Not signed in

Want to take part in these discussions? Sign in if you have an account, or apply for one below

• Username
• Password
• Remember me

• Sign in using OpenID
• Remember me

• Forgot your password?
• Apply for membership

2-category 2-category-theory abelian-categories adjoint algebra algebraic algebraic-geometry algebraic-topology analysis analytic-geometry arithmetic arithmetic-geometry book bundles calculus categorical categories category category-theory chern-weil-theory cohesion cohesive-homotopy-type-theory cohomology colimits combinatorics complex complex-geometry computable-mathematics computer-science constructive cosmology deformation-theory descent diagrams differential differential-cohomology differential-equations differential-geometry digraphs duality elliptic-cohomology enriched fibration foundation foundations functional-analysis functor gauge-theory gebra geometric-quantization geometry graph graphs gravity grothendieck group group-theory harmonic-analysis higher higher-algebra higher-category-theory higher-differential-geometry higher-geometry higher-lie-theory higher-topos-theory homological homological-algebra homotopy homotopy-theory homotopy-type-theory index-theory integration integration-theory k-theory lie-theory limits linear linear-algebra locale localization logic mathematics measure-theory modal modal-logic model model-category-theory monad monads monoidal monoidal-category-theory morphism motives motivic-cohomology nforum nlab noncommutative noncommutative-geometry number-theory of operads operator operator-algebra order-theory pages pasting philosophy physics pro-object probability probability-theory quantization quantum quantum-field quantum-field-theory quantum-mechanics quantum-physics quantum-theory question representation representation-theory riemannian-geometry scheme schemes set set-theory sheaf sheaves simplicial space spin-geometry stable-homotopy-theory stack string string-theory superalgebra supergeometry svg symplectic-geometry synthetic-differential-geometry terminology theory topology topos topos-theory tqft type type-theory universal variational-calculus

1. • CommentRowNumber1.
   • CommentAuthorAndrew Stacey
   • CommentTimeMay 25th 2011
   • PermaLink
   Author: Andrew Stacey
   Format: MarkdownItex(Note: this is not a suggestion for anything "official", just an off-hand remark) I happened to be talking with someone today about the nLab (I'm at the _Higher Structures_ conference in Hamburg) and in discussing what sort of thing _I_ put on the nLab, I came up with the following. It was partially to emphasise the distinction between us and something like Wikipedia. > The nLab is where you put stuff that you _don't_ know. To expand on that a bit, in amongst everything else I've been doing then I've been learning a bit of knot theory. So when I learn about something, I put a sketch of what I've understood so far on the nLab - which usually isn't a lot. Then as if by magic (often a bit of Welsh magic in this case!) a few days later the page has been extended and transformed way beyond anything I could have done. Anyway, just thought I'd record that thought.

   (Note: this is not a suggestion for anything “official”, just an off-hand remark)

   I happened to be talking with someone today about the nLab (I’m at the Higher Structures conference in Hamburg) and in discussing what sort of thing I put on the nLab, I came up with the following. It was partially to emphasise the distinction between us and something like Wikipedia.

   The nLab is where you put stuff that you don’t know.

   To expand on that a bit, in amongst everything else I’ve been doing then I’ve been learning a bit of knot theory. So when I learn about something, I put a sketch of what I’ve understood so far on the nLab - which usually isn’t a lot. Then as if by magic (often a bit of Welsh magic in this case!) a few days later the page has been extended and transformed way beyond anything I could have done.

   Anyway, just thought I’d record that thought.

2. • CommentRowNumber2.
   • CommentAuthorMike Shulman
   • CommentTimeMay 26th 2011
   • PermaLink
   Author: Mike Shulman
   Format: MarkdownItexUnfortunately, as time goes on the nLab becomes less and less usable for that, since it becomes more and more likely that when you go to the nLab you'll find that someone else has already written about the subject you're learning!

   Unfortunately, as time goes on the nLab becomes less and less usable for that, since it becomes more and more likely that when you go to the nLab you’ll find that someone else has already written about the subject you’re learning!