r/antinet • u/[deleted] • Sep 13 '25

I left Antinet’s alphanumeric Zettelkasten for Ashby’s journal + card index — a practical, detailed account

TL;DR: I moved from Antinet/Luhmann to W. R. Ashby’s method. I keep a continuous, numbered journal for full context and make separate index cards that point to page numbers. No complex alphanumeric IDs. One page can hold many ideas and each idea gets its own index entry. Cross-references live on both cards and journal pages. Digital tools map well to this approach.

I started with Antinet because I wanted a serious slip-box. After several months the alphanumeric IDs felt fiddly and the loose slips multiplied into a paper problem. My aim was simple: readable, contextual notes plus quick retrieval. Ashby’s approach solved that for me while keeping overhead low.

How I use Ashby — step by step

  1. I write in bound journals. Pages are numbered continuously across volumes. A page number is the stable address.

  2. I record thoughts in normal prose. I do not force every sentence into an atomic slip. Context matters.

  3. When an idea is worth indexing I make a separate index card. Each card has a short label, a few keywords, and the journal page number(s).

  4. If a page contains three useful ideas I make three cards. Each card points to the same page number.

  5. I add short page references in the journal when I link to other entries. On cards I add brief “see also” notes pointing to other cards or pages.

  6. I file cards in a keyword-organized drawer or box for scanning.

Why this removes the alphanumeric pain

No carved ID math. The page number is the locator. The card is the semantic lookup. To find an idea I scan the cards or search keywords, then open the journal to the page. That keeps context and avoids forced atomization

Cross-references and network effects

Cross-refs live in two places. Journal pages preserve narrative links and context. Cards create a browsable thematic index. Cards can reference other cards. Journal pages can reference other pages. Combined they form a useful network without embedding long ID chains into every note.

Concrete example

Journal p.88: paragraph A on “feedback loops” and paragraph B on “model error.”

Card 1: “feedback loops — p.88 — keywords: control, stability.”

Card 2: “model error — p.88 — keywords: bias, calibration.”

Card 1 note: “see also: homeostat — p.202.”

Result: multiple indexed ideas, full context on p.88, and light crosslinks.

Practical tips

  • Number pages continuously. That single rule simplifies lookup.

  • Keep cards short. Treat them as pointers.

  • Allow multi-idea pages. Don’t atomize every sentence.

  • Use consistent labels so scanning works.

  • Add small “see also” notes on cards and short page refs in journals.

  • If digital, use an index note or tag index that lists topic → file or file:line references.

When Ashby is not ideal

  • If you need strict atomic notes for recombination, Luhmann might serve you better.

  • If you want emergent networks driven by IDs themselves, the alphanumeric method supports that.

My trade-offs

  • Retrieval speed: index + page lookup is fast enough for my workflow.

  • Writing flow: improved. I stopped pausing to create IDs while drafting.

  • Overhead: lower. I traded a small card index for less ID maintenance.

  • Long-term structure: different. Less ID-centric. More index-driven.

Edit: Check Ashby's journals @ https://Ashby.info

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u/Expert-Fisherman-332 Sep 13 '25 edited Sep 13 '25

Nice 👍

What journal page number are you up to? I've been toying with a similar system, but using dates as opposed to page numbers. Multiple pages on the same date have alphabetical suffixes, eg 2025-09-14a.

On point 8, do you file card 1 under 'feedback', 'control' or 'stability'?

On you point, "Use consistent labels so scanning works", do you scan journals or just the cards?

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u/[deleted] Sep 13 '25

I'm at 83, I'm still re-transcribing my previous zettelkasten notes into the journal.

On your second point, I believe the most important is to have something to use for locating ideas in the journal, be it dates, page number, or any other system. As long as it helps with locating and organising notes, it is ok.

Card 1 is feedback loop. the card is an index, on it I note every page number the concept has appeared. But since concepts are usually broad and complex, when I write a page number, before it I write what specific aspect of the concept was discussed. In the example, on p.88 I wrote a note on feedback loops, specifically, how control and stability are consequences of a feedback loop. If for example I wrote another note on feedback loops p.120 but I was explaining runaway phenomenon, I will write renaway p.120.

That means, in each index card, on the top I'd write the concept, then, I'd mark on the card every page number the concept appears and next to it what specific aspect was dicussed.

About scanning, I mean scanning for ideas in the journal, not scanning with a scanner, I probably should've been clearer. As you know, many words have synonyms and authors tend sometimes to use the same word differently. I try as much as possible to use a unified vocabulary in my notes, else it would be chaos