DeveloPassion's Newsletter #183 - Knowledge Management for All
A newsletter discussing Knowledge Management, Knowledge Work, Zen Productivity, Personal Organization, and more!
Hello everyone! I’m Sébastien Dubois, your host. You’re receiving this email because you signed up for DeveloPassion’s Newsletter. Thank you for being here with me ✨
If you enjoy this, please forward it to your friends 👍. If this email was forwarded to you, then don’t forget to subscribe and become a supporter. You can also follow me on X, Bluesky, and Mastodon.
Welcome
Another week, another newsletter! I hope that you all had a great one 🤩
I hope you all had a great time and are in the best mental state to kickstart 2025! After a wonderful end-of-year season, I've finally recovered, eliminated the huge surplus of calories, and gone back to work 🎉
I finally had the opportunity to play Twilight Imperium, one of the most incredible board games of all time. It's an expert game, and it lasted for ~10 hours, but we really had a blast!
Alright, let's gooooo 🚀
The Lab 🧪
I've resumed working on my Knowledge Management for Beginners course, and organizing the content so that I can move forward according to my plans for 2025. As I mentioned last week, I plan on releasing the course by the end of the month. This is the MAIN thing I'm focusing on right now. And I won't stop until I'm done.
This course is designed to help you get started with Knowledge Management the right way. Whether you're completely new to PKM or have been struggling to make progress, this course will give you the foundation you need. You'll learn essential concepts, proven techniques, and practical approaches to organize your knowledge effectively. All based on my own experience and coaching results.
If you're interested, you can pre-order it now at knowledge-management-for-beginners.com. Early birds will get the best possible price! Let 2025 be the year you start leveraging your knowledge.
I've also continued refining my AI ghostwriter, enabling me to share ideas more efficiently, without losing my own voice. And I keep getting amazed at the results. Would you guess that this very newsletter has been written with the help of my AI ghostwriter? Of course with some edits here and there, but AI really did the bulk of the work for me, all using my own writing style and my own content.
BTW, my Replicate plugin for Obsidian is finally available in the official list of community plugins: https://obsidian.md/plugins?id=replicate
It's now easier than ever to generate images using AI right from Obsidian 🎉
Let me ask: which plugin do you wish existed but does not? I might be able to help!
Last but not least, I've reached $117 MRR with this newsletter. I hope that more of you will become paid subscribers, so that I can keep on working on this for you all! ❤️
Knowledge Management for All
Knowledge Management used to be complicated and reserved to "experts". Today, thanks to amazing tools and the rise of AI, it's becoming more accessible than ever. This democratization is exciting because it means more people can benefit from better ways to capture, organize, and leverage their knowledge.
The evolution is clear: from simple note-taking apps to powerful connected knowledge bases, and now to AI-enhanced systems that help us think and create more effectively. Tools like Obsidian keep improving, making it easier for everyone to build their own knowledge systems. AI assistants help us connect ideas and discover insights we might have missed.
Sebastien Dubois
This isn't just about having better tools – it's about empowering everyone to learn more effectively, think more clearly, and share knowledge more impactfully. Whether you're a student, professional, or lifelong learner, there's never been a better time to start managing your knowledge systematically.
And I want to be a part of your journey. I want to share my experience with you, help you leverage those tools to your advantage, and embrace all the changes that society's currently going through. And since you're reading this newsletter, you're at the right time and at the right place.
Latest Articles
I've published a short article for "slow" thinkers like me. You're all right. You actually even have a superpower. Here's why:
Sebastien Dubois
Books
This week, I want to highlight the next book I'm going to read:
Elastic Flexible Thinking in a Time of Change (book)
I'm curious about the ways in which I can change my thinking to more easily adapt to change. I think I'm pretty good at it already, but I'm always eager to learn new things!
Quotes of the Week
If you want to be successful, you must respect one rule. Never lie to yourself
This resonates deeply with Knowledge Management. The most effective PKM systems are built on honesty – about what we know, what we don't know, and how we actually work.
But it also applies to everything you work on. If you lie to yourself, you'll never get very far.
News & Interesting Links
Obsidian Updates
- Obsidian 1.8.0 has been released with exciting new features:
- New Web Viewer plugin letting you open external links in tabs for better research workflow
- New command to download and internalize external images in your notes
- Improved iCloud sync on mobile
- Full changelog: https://obsidian.md/changelog/2024-12-18-mobile-v1.8.0
- The community is also evolving:
- New Plugin Scoring System on Obsidian Plugin Stats
- Trending plugins: https://obsidian-plugin-stats.ganesshkumar.com/trending
- Most downloaded: https://obsidian-plugin-stats.ganesshkumar.com/most-downloaded
- All plugins: https://obsidian-plugin-stats.ganesshkumar.com/plugins
- Smart Connections plugin tip: Now possible to use Dataview Queries: https://x.com/wfhbrian/status/1863952052289691830](https://x.com/wfhbrian/status/1863952052289691830
- Junair Rahim shared thoughtful reflections on 4 years of writing with Obsidian: https://junaid.foo/posts/obsidian-four-year-reflections
- Obsidian completed a second security audit, reinforcing trust in the platform: https://obsidian.md/blog/cure53-second-client-audit
- New Plugin Scoring System on Obsidian Plugin Stats
I've updated my article about Obsidian plugins to cover the new Web Viewer: https://www.dsebastien.net/2022-10-19-the-must-have-obsidian-plugins
Sebastien Dubois
AI and Knowledge Management
- Zsolt Viczián has shared an impressive video on extracting information from YouTube channels using scripts and leveraging NotebookLM to create AI mentors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0cfhGwaAG8
- Tiago Forte provided a great overview of NotebookLM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWPjBwXy_Io
- An insightful discussion on whether to trust AI with your second brain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6PJRPcqf40
- Simon Willison compiled an excellent overview of AI and LLM developments in 2024: https://simonwillison.net/2024/Dec/31/llms-in-2024
PKM Insights
- Steph Ango wrote a compelling explanation of evergreen notes and their value: https://stephango.com/evergreen-notes
- An important discussion about a common PKM pitfall - mistaking system building and system usage: https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/1hpyqcc/obsidian_made_me_lose_focus_in_what_i_was
That's it for today! ✨
About Sébastien
I am Sébastien Dubois. You can follow me on X 🐦 and on BlueSky 🦋.
I am an author, founder, and coach. I write books and articles about Knowledge Work, Personal Knowledge Management, Note-taking, Lifelong Learning, Personal Organization, and Zen Productivity. I also craft lovely digital products . You can learn more about my projects here.
If you want to follow my work, then become a member.
Ready to get to the next level?
To embark on your Knowledge Management journey, consider investing in resources that will equip you with the tools and strategies you need. Check out the Obsidian Starter Kit and the accompanying video course. It will give you a rock-solid starting point for your note-taking and Knowledge Management efforts.
If you want to take a more holistic approach, then the Knowledge Worker Kit is for you. It covers PKM, but expands into productivity, personal organization, project/task management, and more:
If you are in a hurry, then do not hesitate to book a coaching session with me:
