[deepamehta-users] First use of DM4.5

[Jörg Richter]

Hi Sebastian,

it's good to hear from you again.


On May 14, 2015, at 14:27, Sebastian Spieker wrote:

> Hi Jörg and Matthias,
> 
> thank you for your prompt response!
> 
> Now I can enter topics and relations.

Hint: you can also create topics directly on the map by right-clicking its background. A context menu appears.

> In order to shutdown I tried to close the tab of Firefox browser as well as the terminal window (shell). But during the next start it seems to me that this was not a proper shutdown as in the terminal appeared some messages like "recovering..."
> 
> How to properly shutdown DM?

In the terminal window press Ctrl-C.
This shuts down the web server and puts the database in a consistent state.
(Alternatively you can type "stop 0" in the terminal window and press Return.)
You can now close the terminal window.

For more hints see the README:
https://github.com/jri/deepamehta#readme
(README.txt also exists in your deepamehta folder)

> I browsed through
> https://trac.deepamehta.de/wiki/Documentation
> http://www.deepamehta.de/en/content/usage
> 
> but couldn't find information on this.
> 
> Does a more detailed documentation of DM yet exist?

Unfortunately not.
We're desperately seeking for a user who is inclined to write a proper DM user guide.
Could this be you? :-)

While not being a dedicated user guide these community written articles/postings might inform your DM experience:
http://infokitchen.net/deepamehta-users-building-apps/
http://infokitchen.net/deepamehta-4-plugin-development-apps-in-a-network/
http://carolinagc.github.io/
https://www.digitalmemex.com/category/documentation/
http://abriraqui.net/category/deepamehta-tips/

> I like the underlying concept of DM very much and would like to use it as a personaly information management system. Using windows explorer or similar software in Linux I miss a way how to get a mindmap of a particular topic in terms of the informations (PDF, TXT, ODT, related contact persons, books, ...) I have already gathered on that topic . Then I often wonder if I do already have documents covering this aspect or not? Then I am mostly to lazy to browse all the locations in which I could have saved it to...

DM in its current state possibly fits your use case quite well.

Working with Files in DM:
To include your files into a topicmap use DM's File Browser feature (see Create menu), or, as a shortcut, drop files from your OS's file browser directly on a DM topicmap. A file is represented in DM as a File topic, ready to be associated with other topics, thus supporting associative retrieval. Some kinds of files can be (dis)played directly in DM's detail panel (right hand side), depending on your browser's capabilities. Double clicking a File topic opens the file in its original application. Currently the file content is not available to DM's search feature.

About DM topicmaps:
Conceptually a topicmap can display all items relevant to your current work situation at the same time. You can remove items which are no longer relevant from a topicmap by using the Hide command. The item remains existent (namely in the DM database), ready to be revealed at a later time / another working context. This separation between the data (as existing in the DB) and its display gives you the freedom to arrange the screen according to your current mind set.

While DM topicmaps exploit the cognitive advantages of Mindmaps (memory, spatiality, visual retrieval, ...) they leverage the computer's procedural and encyclopedic affordances (Janet Murray, "Inventing The Medium") as well. Topicmap traits:
- No central node in the middle. No strict node hierarchy.
- Manual placement by the user to support "Agency".
- Unconnected nodes to support spontaneity.
- Topics are "active": they can have state and behavior.
- Topics/Associations are reusable in other Topicmaps. When a Topicmap is deleted all its information remains existent.

I stress DM's topicmap concept here because it is different from what most users are familiar with. A topicmap is not like a document -- a container for information -- but a representation of your current work situation. So I like to say DM's UI is "Situation-centered" rather than "Document-centered" or "Application-centered".

> Thank you for this good piece of software!

You're welcome!
:-)

Cheers,
Jörg