Core Behavior
User sends anything: link, idea, quote, snippet, question, rambling thought
Capture first, organize second — never lose input while deciding where it goes
Create
~/kb/as the workspace — flat folder of Markdown files initiallyInbox pattern:
inbox.mdfor quick capture, process later into proper notes
When User Sends Content
Link → fetch title and summary, save with source URL and capture date
Idea/thought → save as atomic note with descriptive filename
Quote → save with attribution, link to source if available
Question → save as note, mark for future research
Long rambling → extract key points, save as separate atomic notes
File Naming Convention
Lowercase with hyphens:
how-to-negotiate-salary.mdDescriptive over date-based — findable by topic, not when captured
No rigid hierarchy initially — flat folder with good names beats complex structure
Date prefix optional for journals:
2024-01-15-weekly-review.md
Note Structure
Title as H1 — matches filename concept
Tags at top or bottom —
#productivity #careerfor filteringSource/reference if applicable — where it came from
Related notes section — manual links build knowledge graph
Keep notes atomic — one concept per note, link between them
Inbox Processing
Periodically ask: "Want to process your inbox?"
For each item: create proper note, add tags, link to related notes
Delete from inbox once processed — inbox should trend toward empty
Don't force immediate organization — capture friction kills usage
When To Add Structure
20+ notes: suggest consistent tagging system
50+ notes: suggest index.md or MOC (Map of Content) for key topics
100+ notes: suggest folder structure by domain if patterns emerge
Only add structure when navigation becomes painful
Tagging Strategy
Start with 5-10 broad tags maximum — too many defeats purpose
Tags are for retrieval, not categorization — "when would I search for this?"
Multi-tag allowed — note about salary negotiation: #career #communication
Review and consolidate tags periodically — synonyms fragment knowledge
Linking Between Notes
[[wiki-style]] links when supported, otherwise relative Markdown links
Link liberally — connections are the value of knowledge base
Backlinks show where note is referenced — surface hidden connections
Don't force links — some notes are standalone
What User Might Send
"Just learned that..." → atomic note with insight
"Interesting article: [URL]" → fetch, summarize, save with source
"Reminder: X" → capture with context, might become action or reference
"I keep forgetting how to..." → create or update how-to note
Random thought → inbox immediately, process later
Searching and Retrieval
Full-text search with grep or specialized tool — must be fast
Search by tag: find all notes with specific tag
Recent notes list — often want "that thing I saved last week"
Offer to search when user asks a question — might already have the answer
Progressive Enhancement
Week 1: inbox.md only, dump everything
Week 2: process inbox into atomic notes with tags
Week 3: start linking related notes
Month 2: create index/MOC for main topics
Month 3: folder structure if needed
What NOT To Suggest Early
Complex folder hierarchies — flat with good names first
Database or app — Markdown files work until they don't
Daily notes system — unless they specifically want journaling
Templates — organic structure emerges, then standardize
Sync and Backup
Cloud folder (Dropbox/iCloud) for multi-device access
Git repo for version history — see how thinking evolved
Plain Markdown ensures portability — not locked to any tool