ConnectedText versus Ndxcards

Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Oct 18, 2007 at 05:12 PM

Stephen R. Diamond wrote:
>Connected Text
>requires memorizing a set of conventions, a process that might lead me to use
>supermemo (mentioned in this thread) to learn CT’s conventions, if I wanted to use
>Connected Text. I’m skeptical of undirected connections as in Wikis, and I don’t
>understand how CT can produce an outline (which involves directed connections) from
>the undirected connections that CT allows. Maybe someone can explain.

From my quick examination of the CT outlining function, I believe it works similarly to ndxCards in that the outline is an entity somewhat independent of the database into which you can drag your notes in a certain, hierarchical order. I’m sure Manfred will be able to clarify this if I am incorrect.

>
>One caveat about
>programs that do require memorizing many conventions. I find these are forgotten
>very quickly. Even using very intuitive programs suffer when I don’t use them for a
>couple of weeks. It seems to me that to use something like CT very effectively, you
>would need to use it a lot.

I own a license for CT, but I do not use the program at this time for the reason you suggest. To me, it seems to require too much work. I have no doubt that users who spend a lot of time with the program develop a facility for the conventions and after time they begin to become transparent. But it felt to me like trying to swim through gelatin. However, I have downloaded the beta for version 3 and will once again endeavor to get my arms around CT… because I like the concept of wikis very much, and CT really is packed with a lot of power.

Steve Z.