📝Zettelkasten is bad for pre-packaged learning

Zettelkasten principles are not well suited for neatly packed or utilitarian learning (courses, textbooks, learning how to program, how to use Emacs, etc.).

Argument

• Zettelkasten forces you to split what you’re learning into atoms and that is usually too much work for dense learning. (e.g., when learning programming, do you create a note for every syntax feature? for every library function?)
  • This work is usually not worth it. It likely won’t produce interesting links as they will usually be similar to the structure of the book you’re reading. (Zettelkasten as a tool for breaking down and rebuilding structure)
    • Links will also be closed within the area of study. i.e., the area will be self-contained and there will be little to no cross-disciplinary links and connections.
    • Counterargument: you will start generating new links once you start stepping outside of textbooks, trying things in practice, etc.
• Too many notes make it hard to review and rehearse what you’ve learned. (You have too keep a comprehensive index and jump over a tons of notes.)
• There are better tools for that:
  • Wiki-style pages whereas you have all your notes on book/topic in one file. Easier to compile and maintain, helps reviewing everything. (Every note-taking app allows you to create these, so you can mix-and-match wiki-style pages and zettelkasten notes.)
  • § Spaced Repetition
  • Mind maps

Counterargument

• Splitting everything into atoms does help to understand better, find new ideas and connections.
  • (But do you need that level of understanding? It’s usually enough to know and remember the material and be able to apply it in real life.)
• There are people who used Zettelkasten (or mixture of zettel and wiki notes) to learn programming and that worked fine for them.
• Zettelkasten is great for research though.
  • If you use pre-packaged resources to advance your grander research, taking Zettelkasten notes is reasonable.
  • It’s often hard to predict when pre-packaged learning grows into research.
    • (Is taking Zettelkasten notes for pre-packaged learning a premature optimization?)
  • Studying done properly is research. For it is about searching insight. (Ahrens₂₀₁₇)