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I write in open formats to avoid app lock-in, but don’t particularly care if they survive me. Here are some thoughts on the longevity vs convenience compromise, focusing on those already converted to the wisdom of writing in plain text formats.
Files in an open format can be read on (almost) any device without losing its core function, and without requiring proprietary or closed source apps. Text can still be read, links between notes are still be clickable, images can still be viewed as intended on any device.
According to my understanding the only format that really ticks these boxes is HTML, the ubiquitous web language that can do all that and so much more.
I regularly remind myself that while some note formats are more open than others, others are open enough for my needs.
There was a thought provoking discussion on Mastodon recently, on what the best format for note making might be.
Karl Voit:
re-evaluate your requirements and switch to a much better long-term alternative, such as Emacs Orgmode & not yet another hip lock-in monster like Obsidian (read more from Karl on how to choose a tool)
Feral Thoughts:
local websites is what these software should produce as output—allowing any browser on any platform to open them. That will ensure meaningful possession and ownership of data over the long term.
Me:
I’m confident in not being locked in to Obsidian because I regularly use my files in other apps. They work just fine. E.g. iA Writer, Notenik, Tangent. It’s also not hard to mass convert wiki links to Markdown link format.
…And I’d add, it’s surely not hard to mass convert wiki links to HTML.
Despite the devoted following org mode inspires, I took one (or two or three) look(s) and ran away screaming.
Org isn’t like cilantro (the herb from hell), but maybe it’s like onions? I couldn’t tolerate onions for the first 20 years of my life, while today I can happily eat them raw as a condiment if sliced thinly enough. (In case there’s some latent symbolism here, may the record state that I enjoy the taste of coriander seed, just not the green leafy bits that sprout from it.)
My fear is that org for me would be more like Turkish Delight, as I have Edmund-ish tendencies and might not know when to call enough, enough!
I’ve read some diverse takes on Markdown recently. From Adam Hyde calling it “a text format that lazy people use to write HTML”, to Herb Bowie (Notenik) and Oliver Reichenstein (iA Writer), who promote its use.
To write well, you only need to know how to make paragraphs and headings. The rest can wait. The flavor of Markdown or markup you use doesn’t matter. What matters is focusing on your words and their structure. —Oliver Reichenstein
And so I continue to stick with Markdown, despite the facts that it’s not standardised and that some people think it’s a bad idea. I’ve heard the pros and cons and choose it anyway, because it meets both my current and projected needs.
The key to avoiding plain text app lock-in is this: don’t rely on features available only in one app. If your notes work okay in several different Markdown apps (or would, with bulk edits) and at least one of those apps is open source, why worry?
If org mode or HTML notes are your jam, all good. Enjoy.
I’ve spent too long worrying about the long-term accessibility and readability of my notes. It’s time to focus on what these notes are for, and, more importantly, who they’re helping me to become. I still dream of making a file-based knowledge management system viable on iOS, but until then, what I can access on both my laptop (MacBook Pro) and portable devices (iPhone and iPad) will do very nicely. One more thing: do print out your most important notes and store them carefully. Here’s why.
Hookmark will be available on iOS later this year, says Luc Beaudoin!
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