So DMB Publishing has finally gone digital. No not quite true. But it has setup a parallel Digital Knowledge Base reflecting much that still remains paper based. The Digital Knowledge Base requires me to currently manage fourteen separate blogs. Each blog has an entity name (Subject Label) reflecting the subject matter that should be stored within the blog. What is stored digitally within these blogs will have paper based parallel data of differing amounts linked to them by a unique Blog Post Code. These blog posts will have a facsimile copy of the post in Microsoft Word (docx) with the same Blog Post Code (eg DD23002) which will be stored on a number of PC and freestanding storage devices.(eg USB devices).
Each blog has a name representing what will be the subject
of the blog and a two digit blog reference code (CC) so DT for “A Digital Thought”. Each post within a blog is based upon on a sequential
number (NNN) running within the year (YY) after the blog code (DT). So this
blog has a unique reference code of DT23002 meaning the third (002) blog in the
year 2023 (23) within a blog reference code (DT) which is named as “A Digital
Thought”. Being a blog the Blogger application is exceptionally good at date
stamping each blog post so that aspect does not need any standardisation by me.
All my blogs are under a top organisation called DMB Publishing which first
published in 1983. The DMB being my initials for David Michael Bannister.
Now I have always maintained a knowledge base normally
through log books and diaries along with folders of newspaper and magazine
cuttings.
Now I don’t want you to think I have any sort of OCD
(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in respect of how I use specific books to
record this personal Knowledge Base. Although if I cannot locate one of the
books I do tend to go into a meltdown. Its more an object based obsessional
behaviour where I am emotionally attached to a specific object. Book bindings,
paper quality, colours and inevitably the manufacturer are important attributes
possibly showing I have slight artistic tendencies viewing these books when
completed as my artwork. They do on some occasions include the odd sketch or
diagram. As a behaviour it is similar to the small sketch and paint books kept
by artists to record local scenes when they are out and about. In fact they are
often more treasured by the artists than their final sketches or paintings. So
let us look at this personal Knowledge Base. Remember it has been going since
my teens and I am now 75 years old although the approach has not always been as
complicated or a strict as it is these days.
One of my prime resources is the pocket book (Pukka Pads
Pocket Book A7 200 Pages. Black with Pencil) which is literally kept in a coat
pocket and kept with me at all times. At home is located a blank lined book
(Ruled Ryman A5. Black) which only has diary entries made in it for the days I
choose to make an entry which is always in black biro. Finally a red A5 book of
no particular manufacturer but must be thin and it is used as a Web Diary. So
whenever I go on the internet looking up random things the websites are
recorded in here by the date accessed and some relevant notes. Finally separate
Holiday Diaries are maintained only covering the holiday period spent away. So
by the use of these paper book resources I am able to account for most of my
life’s activities and thoughts.
A recent addition to my paper documents was started in March
2021 when I started to make research notes and revision book corrections in
what I called “The Big Rough Note Book”. This has become a very interesting
document. I had a habit of writing notes on scraps of paper in support of my writings
plus also anything that suddenly flashed into my mind. These notes ended up
been thrown away. By always recording them in this new document along with a
sort of diary note about the day became an interesting document to read retrospectively.
It has shown up how random I am in terms of what I chose to do each day. This is not being digitised.
For some time, like the last 10 years, I have been aware
that I need to go digital and not paper based. I will not detail these attempts
at going digital other than to say they have not been very successful.
Authoring the material into a digital format was always too time consuming and
you quickly lost the impulsivity of the moment. I had to find a software
solution where the act of writing did not detract completely from the
experience of the moment. Anyway this needs to be the subject of a new blog. In
fact everything written here so far should have been the first post in a new
blog called Knowledge Management. I suppose it does serve to illustrate the odd
way I choose to use blogging. My blogging is not really designed to serve your
reader objectives. It is purely my random way of recording my consciousness so
in the future (or not) I can possibly formulate it in to something more orderly
for a reader to digest. Or even into a published book.
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