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- Replace old docs structure with new comprehensive documentation - Organize into 8 major sections (0-START-HERE through 7-DEVELOPMENT) - Convert CONFIGURATION.md, CONTRIBUTING.md, MAINTAINER_GUIDE.md to redirects - Remove outdated MIGRATION.md and DESIGN_PRINCIPLES.md - Fix all internal documentation links and cross-references - Add progressive disclosure paths for different user types - Include 44 focused guides covering all features - Update README.md to remove v1.0 breaking changes notice
193 lines
6 KiB
Markdown
193 lines
6 KiB
Markdown
# User Guide - How to Use Open Notebook
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This guide covers practical, step-by-step usage of Open Notebook features. You already understand the concepts; now learn how to actually use them.
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> **Prerequisite**: Review [2-CORE-CONCEPTS](../2-CORE-CONCEPTS/index.md) first to understand the mental models (notebooks, sources, notes, chat, transformations, podcasts).
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---
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## Start Here
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### [Interface Overview](interface-overview.md)
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Learn the layout before diving in. Understand the three-panel design and where everything is.
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---
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## Eight Core Features
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### 1. [Adding Sources](adding-sources.md)
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How to bring content into your notebook. Supports PDFs, web links, audio, video, text, and more.
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**Quick links:**
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- Upload a PDF or document
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- Add a web link or article
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- Transcribe audio or video
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- Paste text directly
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- Common mistakes + fixes
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---
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### 2. [Working with Notes](working-with-notes.md)
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Creating, organizing, and using notes (both manual and AI-generated).
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**Quick links:**
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- Create a manual note
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- Save AI responses as notes
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- Apply transformations to generate insights
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- Organize with tags and naming
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- Use notes across your notebook
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---
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### 3. [Chat Effectively](chat-effectively.md)
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Have conversations with AI about your sources. Manage context to control what AI sees.
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**Quick links:**
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- Start your first chat
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- Select which sources go in context
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- Ask effective questions
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- Use follow-ups productively
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- Understand citations and verify claims
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---
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### 4. [Creating Podcasts](creating-podcasts.md)
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Convert your research into audio dialogue for passive consumption.
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**Quick links:**
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- Create your first podcast
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- Choose or customize speakers
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- Select TTS provider
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- Generate and download
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- Common audio quality fixes
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---
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### 5. [Search Effectively](search.md)
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Two search modes: text-based (keyword) and vector-based (semantic). Know when to use each.
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**Quick links:**
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- Text search vs vector search (when to use)
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- Running effective searches
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- Using the Ask feature for comprehensive answers
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- Saving search results as notes
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- Troubleshooting poor results
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---
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### 6. [Transformations](transformations.md)
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Batch-process sources with predefined templates. Extract the same insights from multiple documents.
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**Quick links:**
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- Built-in transformation templates
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- Creating custom transformations
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- Applying to single or multiple sources
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- Managing transformation output
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---
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### 7. [Citations](citations.md)
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Verify AI claims by tracing them back to source material. Understand the citation system.
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**Quick links:**
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- Reading and clicking citations
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- Verifying claims against sources
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- Requesting better citations
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- Saving cited content as notes
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---
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## Which Feature for Which Task?
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```
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Task: "I want to explore a topic with follow-ups"
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→ Use: Chat (add sources, select context, have conversation)
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Task: "I want one comprehensive answer"
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→ Use: Search / Ask (system finds relevant content)
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Task: "I want to extract the same info from many sources"
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→ Use: Transformations (define template, apply to all)
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Task: "I want summaries of all my sources"
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→ Use: Transformations (with built-in summary template)
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Task: "I want to share my research in audio form"
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→ Use: Podcasts (create speakers, generate episode)
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Task: "I want to find that quote I remember"
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→ Use: Search / Text Search (keyword matching)
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Task: "I'm exploring a concept without knowing exact words"
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→ Use: Search / Vector Search (semantic similarity)
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```
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---
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## Quick-Start Checklist: First 15 Minutes
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**Step 1: Create a Notebook (1 min)**
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- Name: Something descriptive ("Q1 Market Research", "AI Safety Papers", etc.)
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- Description: 1-2 sentences about what you're researching
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- This is your research container
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**Step 2: Add Your First Source (3 min)**
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- Pick one: PDF, web link, or text
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- Follow [Adding Sources](adding-sources.md)
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- Wait for processing (usually 30-60 seconds)
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**Step 3: Chat About It (3 min)**
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- Go to Chat
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- Select your source (set context to "Full Content")
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- Ask a simple question: "What are the main points?"
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- See AI respond with citations
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**Step 4: Save Insight as Note (2 min)**
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- Good response? Click "Save as Note"
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- Name it something useful ("Main points from source X")
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- Now you have a captured insight
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**Step 5: Explore More (6 min)**
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- Add another source
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- Chat about both together
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- Ask a question that compares them
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- Follow up with clarifying questions
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**Done!** You've used the core workflow: notebook → sources → chat → notes
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---
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## Common Mistakes to Avoid
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| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
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|---------|---------|-----|
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| Adding everything to one notebook | No isolation between projects | Create separate notebooks for different topics |
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| Expecting AI to know your context | Questions get generic answers | Describe your research focus in chat context |
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| Forgetting to cite sources | You can't verify claims | Click citations to check source chunks |
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| Using Chat for one-time questions | Slower than Ask | Use Ask for comprehensive Q&A, Chat for exploration |
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| Adding huge PDFs without chunking | Slow processing, poor search | Break into multiple smaller sources if possible |
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| Using same context for all chats | Expensive, unfocused | Adjust context level for each chat |
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| Ignoring vector search | Only finding exact keywords | Use vector search to explore conceptually |
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---
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## Next Steps
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1. **Follow each guide** in order (sources → notes → chat → podcasts → search)
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2. **Create your first notebook** with real content
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3. **Practice each feature** with your own research
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4. **Return to CORE-CONCEPTS** if you need to understand the "why"
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---
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## Getting Help
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- **Feature not working?** → Check the feature's guide (look for "Troubleshooting" section)
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- **Error message?** → Check [6-TROUBLESHOOTING](../6-TROUBLESHOOTING/index.md)
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- **Understanding how something works?** → Check [2-CORE-CONCEPTS](../2-CORE-CONCEPTS/index.md)
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- **Setting up for the first time?** → Go back to [1-INSTALLATION](../1-INSTALLATION/index.md)
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- **For developers** → See [7-DEVELOPMENT](../7-DEVELOPMENT/index.md)
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---
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**Ready to start?** Pick the guide for what you want to do first!
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