Thread by @NickMilo

There are many note apps out there...but among them...

Obsidian is one of one—without equal—an app of apps.

It's a generational level event.

Here are 8 ways Obsidian (@obsdmd) is changing the game...& the 2 forces driving it.

A love-thread🧵

This is a celebration and a love letter. It's a celebration because after 15 trailblazing months of Obsidian being in beta, this week marks the official launch of Obsidian's mobile app. 🚀

This is also a love letter. Because for free, Obsidian is empowering anyone from around the world—with a computer and a desire to think better—a way to do it.

But first, what is Obsidian? That's not an easy answer. If you only use Microsoft Word, we have a lot of explaining to do...If you only use Evernote, at least you'll already understand the idea of making fast notes.

Is Obsidian a note-taking app, a note-making app, an app to rapidly work with text, a familiar way of thinking, or an entirely new way of thinking?

Yes.

Obsidian is all of those things—and more, which we will answer and explore.

The story of Obsidian so far can also teach us about *modern leadership*, *antifragile design*, *developer freedom*, and of course my joy—enriching your *linked-based thinking*.

And it all starts with the...

⚡️ 1ST WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME ⚡️

**SPEED**: No where am I faster. I blaze in Obsidian.

In other apps, it's like I have cataracts and a bum knee.

In Obsidian, I'm a falcon and Usain Bolt—I fly around with unequaled speed.

That's the value of the...

🅫 2ND WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 🅫

**SIMPLICITY**: Most apps don't let you actually see your files. They are hidden away in some database.

Most note apps don't even let you touch them outside of the software. Instead, Obsidian is just reading and editing plain text files on your computer. Simple. And simple means...

🌅 3RD WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 🌅

**MOST FUTURE-PROOF**: Most apps blind you with the shiny then in the darkness bind you. Before you know it, you can't leave the app without some serious digital surgery!

But with Obsidian, even if it vanished tomorrow, you would still have all your files readily available on your computer. That's what we call "future-proof".

Along with being future-proof, Obsidian is also the...

🥽 4TH WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 🥽
**SAFEST**: I don't get online note applications. Your most intimate thoughts on somebody else's server? Your private information in someone else's hands? That's crazy!

Obsidian offers End-to-End Encryption (E2EE), and because you are at both ends, Obsidian actually become a Zero Knowledge "Trust No One" environment. No other note application keeps your private information, more private.

🎨 5TH WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 🎨

**MOST CUSTOMIZABLE**: All of us have stuff we want to save and think about and develop and create and share with others. But all of us have our own unique set of goals, interests, careers, and use cases.

One size DOES NOT fit all. But in Obsidian, whatever you're trying to do: *there's a plugin for that*. Which also means...

🏛 6TH WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 🏛

**MOST ANTI-FRAGILE**: How many times have you been using a piece of software and thought, "If only it did THIS." Well, because of the brilliant modular lego-like design of Obsidian...it can!

People smarter than me (like @death_au, @viticci, and @hadynz) can create a plugin that does exactly what I'm hoping for. And get this, with over 20 core plugins and 200+ community plugins—they probably already have!

This *modular lego-like design* allows Obsidian to actually get stronger as its users encounter and solve new problems!

😎 7TH WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 😎

**LEAST BEHOLDEN**: Because Obsidian doesn't have any plans to take on VC money. That ensures they are free to develop and design whatever *they* think is best.

Too many times, a good product gets a 3-5 year death sentence the moment they take VC money. (I'm not knocking anyone who has—get yours! It just changes the dynamic & creates conflicts of interest that can corrupt the product.) The devs have preserved their *developer freedom*

🙏 8TH WAY OBSIDIAN IS CHANGING THE GAME 🙏

**MOST HUMANITARIAN**: It doesn't matter where you live, or how much you can afford. Obsidian can empower you for free. Obsidian can enfranchise every corner of the planet. All you need is a computer and the desire to think better.

Obsidian is Lebron James at a kids basketball camp.

But what is driving this generational application?

Two things, but I'm getting tired of typing (there's a video I'll link to below).

But first, how does Obsidian finally fulfill a promise of technology?

Obsidian makes good on a promise of technology:

*to allow us to actually think better.*

Obsidian can take our ability to think to the next level—consistently, reliably, and sustainably—both today and years into the future.

And that my friends, is worthy of celebration—and a love letter :)

But I haven't even defined what Obsidian ACTUALLY is...

And it's because of @ryanjamurphy that I understand more deeply what Obsidian really is...

Among other things, Obsidian is a note-taking app, a note-making app, an app to rapidly work with text, a familiar way of thinking, and an entirely new way of thinking.

But that's not what Ryan told me...

But now I'm really done typing.

Check out my video love letter to Obsidian where I explore the 8 ways Obsidian is changing the game, its 2 key drivers, and yes: what Obsidian REALLY is and what YOU can do with it!

Love,
Nick