This week, I’m trying a new Roam-like service called Hypernotes. It is built by the Zenkit team from Germany.
It follows the outline and graph features from Roam, which #hashtag and [[backet link]] creates a new page automatically. There are also back-links which I’ve mentioned its benefits in email 2020w52.
I know that I should stick to the current system as long as I can before switching to yet another note-taking system. But in order to know the market, I Hypernotes some intensive usages in the past few days. Here are my findings.
What I like about Hypernotes.
It follows the outline and graph features from Roam, which #hashtag and [[backet link]] creates a new page automatically. There are also back-links which I’ve mentioned its benefits in email 2020w52.
I know that I should stick to the current system as long as I can before switching to yet another note-taking system. But in order to know the market, I Hypernotes some intensive usages in the past few days. Here are my findings.
What I like about Hypernotes.
- First, it has bi-directional linking and images/embed, which is on par with my knowledge management software requirement.
- Design and typography
- The UI design and elements spacing is comfortable. Roam, in the other hand, feels like a software that’s built by tech people only.
- Stacked side-view
- Notebook metaphor.
- It reminds me of the analog sketchbook feeling while being in the digital world.
- The notebook metaphor reminds me that the digital notebook is in both top-down hierarchy and bottom-up tag-based/link-based appraoch.
- It is like the flexible notebook that I use for analog writing and organizing.
What issues I faced when using Hypernotes.
- The code block function is not working. It is not like Roam that code block is one atomic block. It may be a bug so hopefully they will fix it later.
- Sometimes if I wrongly press ESC in new block after typing, the text goes away. The ESC is treated as cancelling the input. I need to change the VIM habit and press ENTER each time instead of ESC after done typing.
- In one moment, the web browser edition fails. All text inputs becomes empty immediately after done. I check with the mobile devices. The text did saved and synced to server, but the JavaScript in browser obvious had issue. Refreshing the browse wouldn’t help too. I didn’t experience same issue the other day.
What I wish Hypernotes can do in the future.
- Exporting notes
- I wish I can export single or multiple or entire notebook.
- This is a deal breaker to me. I don’t want to have any data lock-in into a system.
- Code block support
- I store lots of code snippets. I will wait for their fix.
In conclusion, Hypernotes has robust synchronization and mobile app with offline support. The design is comfortable to use and it offers essential features that modern note-taking software have.
Links worth sharing this week
→ The original proposal of the WWW, HTMLized.
Simply visionary.
→ CSS Grid cheatsheet, illustrated.
Useful cheatsheet for both beginner and professional daily use.
→ Smooth CSS shadows with Layers
The layered shadows look much nicer. I had used multiple backgrounds and multiple box shadows. But haven’t thought about this usage before.
And here is a generator:
https://brumm.af/shadows
→ Today I Learned: Using /tmp folder as download folders in macOS
/tmp folder for temporary files processing until filing for long term storage, if needed.
—Thomas Mak, 2021-03-14,
Makzan’s Dispatch 2021 week 11.
→ The original proposal of the WWW, HTMLized.
Simply visionary.
→ CSS Grid cheatsheet, illustrated.
Useful cheatsheet for both beginner and professional daily use.
→ Smooth CSS shadows with Layers
The layered shadows look much nicer. I had used multiple backgrounds and multiple box shadows. But haven’t thought about this usage before.
And here is a generator:
https://brumm.af/shadows
→ Today I Learned: Using /tmp folder as download folders in macOS
/tmp folder for temporary files processing until filing for long term storage, if needed.
—Thomas Mak, 2021-03-14,
Makzan’s Dispatch 2021 week 11.