Why Object Types are Better than Folders

Folders and files create a steady stream of small decisions that add up to real friction: every new note forces a choice about where it belongs, and that choice has to be remembered later. Over time, the folder system’s “flexibility” turns into rigidity—each file can only live in one place—so cross-context reuse becomes awkward. When people can’t find what they need where they expect it, they lean on search more often, which makes the earlier effort of building the structure feel wasted. The core problem isn’t that categorizing information is useless; it’s that folder-based organization rarely scales as note volume grows, because it keeps demanding attention from the work the notes were meant to support.

Capacities takes a different approach centered on object types, links, tags, and a central calendar. Instead of starting with blank documents that can be anything, every note in Capacities is an object with a predefined type—such as Person, Quote, Meeting Note, or Idea. Those types aren’t just labels. Each type comes with its own properties and layout, so the structure of the note is decided up front and applied automatically. That shifts daily effort away from “where should this go?” toward “what kind of note am I creating?” The sidebar becomes a list of the types actually used, and type settings can include templates, calendar-related configuration, and page layouts. Even better, types can be changed later: converting an Idea into a Project reshapes the existing content into a new context without losing what was already captured.

This object-type system also addresses a major folder weakness: reuse across multiple contexts. Folders force a single physical location, but Capacities lets content stay useful wherever it’s relevant through links. A web link about Instagram’s changing dimensions can be attached to a social media project so it’s immediately available in that context; when the link is opened later, back-links show where it was used. The same idea extends to images and definitions, where linked context can be resurfaced without hunting through a rigid hierarchy.

Tags provide another flexible grouping mechanism that doesn’t require exclusive placement. A Knowledge Management tag can collect any content the user chooses, while the same item can also carry tags like Ideas, Research, or character-related categories. Views can then collate and filter tagged items, giving a more adaptable “at a glance” map than folders—especially when the same note belongs to multiple threads.

Finally, a central calendar anchors objects in time. Objects created on a given day appear in a daily view, and date ranges help show what’s active. The result is multiple paths back to information—by type, by link, by tag, and by time—without the upfront organizational overhead that folders demand. The overall promise is reduced mental load: fewer decisions about structure, more attention on capturing, connecting, and progressing work.