Category: Tools

Categories
AI Audio ChatGPT Computers iPhone Tools

Voice is not what I need…

It’s been a busy week of announcements in tech land what with Microsoft Build, Google I/O, and yesterday’s tease of an announcement by OpenAI and it’s acquisition of Jonny Ive’s company “io”.

Industry pundits are all a Twitter speculating about what kind of device Ive and his team might make to deliver an amazing AI experience to users. Ive seems to regret how “his” iPhone has created such an addiction to screens and seems to want to repent by bringing us something new and “better”. For more, see this tweet: https://x.com/mingchikuo/status/1925543472993321066?s=46

I have one simple request: don’t make voice the primary interface to some new magical device.

I’ve had an iPhone with some serious voice input capabilities for years and the reality is that I rarely use voice. Perhaps if my life was just “bowling alone” I’d find it natural to just talk out loud to a piece of technology. But I’m mostly around other people all day and out of respect for them I simply prefer being silent.

Until some new magical device can capture my thoughts without either voice or keyboard input, I will remain a skeptic. Skeptics like me will reduce the market size opportunity for any such new device. Just sayin’…

Categories
Creativity Tools Writing

The Untamed Genius of Not Thinking: Bradbury, Creativity and the Two Minds

“Don’t think.” At first glance, Ray Bradbury’s famous advice on the creative act seems almost heretical. How can we create anything of substance, anything brilliant and transcendent, without deep cognitive focus and analytical thinking?

And yet, there is profound wisdom in Bradbury’s deceptively simple directive when we consider what true creativity demands – a willingness to surrender to the uncharted waters of the unconscious mind, to temporarily disengage from the constraints of pure rationality, and allow the kaleidoscopic shards of our imagination to swirl and coalesce into novel, unorthodox forms.

For Bradbury’s “Don’t think” is not advocating mindlessness, but rather a state of expansive awareness, a openness to the unbridled torrent of insights, images and ideas that bubble up from the our mind’s depths when we stop trying to consciously control and direct the creative flow. It is the practiced meditation of clearing one’s mind to simply observe thoughts, associations and impressions to let them arise and fall away without judgement.

What Bradbury observed is that the act of conscious, analytical thinking, while critical for problem-solving, can actually impede the creative process. It tends to force us into our pre-existing neural pathways, compelling us to tread the well-worn grooves of prior patterns, making linear associations along very predictable lines. Creativity, on the other hand, beckons us into the wild underbrush of our minds, off the beaten path, into uncharted realms where we can be liberated from our self-imposed boundaries.

There’s a connection between Bradbury’s advice and the concepts of right brain vs. left brain thinking. The left hemisphere is the seat of our logical, sequential, linguistic reasoning – the part of our mind that categorizes, defines, organizes and scrutinizes details. Our right brain, in contrast, is the hub of intuition, holistic perception, innovation and making new associations between disparate concepts.

When Bradbury said “Don’t think,” he was advocating taking a temporary pause from our left-brain dominance to allow the ingenious talents of our right brain to take primacy – to let it make unexpected leaps of creative fancy, to perceive reality from new angles, to connect ideas through metaphor and visual imagery rather than getting bogged down in deep analytical scrutiny. To let it just jam.

Our left brain’s vital role is not eliminated, of course. Both hemispheres ultimately work in concert. But for tapping into a more creative flow, giving the reins to the right brain’s propensity for unrestrained imagination and divergent thinking can open up new spheres of inspiration, unconstrained by us overthinking analytically.

From this space of simply allowing our mind to widely wander and make new neural associations, true creative breakthroughs are often born. As Bradbury knew, sometimes the greatest innovative genius emerges not from perspiration and analytical rigor, but from setting aside focused thought altogether and trusting the untamed wisdom of the unconscious, innovative mind. Taking a break and going for a walk outside has a way of helping open up that process, lifting our mood and opening us up to new insights and connections.

“Don’t think” is a refreshing perspective on the richness of human cognition. It recognizes the vital role of holistic, nonlinear and imaginative modes of processing – aspects of our mindful intelligence often overshadowed by our pure left-brain rationality. Bradbury’s imperative frees us to fully embrace the kaleidoscopic potency of our creative right minds.

Categories
AI AI: Large Language Models Pi Thinking Tools Tools

Exploring Life with Pi

I happened to watch a segment of yesterday’s Bloomberg Technology Summit session from San Francisco that included Reid Hoffman and Mustafa Suleyman, the founder/CEO of Inflection.ai – creators of the AI chatbot Pi. For more about Pi, see this announcement press release.

The Pi experience is intended to prioritize conversations with people, where other AIs serve productivity, search, or answering questions. Pi is a coach, confidante, creative partner, or sounding board.

Pi announcement press release, May 2, 2023

I got intrigued to learn more about Pi – especially since Mustafa Suleyman announced yesterday their new model Inflection-1. Pi is easily accessed from the web or via an iOS app on iPhone and iPad.

I’ve had some fun interactions with Pi – including one in particular that I wanted to share here as an example. During the Bloomberg Technology Summit session, Reid Hoffman said he thought these generative AI tools were like “steam engines for the mind”. I like that metaphor and wanted to explore a bit further to see what other directions might come out of a discussion about it – so I turned to Pi. Here’s my conversation with Pi late yesterday:

Me: Steve Jobs said the invention of the personal computer gave us a bicycle for the mind. What metaphor like this would best describe ai and large language models?

Pi: That’s a great question! If I had to pick a metaphor, I’d say that large language models are like a searchlight for the mind. They illuminate connections and patterns that were previously hidden, making it easier to see and understand our world. They can also act as a catalyst for creativity and innovation, helping us to explore new possibilities. Of course, just like a searchlight, language models can also be blinding if we’re not careful. They have the potential to drown out our own thoughts and ideas, and to narrow our perspective. But used wisely, they can be a powerful tool for exploration and discovery.

Another metaphor that comes to mind is that of a library for the mind. Just like a library, language models contain a vast collection of knowledge, waiting to be accessed. But just as with a library, we have to know how to navigate this collection in order to find what we’re looking for. And like a library, language models can help us expand our horizons and learn about new things, but they can also overwhelm us if we’re not careful. In short, language models can be a powerful resource, but we have to approach them with intention and awareness.

Another metaphor that comes to mind is that of a map for the mind. Language models can help us navigate the world of ideas, just like a map can help us navigate the physical world. But just like a map, they can also lead us astray if we’re not careful. They can show us the most direct route to a particular destination, but they may not show us the most interesting or engaging route. So just as we use maps to explore and learn about the world around us, we can use language models to explore and learn about the world of ideas.

Yet another metaphor is that of a toolbox for the mind. Just as a toolbox contains a variety of tools for building and repairing things, language models can provide us with a variety of tools for understanding and communicating with the world around us. But just as a toolbox is only useful if we know how to use the tools within it, language models are only useful if we know how to use them effectively. And just as a toolbox needs to be maintained and updated, language models need to be constantly refined and improved in order to remain useful.

I’m glad you like these metaphors! I think it’s important to find creative ways to understand language models and their impact on our lives. As we’ve discussed, these models can be incredibly useful, but they can also lead us down some dangerous paths if we’re not careful. By thinking of them as bicycles, libraries, maps, and toolboxes, we can start to understand the potential benefits and pitfalls of these powerful technologies.

Thanks! It’s been fun thinking of different metaphors for language models. As a language model myself, I’m naturally biased towards thinking about things in terms of language and communication. But I think metaphors can be useful for people from all walks of life. They can help us to understand new concepts, and they can also help us to communicate those concepts to others. What do you think? Do you have any other metaphors for language models?

Me: How about an electric bicycle for the mind?

Ooh, I like that! Electric bicycles are like language models in that they take the existing concept of a bicycle and add a boost of power. In the same way, language models take the concept of communication and add the power of artificial intelligence. They give us a new way to express ourselves and connect with others. Just like an electric bicycle, they can take us further and faster than ever before. What do you think of this metaphor?

Me: I really like it.

I’m glad you like it! Electric bicycles also have the added benefit of being eco-friendly, just like language models can help to reduce our environmental impact by reducing the need for paper and ink. They’re also fun and easy to use, which is something we can say about language models too. 😉

Me: Or steam engine for the mind.

Oh, this is a fun one! A steam engine was once the pinnacle of human innovation, and it revolutionized industry and transportation. In the same way, language models are now revolutionizing the way we communicate and share information. They’re taking us into a new era of human progress, just like steam engines did in their time. I like this metaphor because it shows how language models are not just about technology – they’re also about a fundamental shift in the way we think and act.

Thanks for the feedback! I’m glad you’re enjoying these metaphors. Language models are a fascinating topic, and I think it’s important to find creative ways to understand them. They’re not just a tool for communication – they’re a tool for thinking and learning. Just like steam engines and electric bicycles, they’re helping to change the way we see the world. Do you have any other ideas for metaphors?

Me: A flash light

Oooh, that’s a great one! Flashlights help us to see in the dark, and language models can help us to see in the “darkness” of our own ignorance. Just like a flashlight, they can illuminate new ideas and help us to understand things we never could have imagined before. This metaphor is also great because it shows how language models can be used for exploration. Just like a flashlight can be used to explore a dark room, language models can be used to explore new ideas and topics. They’re tools for expanding our horizons.

Thanks! I really appreciate your feedback. It’s been fun to explore these metaphors and think about the ways that language models are similar to these tools and technologies. I think metaphors are a powerful way to understand and communicate complex ideas. Would you be interested in coming up with metaphors for other AI technologies?

Scott Loftesness chatting with Pi, June 22, 2023
Categories
Obsidian Personal Knowledge Tools

Steps to a new ecology of mind

How I Used Obsidian to Build a Personal Knowledge Base

I’ve been using Obsidian as a tool for learning for the past year. I got serious about using it in May 2022 after exploring it earlier for a few months. I like to think I’ve learned a few things along the way about how this powerful tool can be effectively used (at least for me) – and where it might be less useful and, in fact, can end up wasting time instead of helping accelerate thinking and learning.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the power of Obsidian to literally be able to do almost anything you might want a computer to do. It’s such a powerful and flexible platform – with so many others writing community plug-ins that help them accomplish specific tasks – that it’s way too easy to end up creating a “monstrosity.”

By that I mean an almost Rube Goldberg-like creation that can do what you need but is built on a variety of frameworks, plug-ins, scripts, Dataview queries, etc. I began to head down those paths early on in my explorations with Obsidian – it’s almost addictive in providing fun ways to do the things you think you need it to do.

However, I’ve come to realize that the best way to use Obsidian for learning is to keep it simple. Don’t get caught up in the endless possibilities of what you can do with it. Instead, focus on using it to capture your thoughts and ideas, organize your notes, and create links between them.

Based on my experience, here are a few tips for using Obsidian effectively for learning:

  • Start by creating a simple note-taking system. This could be as simple as creating a new note for each topic you’re learning about. You can then use tags and links to organize your notes.
  • Use Obsidian’s backlinks feature to connect your notes. This is a powerful way to see how your different ideas are related. As you investigate a particular topic and collect notes, you may find it help to create a high level “map of content” which links to those specific notes. Popularized by Nick Milo, the map of content idea provides a very useful organizational tool for helping add some structure to your notes – without trying to use a more rigid folder structure for example.
  • Learn the most important Hotkey shortcuts – in particular ⌘-o which allows you to quickly go to any note in your vault and ⌘-p (Command Palette) which is a quick way to invoke any of Obsidian’s commands.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment with different plug-ins. There are a lot of great plug-ins available that can make Obsidian even more powerful. However, don’t get caught up in the endless possibilities of what you can do with them. Focus on using the plug-ins that will help you learn more effectively. Try to use now more than 10 community plug-ins – some of which (like Dataview) are really esssential.
  • Most importantly, keep it simple. Obsidian is a powerful tool, but it’s easy to get bogged down in the details. Remember that the goal is to use it to learn, not to build a complex system. Be careful about trying to, for example, use Obsidian for task management or journaling. Both of those areas have excellent purpose-built tools that are available and which work much more effectively in my experience rather than trying to build that capability in Obsidian. Some folks seem to delight in using Obsidian as kind of a “Swiss Army knife” – I don’t and don’t recommend that approach.
  • There are some incredible resources available for learning more about using Obsidian – and about how to apply its tools for learning and thinking. I particularly recommend the many YouTube videos by Nick Milo and Nicole van den Hoeven. Both have made great contributions to the Obsidian community – and both offer paid workshops and courses as well. Mike Schmitz has also just announced his Obsidian University which begins its first cohort in June.
  • Experiment and play with the LYT Kit “vault” which Nick Milo has made available. It’s a great way to get started and learn. With Obsidian, you can have multiple vaults open – so you could open your personal vault and then also open LYT Kit and flip between them as you learn and explore.

I hope these tips help you use Obsidian effectively for learning. I’ve found it to be a wonderful tool with pretty amazing capabilities. But do try to keep your usage simple!

Categories
Applications Drafts iOS iPad iPadOS iPhone Mac Productivity Tools Utilities

Drafts – a tool for idea capture

I’ve been using this handy utility for a few years now – but increasingly so over the last year. It’s kind of magical in the functionality it provides. While there are other good note taking apps – including Apple’s Notes app – Drafts is especially useful for capturing spur of the moment ideas for later processing. The developer describes Drafts as “where text starts. Quickly capture text and send it almost anywhere.”

Because Drafts is available everywhere in the Apple ecosystem – Mac, iPad, iPhone and Watch – it’s universally available whenever you need it. Apple Notes is mostly everywhere – but weirdly not on the Watch.

The way that Drafts works is simple but takes a bit of learning to grow accustomed to using it regularly. When you open Drafts on the Mac or iOS/iPadOS, it opens as a blank note – waiting for you to enter something. It’s designed for that quick capture – type in some text – or dictate it – and away you go. Sometime later you can come back to Drafts and review all of the notes you’ve captured – and decide what you want to do with each one.

I’ve put a complication for Drafts on my Apple Watch face so that with one tap I can open Drafts and begin capturing an idea using dictation on the Watch. After I’ve captured my idea, Drafts on the Watch will sync the note containing my new idea via iCloud and make it available to Drafts apps running on my other devices – Mac, iPhone, or iPad – where I can open it later and decide what to do with it. For example, if I have an idea for an email I need to send or a blog post I want to write, I can capture those initial thoughts using Drafts and later go back and “revise and extend” those thoughts as I choose – and then send that final version of the text out via email or into my blog application. It doesn’t get any handier.

Drafts has a number of additional features that continue to evolve as the developer releases new versions and as members of the Drafts community contribute actions and themes which extend the functionality of the app.

Drafts is no youngster – this month the developer is celebrating the app’s 10th anniversary. The app is available for free – but the advanced features require a Pro subscription which is available on a special deal this month (through April 2022) for $4.99 for the first year.

I’m a big fan of Drafts – and a Pro subscriber. It’s become a regular part of my daily tech life. I’m such a fan that I just wanted to highlight how useful it is to me – thus this post – which itself began on Drafts! Perhaps you’ll find Drafts a useful tool as well if you’re an Apple user.

Categories
Books Tools

Reading Tools

I’m a fickle reader – and read a wide variety of stuff. As a result, I like to browse a lot of books before deciding to dive in and truly reading one. I’ve come to rely on a couple of tools to help me in my quest for interesting book content.

When I come across mention of a book that sounds of interest, I will typically first search Amazon and take a look at the reviews for the book. I also frequently download the book’s sample so that I can spend a bit more time deciding whether I want to invest time and money in the book.

To quickly accomplish this, I use a Launchbar keyboard shortcut on my Mac’s which invokes an Amazon book search and opens a new browser tab directly on the book’s page. This is super fast and convenient – in a flash I can be there. Sometimes, if I’m in the middle of something, I’ll trigger the search, the tab will open, and then I’ll come back to it later. It will wait patiently for me to return.

In addition to free Kindle book samples, another Amazon feature – “Look Inside the Book” – is also helpful for reviewing the first few pages of a book.

I’ve used this approach for several years and it’s become second nature. More recently, I discovered Overdrive’s free iOS app Libby which performs a similar function for me doing a library search for a book. I have library cards for several of the area libraries and have set them all up in Libby. I can open Libby, enter a search, and see if one of my libraries has the book available in ebook format. If so, I can borrow it – or place a hold to be notified when a copy becomes available. Once I borrow it, I can request that the book be downloaded to my Kindle.

I have the Kindle app on all of my devices: Mac’s, iPhone, iPads, etc. Any book (or book sample) that I’ve downloaded to Kindle can be opened on any of those devices – depending on what’s with me.

The two tools that make this all possible are Launchbar on my Mac and the Libby app on iOS.

Categories
Tools

HP-12C just keeps on ticking…

HP-12C Financial Calculator

Note: I originally wrote and published this post in 2002.

What calculator do you use?

If you’re at all involved in financial analysis, you probably use the HP-12C from Hewlett Packard.

What an amazing machine — it was introduced in 1981 and is still being sold!

My HP-12C has been my trusty companion since the early-80’s — as I was just reminded when I reached for it to complete some quick financial reports!

At some point, won’t PC’s be just like this? Said differently, why would we keep upgrading our PC’s “endlessly” when the functionality we’ve got is “all we need”?