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Gnosis (GNU-sis) is a customizable spaced repetition system designed to enhance memory retention through active recall. It allows users to set specific review intervals for note decks & tags, creating an optimal learning environment tailored to each specific topic/subject.
This manual is written for Gnosis version 0.4.4, released on 2024-10-06.
Next: Adding notes, Previous: Gnosis User Manual, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Gnosis (γνῶσις) is a spaced repetition system that enhances memory retention through active recall. It employs a Q&A format, where each note consists of a question, answer, and explanation. Notes are reviewed at optimally spaced intervals based on the user’s success or failure to recall the answer. Key benefits arise from writing out answers when reviewing notes, fostering deeper understanding and improved memory retention.
Gnosis algorithm is highly adjustable, allowing users to set specific values not just for note decks but for tags as well. Gnosis’ adjustability allows users to fine-tune settings not only for entire note collections but also for specific tagged topics, thereby creating a personalized learning environment for each topic. Read more on Gnosis Algorithm
Before continuing reading this manual, it’s recommended you try out ‘gnosis-demo’.
Next: Note Types, Previous: Introduction, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Creating notes for gnosis can be done interactively with:
‘M-x gnosis-add-note’
Or from within ‘gnosis-dashboard’
When it comes to adding images, you can select images that are inside ‘gnosis-images-dir’. For adjusting image size, refer to Customization
Next: Customization, Previous: Adding notes, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Next: MC-Cloze (Under development), Up: Note Types
A cloze note type is a format where you create sentences or paragraphs with “missing” words. A fill-in-the-blanks question.
You can create a cloze note type using ‘M-x gnosis-add-note’ and
selecting Cloze
, the question should be formatted like this:
{c1:Cyproheptadine::drug name} is a(n) {c2:5-HT2} receptor antagonist used to treat {c2:serotonin syndrome}
You can also format clozes like Anki if you so prefer; e.g {{c1::Cyproheptadine::drug name}}
You can remove the guidance string by adjusting ‘gnosis-cloze-guidance’.
Next: MCQ, Previous: Cloze, Up: Note Types
MC-Cloze is disabled by default, to enable it add to your configuration:
‘(add-to-list 'gnosis-note-types "MC-Cloze")’
A MC-Cloze (Multiple Choice Cloze) is a fill-in-the-blank note, but unlike cloze note type the user is prompted to select an option instead of typing an answer.
You can create multiple notes from one input, but each note can only have one cloze. The first option will always be the right answer (will be randomized in the database), separated by the rest of the answer by ‘gnosis-mc-cloze-separator’ (default value is “&&”), and a note will be generated from each cloze.
Example:
The greatest text editor is Emacs&&Vim&&Helix
When customizing ‘gnosis-mc-cloze=separator’ pay attention to not use values that would mess up with regex functions.
Next: Basic Type, Previous: MC-Cloze (Under development), Up: Note Types
A MCQ note type, as the name suggests, is a multiple choice question.
The stem field (question) is separated by the options (choices) via ‘gnosis-mcq-separator’, each option is separated by ‘gnosis-mcq-option-separator’.
You can remove the guidance string by adjusting ‘gnosis-mcq-guidance’.
Next: Double, Previous: MCQ, Up: Note Types
Basic note type is a simple question/answer note, where the user first sees a “main” part, which is usually a question, and he is prompted to input the answer.
Next: y-or-n, Previous: Basic Type, Up: Note Types
Double note type, is essentially a note that generates 2 basic notes. The second one reverses question/answer.
Ideal for vocabulary acquisition notes.
Previous: Double, Up: Note Types
y-or-n (yes or no) note type, user is presented with a question and prompted to enter character “y” or “n”.
When using the hidden function ‘gnosis-add-note--y-or-n’, note that the
ANSWER must be either 121 (y
) or 110 (n
), as those correspond to the
character values used to represent them.
Next: Gnosis Algorithm, Previous: Note Types, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Next: Typos | String Comparison, Up: Customization
Adjust image size using ‘gnosis-image-height’ & ‘gnosis-image-width’
Example:
(setf gnosis-image-height 300 gnosis-image-width 300)
Previous: Image size, Up: Customization
You can adjust ‘gnosis-string-difference’, this is a threshold value for string comparison that determines the maximum acceptable Levenshtein distance between two strings, which identifies their similarity
Let’s illustrate with an example:
(setf gnosis-string-difference 1)
In this scenario, we set ‘gnosis-string-difference’ to 1. This implies that two strings will be recognized as similar if they exhibit a difference of at most one character edit.
To demonstrate, ’example’ and ’examples’ will be recognized as similar, considering that the latter involves just one additional character."
Next: Editing notes, Previous: Customization, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Each gnosis note has a gnosis score, which is a list of 3 values, (gnosis-plus gnosis-minus gnosis-synolon/total). Gnosis-synolon is what is used to determine the next interval upon a successful recall, gnosis-plus is added to gnosis-synolon upon a successful recall as well, gnosis-minus is subtracted from gnosis-synolon upon failing to recall a note’s answer.
Gnosis has 2 special events, one is anagnosis
ανάγνωση and lethe
λήθη.
Next: Proto, Up: Gnosis Algorithm
Anagnosis
, which means comprehension & recognition of knowledge, is
triggered when the consecutive successful or failed recalls are equal
or greater to anagnosis value.
When anagnosis
is triggered by consecutive successful recalls,
epignosis
value is added to gnosis-plus. Epignosis means accuracy of knowledge.
When anagnosis
is triggered by consecutive failed recalls,
agnoia
value is added to gnosis-minus. Agnoia means lack of knowledge
You can set specific values for each deck and tag of the variables mentioned above by adjusting ‘gnosis-custom-values’.
Previous: Anagnosis Event, Up: Gnosis Algorithm
The default initial interval is defined at ‘gnosis-algorithm-proto’, you can define a custom initial interval for each deck as well.
‘gnosis-algorithm-interval’ is a list of numbers, representing the first initial intervals for successful reviews. There is no limit on the length of the list.
Example:
(setq gnosis-algorithm-interval '(0 1 2 30))
Upon each successful note review, the algorithm will increment to the next interval value: 0 days (0), 1 day later (1), 2 days later (2), and 30 days later.
Upon failing to review a note without completing it’s proto successful reviews, it’s next review date will be on the same date.
Next: Configuring Note Types, Previous: Gnosis Algorithm, Up: Gnosis User Manual
e
e
Next: Sync between devices, Previous: Editing notes, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Next: Development, Up: Configuring Note Types
Each gnosis note type has an interactive function, named ‘gnosis-add-note-TYPE’ and a “hidden” function named ‘gnosis-add-note--TYPE’. You can create your own custom interactive functions to ignore or hard-code specific values by using already defined hidden functions that handle all the logic.
For example:
(defun gnosis-add-note-custombasic (deck) (gnosis-add-note--basic :deck deck :question (gnosis-read-string-from-buffer "Question: " "") :answer (read-string "Answer: ") :hint (gnosis-hint-prompt gnosis-previous-note-hint) :extra "" :images nil :tags (gnosis-prompt-tags--split gnosis-previous-note-tags))) ;; Add custom note type to gnosis-note-types (add-to-list 'gnosis-note-types "custombasic")
Now custombasic
is available as a note type, for which you won’t be prompted to enter
anything for extra
& images
.
Previous: Custom Note Types, Up: Configuring Note Types
To make development and customization easier, gnosis comes with ‘gnosis-test’ module, that should be used to create a custom database for testing.
To exit the testing environment, rerun ‘M-x gnosis-test-start’ and then enter ‘n’ (no) at the prompt “Start development env?”
Next: Interactions with other software, Previous: Configuring Note Types, Up: Gnosis User Manual
Gnosis uses git to maintain data integrity and facilitate synchronization across devices.
You will need to configure your remote manually.
Example:
cd ~/.emacs.d/gnosis # default location for gnosis, no-littering is ~/.emacs.d/var/gnosis git init # After completing your first review session, a git repo should have been initialized automatically. git remote add origin <remote_url> git push --set-upstream origin master
You can interactively use ‘gnosis-vc-push’ & ‘gnosis-vc-pull’. As the name suggests, they rely on ‘vc’ to work properly.
Depending on your setup, ‘vc’ might require an external package for
the ssh passphrase dialog, such as x11-ssh-askpass
.
To automatically push changes after a review session, add this to your configuration:
(setf gnosis-vc-auto-push t) (gnosis-vc-pull) ;; Run vc-pull for gnosis on startup
Next: Contributing, Previous: Sync between devices, Up: Gnosis User Manual
If you are a user of emacs-no-littering, you can theme Gnosis to fit its standards by adding the following snippet to your configuration:
(setq gnosis-dir (no-littering-expand-var-file-name "gnosis/"))
This sets ‘gnosis-dir’ to ‘~/.emacs.d/var/gnosis’, in line with the folders of other packages.
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Thank you for considering contributing back to gnosis. You can contribute by submitting a pull request on the codeberg mirror repository, or directly sending me patch via email.
Up: Contributing
Example:
$ git clone https://git.thanosapollo.com/gnosis.git && cd gnosis $ emacs something $ git add something $ git commit -m "Fix something" $ git format-patch HEAD^1 0001-Fix-something.patch
You can sent the patch to “Thanos Apollo”, the email of which you can find on the git log.