Obsidian

After my previous post about software, Harrison got in touch to tell me about how he uses Obsidian:

I like using the daily notes plugin to write about what I do every day. There may not always be something significant, but I think it'll be neat to be able to look back on these notes years from now. Plus, everything is stored locally in Markdown files, so it's guaranteed to be future-proof.

And I totally understand why Obsidian is mentioned first. It is a great piece of software, and I really like Kepano’s - now the CEO of Obsidian - philosophy behind it, especially the idea of “file over app.” I use Obsidian myself, in a way very similar to Harrison, although I’m not always consistent enough to keep daily notes.

I’ve also always liked the metaphor behind its name and logo. You start with a raw shard of volcanic glass and slowly shape it into something that fits you alone - a bladelet made by your own hands. There’s a quiet beauty in that idea.

But in our age when people outsource their opinions and decision-making to Reddit and AI, that blade(let) is double-edged.

Obsidian’s greatest strength - its customizability - is also its biggest flaw. It's a classic case of overchoice or analysis paralysis: when there are too many options (plugins, themes, workflows, endless ways to tweak and refine), you end up spending more time sharpening the blade than actually using it.

That’s why I’m drawn to opinionated software. When you find something made by someone else that truly fits, it fades into your daily routine and quietly lets you get on with your life.

Right now, more and more people are building their own tools with the help of AI agents, chasing the idea of something perfectly tailored to them. But I have a feeling that journey has no real destination.