docs: rename self-references from "LLM Wiki" to "memex"

Replace project self-references throughout README, SETUP, and the example
CLAUDE.md files. External artifact titles are preserved as-is since they
refer to the actual title of the Claude design artifact.

Also add a "Why 'memex'?" aside to the README that roots the project in
Vannevar Bush's 1945 "As We May Think" essay, where the term originates.
The compounding knowledge wiki is the LLM-era realization of Bush's
memex concept: the "associative trails" he imagined are the related:
frontmatter fields and wikilinks the agent maintains.

Kept lowercase where referring to the generic pattern (e.g. "an LLM wiki
persists its mistakes") since that refers to the class of system, not
this specific project.
This commit is contained in:
Eric Turner
2026-04-12 21:32:17 -06:00
parent ee54a2f5d4
commit d8fabc5a50
4 changed files with 34 additions and 18 deletions

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@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
# LLM Wiki — Compounding Knowledge for AI Agents # memex — Compounding Knowledge for AI Agents
A persistent, LLM-maintained knowledge base that sits between you and the A persistent, LLM-maintained knowledge base that sits between you and the
sources it was compiled from. Unlike RAG — which re-discovers the same sources it was compiled from. Unlike RAG — which re-discovers the same
answers on every query — the wiki **gets richer over time**. Facts get answers on every query — memex **gets richer over time**. Facts get
cross-referenced, contradictions get flagged, stale advice ages out and cross-referenced, contradictions get flagged, stale advice ages out and
gets archived, and new knowledge discovered during a session gets written gets archived, and new knowledge discovered during a session gets written
back so it's there next time. back so it's there next time.
@@ -11,7 +11,22 @@ The agent reads the wiki at the start of every session and updates it as
new things are learned. The wiki is the long-term memory; the session is new things are learned. The wiki is the long-term memory; the session is
the working memory. the working memory.
> **Inspiration**: this combines the ideas from > **Why "memex"?** In 1945, Vannevar Bush wrote
> [*As We May Think*](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1945/07/as-we-may-think/303881/)
> describing a hypothetical machine called the **memex** (a portmanteau
> of "memory" and "index") that would store and cross-reference a
> person's entire library of books, records, and communications, with
> "associative trails" linking related ideas. He imagined someone using
> it would build up a personal knowledge web over a lifetime, and that
> the trails themselves — the network of learned associations — were
> more valuable than any individual document.
>
> Eighty years later, LLMs make the memex finally buildable. The
> "associative trails" Bush imagined are the `related:` frontmatter
> fields and wikilinks the agent maintains. This repo is one attempt
> at that.
> **Inspiration**: memex combines
> [Andrej Karpathy's persistent-wiki gist](https://gist.github.com/karpathy/442a6bf555914893e9891c11519de94f) > [Andrej Karpathy's persistent-wiki gist](https://gist.github.com/karpathy/442a6bf555914893e9891c11519de94f)
> and [milla-jovovich/mempalace](https://github.com/milla-jovovich/mempalace), > and [milla-jovovich/mempalace](https://github.com/milla-jovovich/mempalace),
> and adds an automation layer on top so the wiki maintains itself. > and adds an automation layer on top so the wiki maintains itself.

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@@ -388,12 +388,12 @@ cat ~/projects/wiki/docs/examples/global-CLAUDE.md >> ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
This adds: This adds:
- **Wake-Up Context** — read `context/wake-up.md` at session start - **Wake-Up Context** — read `context/wake-up.md` at session start
- **LLM Wiki — When to Consult It** — query mode vs ingest mode rules - **memex — When to Consult It** — query mode vs ingest mode rules
- **LLM Wiki — How to Search It** — explicit guidance for all three qmd - **memex — How to Search It** — explicit guidance for all three qmd
collections (`wiki`, `wiki-archive`, `wiki-conversations`) with collections (`wiki`, `wiki-archive`, `wiki-conversations`) with
example queries for each example queries for each
- **Rules When Citing** — flag `confidence: low`, `status: pending`, - **memex — Rules When Citing** — flag `confidence: low`,
and archived pages to the user `status: pending`, and archived pages to the user
Together these give the agent a complete picture: how to maintain the Together these give the agent a complete picture: how to maintain the
wiki when working inside it, and how to consult it from anywhere else. wiki when working inside it, and how to consult it from anywhere else.

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@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
# Global Claude Code Instructions — Wiki Section # Global Claude Code Instructions — memex Section
**What this is**: Content to add to your global `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` **What this is**: Content to add to your global `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`
(the user-level instructions Claude Code reads at the start of every (the user-level instructions Claude Code reads at the start of every
session, regardless of which project you're in). These instructions tell session, regardless of which project you're in). These instructions tell
Claude how to consult the wiki from outside the wiki directory. Claude how to consult memex from outside the wiki directory.
**Where to paste it**: Append these sections to `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`. **Where to paste it**: Append these sections to `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`.
Don't overwrite the whole file — this is additive. Don't overwrite the whole file — this is additive.
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ At the start of each session, read `~/projects/wiki/context/wake-up.md`
for a briefing on active projects, recent decisions, and current for a briefing on active projects, recent decisions, and current
concerns. This provides conversation continuity across sessions. concerns. This provides conversation continuity across sessions.
## LLM Wiki — When to Consult It ## memex — When to Consult It
**Before creating API endpoints, Docker configs, CI pipelines, or making **Before creating API endpoints, Docker configs, CI pipelines, or making
architectural decisions**, check the wiki at `~/projects/wiki/` for architectural decisions**, check the wiki at `~/projects/wiki/` for
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Human-initiated wiki writes go directly to the live wiki with
`origin: manual`. Script-initiated writes go through `staging/` first. `origin: manual`. Script-initiated writes go through `staging/` first.
See the wiki's own `CLAUDE.md` for the full ingest protocol. See the wiki's own `CLAUDE.md` for the full ingest protocol.
## LLM Wiki — How to Search It ## memex — How to Search It
Use the `qmd` CLI for fast, structured search. DO NOT read `index.md` Use the `qmd` CLI for fast, structured search. DO NOT read `index.md`
for large queries — it's only for full-catalog browsing. DO NOT grep the for large queries — it's only for full-catalog browsing. DO NOT grep the
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ Rarely needed, but for "find everything on this topic across time":
qmd search "topic" -c wiki -c wiki-archive -c wiki-conversations --json -n 10 qmd search "topic" -c wiki -c wiki-archive -c wiki-conversations --json -n 10
``` ```
## LLM Wiki — Rules When Citing ## memex — Rules When Citing
1. **Always use `--json`** for structured qmd output. Never try to parse 1. **Always use `--json`** for structured qmd output. Never try to parse
prose. prose.
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ qmd search "topic" -c wiki -c wiki-archive -c wiki-conversations --json -n 10
6. **Prefer semantic search for conceptual queries**, keyword search for 6. **Prefer semantic search for conceptual queries**, keyword search for
specific names/terms. specific names/terms.
## LLM Wiki — Quick Reference ## memex — Quick Reference
- `~/projects/wiki/CLAUDE.md` — Full wiki schema and operations (read this when working IN the wiki) - `~/projects/wiki/CLAUDE.md` — Full wiki schema and operations (read this when working IN the wiki)
- `~/projects/wiki/index.md` — Content catalog (browse the full wiki) - `~/projects/wiki/index.md` — Content catalog (browse the full wiki)

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@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
# LLM Wiki — Schema # memex — Schema
This is a persistent, compounding knowledge base maintained by LLM agents. This is a persistent, compounding knowledge base maintained by LLM
It captures the **why** behind patterns, decisions, and implementations — agents. It captures the **why** behind patterns, decisions, and
not just the what. Copy this file to the root of your wiki directory implementations — not just the what. Copy this file to the root of your
(i.e. `~/projects/wiki/CLAUDE.md`) and edit for your own conventions. wiki directory (i.e. `~/projects/wiki/CLAUDE.md`) and edit for your own
conventions.
> This is an example `CLAUDE.md` for the wiki root. The agent reads this > This is an example `CLAUDE.md` for the wiki root. The agent reads this
> at the start of every session when working inside the wiki. It's the > at the start of every session when working inside the wiki. It's the