Using Scrintal for Visual Note-Taking In Infinite Space

[@djlensing]

Do you prefer the traditional plain text approach or do you see an advantage in visual note-taking? Let us know and help other viewers with your experiences and insights! 💡 PLUS, I'm curious, what's your stand on the folders vs. tags debate?

[@thelawenforcementproject2705]

As an infinite canvas platform, with all media format uploading feature, and excellent collaboration functions, COLLABOARD is hard to beat.

[@georgiaho]

I'm just restarting my second brain / pkm journey and I thought this was very helpful! Especially because I first wanted my channel to be used to review books, and I was using Obsidian back in 2021. Thank you for your very engaging video and recommendation!

[@djlensing]

You’re welcome! 🤗 Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!

[@sibaroochi]

I could never figure out an easy way to manage images and videos in obsidian. It seemed like a purely text-based system which intimidated Me. Maybe I didn't give it enough time. What is your experience so far with Scrintal?

[@untermunchkin4380]

This is from a chat with Chat GPT 4: - Mind Maps and Learning Complex Topics - **Purpose of Mind Maps** - Mind maps are visual tools designed to organize and represent information in a hierarchical, non-linear format. - They help in understanding, retaining, and recalling information by showing relationships between concepts. - **Typical Use of Nodes** - Nodes in a mind map typically contain keywords or short phrases. - The brevity of nodes helps maintain clarity and readability, allowing for quick reference and connection visualization. - **Challenges with Longer Notes** - Long notes can clutter the mind map, making it harder to read and follow. - Squinting to read detailed notes can lead to cognitive overload, negating the benefit of the visual layout. - Complex or lengthy information in nodes can cause users to lose track of connections between nodes. - **Effective Use of Mind Maps** - Keep nodes concise, using keywords, short phrases, or single sentences. - Use additional notes or external documents to provide detailed explanations, linking them to the mind map for reference. - Utilize colors, images, and symbols to differentiate and highlight key concepts without adding textual clutter. - **Balancing Detail and Clarity** - Break down complex information into simpler sub-concepts that can fit into shorter nodes. - Use hierarchical structures, with primary nodes representing main ideas and sub-nodes for detailed points. - Supplement mind maps with more detailed study notes, keeping the visual map as a summary tool. - **Conclusion** - Mind maps are most effective when nodes are concise and clear. - Overly detailed nodes can diminish the benefits of visual connections. - Balancing detail with brevity ensures the mind map remains a useful tool for mastering complex intellectual topics.

[@thelawenforcementproject2705]

The infinate canvas approach is pretty good for mind-mapping

[@JesusVargas-li6em]

Have you tried Heptabase? I think it's more similar to obsidian while being more flexible and entuitive

[@djlensing]

Nope, haven’t tried.

[@wilsonlamlyt7138]

Curious to ask, I've heard you talked about the obsidian canvas, by workflow wise, which would you prefer? (Given you are both users) The obsidian notes, graphs, canvas approach, or the Scrintal pure board and card approach. I'm considering trying Scrintal by now, and would like to hear advice or thoughts from users used both apps!

[@djlensing]

Hey there! I get your curiosity, and I'm happy to share my thoughts. For me, it's all about the integration with my existing workflows. And as I’m using Obidian for note-taking, journaling, writing and more, I’m using Obsidian canvas as well and don’t miss any feature so far. That being said, Scrintal still is a great choice if you prefer a pure board and card approach. It’s a solid tool for visual thinkers and project planning. Ultimately, it comes down to your personal preferences and how well these apps align with your existing workflows. If you're already comfortable with Obsidian and want something that integrates seamlessly, Obsidian Canvas might be the way to go. However, if Scrintal's approach aligns better with your needs and you're open to a different workflow, it's certainly worth giving it a try.

[@TheInternetFan]

you once mentioned that Syncthing isn't a backup method. what backup have you adopted?

[@djlensing]

It's a mixture. I use Dropbox Backup (to my cloud) and Time Machine (to external hard drives). Also, on my Synology DiskStation my data is mirrored on separate drives. Lastly, I have most of my data copied to hard drives that are stored away from my studio.

[@alexmehler6765]

can it embed video files and/or online video sources ?

[@djlensing]

Yeah, you can embed PDFs, videos, and images and upload any file to cards. You can double-click on embeds and see them on the canvas. (As described here: scrintal.com/features/cards; here you can find some screenshots of how it looks: scrintal.com/comparisons/mural-alternative)