Blogs, social networks and YouTube are full of tips on how to use Artificial Intelligence tools to do things that normally require using your head. In this post we are going to follow the reverse path, How to be your own ChatGPT using free software.
In case someone missed the nuance. The post is not about how to make your own version of ChatGPT but about how to use your head instead of ChatGPT with the help of free software.
How to be your own ChatGPT
When computers became popular, Isaac Asimov wrote a story called "The Machine That Won the War." In the story, a group of generals is presented with a weapon that can defeat the enemy in an interplanetary war in which both parties are assisted by powerful computers.
The weapon is Swift, a man capable of doing complex mathematical calculations with pencil and paper, which makes him invulnerable to attacks against the infrastructure or computer science.
It is not my intention to enter into discussions about whether artificial intelligence is going to surpass human intelligence. But, it is clear that no matter how brilliant the results of these tools are they will not have the advantages of having lived the experiences or feelings that condition our mental processes.
I have used AI-based tools on things I know a lot about, things I know enough about, and things I know nothing about. I got good results in the things I know a lot about since the quality of the answers depends on the quality of the questions. With the things that I know enough about, I have had to put my hand in order to improve the quality of the result. and, I have decided to do without asking about the things that I do not know, except to ask for a list of references that I can check.
The point is that, at least in the free versions, the output of Artificial Intelligence tools is not useful for quality intellectual work. As for the paid ones, I prefer to invest in robotic vacuum cleaners and other appliances that free me from tasks and take care of the intellectual work by myself.
Free software to use your head
Anki
In order to get concepts out of your head, you first have to put them there and make sure they stay.
A very useful tool for this are memory cards that they stimulate short- and long-term memory by creating the neural connections between existing and new information.
Memory cards show a question on one side and the answer on the other, so they are useful for remembering any information that requires precision such as dates, vocabularies, spelling rules, sports regulations or geographical limits.
Anki es a memory card creator and manager available for Windows, Linux, Mac and mobile devices. Since synchronization between all versions is possible, you can create a collection of cards on your computer and study it on a tablet. And, it does not matter that the subject of study is extensive since it admits at least 100000 cards.
In addition to formatted text, Anki supports multimedia content.
Freemind
It's not just about putting content in your head and getting it out as it came in. One of the most fascinating possibilities of our brain is the ability to produce new knowledge from the existing one.
Mind maps are based on the graphic representation of the relationships between ideas. which are described in a few words and represented with images that facilitate memory.
Taking a central theme as a starting point, lines representing the sub-themes are drawn, which in turn are divided in the same way. It is also possible to relate concepts located in different branches.
Mind maps make it easy to understanding of the possible relationship between pieces of information of different origin.
Freemind is a complete tool for the creation and navigation of mind maps open source. Since it is based on Java you can use it on all desktop systems. The main Linux distributions include it in their repositories.