> "If the tool changes, does the knowledge survive?" ^survivability ## Resolution > The property of a knowledge artefact surviving changes to the tool that holds it. ^definition Tools are mortal; knowledge should not be. Survivability determines whether the artefact remains readable, editable, and useful after the original tool disappears, is sold, or pivots. Plain, portable formats score high; proprietary block models or schemas tied to a single vendor score low. The [[File over app]] principle captures the survivability priority. ## In practice ``` $ cat my-notes/2024-strategy.md # 2024 Strategy ... ``` Markdown on disk. Readable in 2026 with `cat`, in 2030 with whatever text editor exists, in 2050 if anyone still cares to look. The tool the file was authored in does not constrain when it can be read. ## Discovery questions Customer-facing prompts that surface this attribute being missing, grouped by the pain each probes. ### From [[Tool change loses my notes]] (P) ![[Tool change loses my notes#^discovery-questions]] ### From [[Tool migration loses org knowledge]] (C) ![[Tool migration loses org knowledge#^discovery-questions]] ### From [[App I trusted shut down]] (P) ![[App I trusted shut down#^discovery-questions]] ### From [[Vendor pulled the plug]] (C) ![[Vendor pulled the plug#^discovery-questions]]