Do software-generated "connections" really generate inspiration?

Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Oct 25, 2007 at 05:14 PM

Cassius wrote:
>But has anyone really had an inspiration as a result of a software-generated connection?

Inspiration, when it comes to me at all, usually arises while I’m writing. This is why I like clean, easy editors… because there are no distractions. It is also why I prefer single-pane outliners: I can see the full context of my work, instead of having it chopped up and stored in little boxes.

However, my interpretation of the comments about inspiration coming from the connections made through software is more along the lines of having ideas stimulated based on connections that were not immediately obvious. This could only happen if you have built a large enough database of ideas already. I think in one of the examples I read, the user had said that he had a database of several thousand notes. It is easy to imagine that one would need an application’s help to comb that much data, because surely you wouldn’t remember it all.

That being said, it does seem that you can get the same effect from searching the web.

Steve Z.