Obsidian. I’m just a satisfied user.

@obsidianmd
#ObsidianMD

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@EpiphanicSynchronicity @obsidianmd (stands up) Welcome to Obsidian appreciation day! (cue tastefully quiet orchestral strains)

We may not work for #Obsidian, but (hand on heart) Obsidian surely does work for us.

Plain text (gestures with one hand) is my metaphorical fountain pen, and Obsidian (gestures with the other hand) makes my favourite interchangeable nibs and inks.

Next.

(sits down)

dhrystone, to random
@dhrystone@techhub.social avatar

#Obsidian

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@dhrystone @0xSim DUDES remember there are people that see us all having fun at this we-are-doing-whatever-we-want-and-don’t-need-no-guide party, but there are some peeps who don’t know where the door is. When I first came across I couldn’t even figure out how to make a note. Gave up for a year or so before tackling it again.

So yeah, I think basic guides, done well, can be a good thing. I may have a problem with the word ‘ultimate’, however.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@dhrystone @0xSim And before you start telling me But There Are Just Too.Many guides, tell me—who's in charge here? No one. It's a jungle out there! Disorder and confusion everywhere… (name that TV show reference)

What we DON'T have that's sorely needed is a plethora of how to use the Command Line guides. But @johnnydecimal is fixing that situation, I'm happy to say.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@dhrystone @0xSim You have just both reinforced the idea that a basic guide to Obsidian is needed, to strip away the complications and soothingly show people how simple it is. 1 × A4 page (with wide margins and a relaxing forest scene taking up the top half) should do it.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@dhrystone @0xSim See, there's the problem right there. I'd been using computers for decades, and wasn't incompetent. The unfamiliar UI of Obsidian was so different from what I'd expected, I felt lost and stupid, and didn't need anyone reinforcing that.

When someone sincerely asks a ‘stupid’ question, they're missing a foundational concept. Why not help them find it? I catch on quickly; just needed some confidence to try things out rather than beating down on myself for feeling lost.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@dhrystone @0xSim I saw a blank expanse, not an empty note. Couldn't initially find how to create a note.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@SamXavia @DmMacniel I'm happy with one vault for most things, mixing personal with business. The only times I create new vaults is for experimenting with different setups (that I don't want to break my regular workflow), and in preparation for sharing with others.

TfTHacker, to random
@TfTHacker@pkm.social avatar

Is mobile support crucial to your PKM experience? Is your tool meeting your expectations?

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@EpiphanicSynchronicity @TfTHacker @obsidianmd “I find the mobile toolbar set to column layout using the Commander plugin superior to any other app’s” —I need to learn what you mean by column layout; it might solve my problems. I struggle to use Obsidian on my phone because I haven't yet learned how to access the basic controls I use without thinking when on my laptop.

StephZihms, to academicchatter
@StephZihms@sotl.social avatar

Finally managed to do a little write-up about our writing retreat on a train: Write-Away! On the move. So excited to do this again in November as part of our fully packed schedule of events. https://stephaniezihms.blog/2023/10/20/write-away-on-the-move-writing-retreat-on-a-train/ @academicchatter

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@StephZihms @academicchatter I love writing on trains! I take an 15-hour train trip (30 hours return) a few times a year, just wonderful for getting the juices flowing.

ellane, to obsidianmd
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

Are there any or apps that can list the full names of files, on multiple lines, on a narrow screen? Landscape orientation helps, but it is not the solution I’m looking for.

Is the only one I’ve found so far that can do this.

All I want is to be able to browse the full text of long file names, in a list, in an app that doesn’t take 5 minutes to start up (I’m using iCloud for syncing Obsidian).

@obsidianmd

ellane, to obsidianmd
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

Anyone want to write me some to make the traditional writer's reminder of missing information, TK, show up prominently in wherever it occurs within a long text?

I'm thinking sans serif bold small caps, nicely letter spaced, maybe in light orange. Like Medium does it. Doesn't have to be offset to the side, just a nice visual blip to catch one's attention in the flow of the text.

@obsidianmd

ellane, to obsidianmd
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

Finally seriously looking at Sync.

Where should I store my vault on my ? I feel so lost! For years × ∞ I've put everything in Dropbox or iCloud, but that, I hear, is a recipe for sync troubles.

  • looks at computer as if for the first time, confused expression on previously confident face *

Why is my Documents folder greyed out? Where am I? Who am I ?? Help me, obi-@obsidianmd, you're my only hope!

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@mlevison That's what I thought, but whoa, it's like I've not used anything BUT sync platforms for so long, I've forgotten what life is like without them.

And what about the cloud symbols next to additional vaults I want to remove from iCloud? Do I have to wait until that goes away before I can move them? This is a humbling experience.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@mlevison Thanks, that's a helpful workflow to follow. My only sadness is Writer's insistence on using iCloud…this app is the only thing keeping me there.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@mlevison Oh sorry, I mean keeping my Obsidian vault there! I’m happy with iCloud for other things.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@kurau @obsidianmd That’s another issue with both iCloud and Dropbox. Both give you the option to specify offline access on a per-file basis, but I’ve found it doesn’t always work as expected.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@austingovella @EpiphanicSynchronicity @Colman @gelberhut @biscotty @obsidianmd I use folders where it makes sense to me to do so. Where they add value to my workflow. Some sections of my vault have folders 2 or 3 deep, because that's what I need for those topics.

I also have a folder called ALL THE NOTES (my folder names are always in capitals, for easy differentiation from files) where everything else is dumped.

Works great for me! There's no true religion for organising your stuff.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@austingovella @bowreality @EpiphanicSynchronicity @Colman @gelberhut @biscotty @obsidianmd I use folders where it makes sense to me. Where they add value to my workflow. Some sections of my vault have folders 2 or 3 deep, because that's what I need for those topics.

I also have a folder called ALL THE NOTES (my folder names are always in capitals, for easy differentiation from files) where everything else is dumped.

Works great for me! There's no true religion for organising your stuff.

ellane, to obsidianmd
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

Just bought a commercial license for . Had a good read of the license terms and realised it's the right thing to do. @obsidianmd

I like that they're using an honour system for this. I could have kept on using Obsidian while justifying it's (mainly) for personal use, but the fact is, I'm actively using it to earn a living in my company and with my writing.

Thanks, @kepano, for trusting us! Simply expecting someone to act with integrity without forcing them to, is a powerful thing.

ellane, to obsidianmd
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

Just bought a commercial license for . Had a good read of the license terms and realised it's the right thing to do. @obsidianmd

I like that they're using an honour system for this. I could have kept on using Obsidian while justifying it's (mainly) for personal use, but the fact is, I'm actively using it to earn a living in my company and with my writing.

Thanks, @kepano, for trusting us. The guilt brought about by simply expecting someone to act with integrity is a powerful thing.

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@EpiphanicSynchronicity @tamowafy @gelberhut @effingjoe “the use of OBSIDIAN for the exercise of your own trade or profession for which you are compensated compensation (e.g. teamwork with colleagues, writing work reports, etc.) does not qualify as Personal Use”

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@gelberhut Sorry, should have done that: https://obsidian.md/terms

Should I be weary of relying on the full calendar plugin?

Over the past year, I have been gradually abandoning the other apps and tools I have used in my daily workflow, and replacing them with Obsidian. I am not sure I can do this with my calendar, however. This is quite devastating to me because calendars allow me to see how I spend my day at a glance, and therefore, are an essential...

ellane,
@ellane@pkm.social avatar

@rokville Have you looked at NotePlan? It's possible to use files in an vault.

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