Show HN: MindForger Markdown IDE – Autolinking, MathJax Menu and CSV Export (opens in new tab)

(mindforger.com)

72 pointsdvorka7y ago17 comments

17 comments

One of the things I like about wikis is the concept of backlinks [1]. I currently use TW5 (TiddlyWiki) for my 700+ notes and I always find something that I have written but have forgotten ever writing those down. From the screenshoots it appears like MindForger has this feature and I am glad they chose to implement it. Very few note taking software seem to implement it these days. The ability to see the relationship of existing notes is revelatory. I will be watching this one to see how they progress. Hope they will release a Windows version too.

[1] : http://wiki.c2.com/?BackLink

kungtotte7y ago

In practice, back linking or otherwise connecting notes in some relational manner is the difference between a knowledge base and just a stack of notes.

bthallplz7y ago

Semi-unrelated: I am very eager to see how well MindForger can be used with my TiddlyWikis. Prior to now seeing MindForger, TiddlyWiki was the only thing I'd describe as being close to being an IDE for the mind, and the possibilities of such excites me greatly.

I like that MindForger might be useful for reading documents, not just writing them.

O_H_E7y ago

> and I always find something that I have written but have forgotten ever writing those down.

I don't get how does backlinks help here.

tarboreus7y ago

The people cried out for Org Mode, taking strange convolutions on their search for the one true path https://orgmode.org/

velobro7y ago

Starting to become a bit annoying how orgmode is immediately linked whenever a notes app is posted on HN.

Emacs is a beast of a program in the same way Vim is. One has to sit down, bear through the pain, and force themself to be slow as hell while they "learn" the program. This culminates in a experience that arguably is only slightly better than something that a person can get immediately through installing any other modern notes app.

A majority of people don't want to have to do that.

tarboreus7y ago

"Hey, people reinventing the wheel! There's a wheel over here!"

I could see how that would be annoying. But, really, there's a wheel over here. I do appreciate the wiki-oriented approach, though...if this can help with that, more power.

jitl7y ago

This looks perfect. I’d like to be able to keep a notebook like this stuffed full of tiny opinions, software research, and project plans. Most notes tools are either too simple, or limit me to writing using their tool. This looks like a perfect solution, with really cool refactoring tools to boot!

antoineMoPa7y ago

Refreshing to see a desktop app here not built with electron!

T-A7y ago

But a bit odd that running it on Windows requires WSL + an X server. It's built with Qt, should be easy enough to make cross-platform.

SeriousM7y ago

Maybe you could help the dev to do that?

letientai2997y ago

On one hand, it's so nice to have a proper IDE support for markdown and mathjax. But on the other hand, since when Markdown become so complicated that it needs a fully featured IDE?

rambojazz7y ago

Indeed, I started using Markdown because it was simple and minimalist and could quickly edit it in vim. In recent years it seems like a lot of complexity is being added to it.

frou_dh7y ago

It's not Markdown the format that's complicated here, it's finding effective mechanisms for recall and association in very large collections of notes

PurpleRamen7y ago

Since people want the power of an Office-Suite in plaintext, without using an actual Office-Suit.

somada1417y ago

Great effort! Dunno if I'm quite ready to jump off Quiver [1] which has been serving me well but I'll definitely be looking more into MindForger.

[1]: http://happenapps.com/

osrec7y ago

Interesting. I currently use the markdown preview in atom (Ctrl+shift+M), and that works pretty well too.

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17 comments

knight177y ago

[1] : http://wiki.c2.com/?BackLink

kungtotte7y ago

In practice, back linking or otherwise connecting notes in some relational manner is the difference between a knowledge base and just a stack of notes.

bthallplz7y ago

I like that MindForger might be useful for reading documents, not just writing them.

O_H_E7y ago

> and I always find something that I have written but have forgotten ever writing those down.

I don't get how does backlinks help here.

tarboreus7y ago

The people cried out for Org Mode, taking strange convolutions on their search for the one true path https://orgmode.org/

velobro7y ago

Starting to become a bit annoying how orgmode is immediately linked whenever a notes app is posted on HN.

A majority of people don't want to have to do that.

tarboreus7y ago

"Hey, people reinventing the wheel! There's a wheel over here!"

I could see how that would be annoying. But, really, there's a wheel over here. I do appreciate the wiki-oriented approach, though...if this can help with that, more power.

jitl7y ago

antoineMoPa7y ago

Refreshing to see a desktop app here not built with electron!

T-A7y ago

But a bit odd that running it on Windows requires WSL + an X server. It's built with Qt, should be easy enough to make cross-platform.

SeriousM7y ago

Maybe you could help the dev to do that?

letientai2997y ago

On one hand, it's so nice to have a proper IDE support for markdown and mathjax. But on the other hand, since when Markdown become so complicated that it needs a fully featured IDE?

rambojazz7y ago

Indeed, I started using Markdown because it was simple and minimalist and could quickly edit it in vim. In recent years it seems like a lot of complexity is being added to it.

frou_dh7y ago

It's not Markdown the format that's complicated here, it's finding effective mechanisms for recall and association in very large collections of notes

PurpleRamen7y ago

Since people want the power of an Office-Suite in plaintext, without using an actual Office-Suit.

somada1417y ago

Great effort! Dunno if I'm quite ready to jump off Quiver [1] which has been serving me well but I'll definitely be looking more into MindForger.

[1]: http://happenapps.com/

osrec7y ago

Interesting. I currently use the markdown preview in atom (Ctrl+shift+M), and that works pretty well too.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse