Using AI to do research - Specifically online searching

[Mark Knowles]

They absolutely have access. Sometimes I want to see what it can find about a niche subject, and it only quotes my recent posts from Ninja.

I just asked Gemini "Browse the Voynich Ninja forum and summarize what you can find about user Mark Knowles' interests."

Based on discussions on the Voynich Ninja forum, Mark Knowles' interests and theories primarily focus on the historical context of the Voynich Manuscript (VMS), specifically regarding 15th-century diplomatic ciphers and the geographical identification of its illustrations.

Core Interests & Research Focus
15th-Century Ciphers: He is deeply interested in the evolution of ciphers between 1379 and 1449. He has built a personal archive of early 15th-century ciphers and focuses on those from Milan and Florence. He has expressed a specific interest in the works of Zanino Riccio and the cipher mapping of Gabrielli.

Archival Research: Knowles emphasizes the importance of physical archival research over online study. He has conducted research at the Milan State Archives and frequently uses the Bodleian Library in Oxford. He advocates for exploring the estimated 80% of archival material that remains undigitized.

Milanese/North Italian Origin: His theories often align with a North Italian, specifically Milanese, origin for the manuscript. He frequently references Nick Pelling's "Milan theory" as a starting point for his own developments. 

Specific Theories
The Rosettes Page as a Map: One of his most prominent theories is that the Rosettes foldout (folio 86) is a literal map illustrating a specific journey. 

The Journey: He proposes it depicts a circular trip taken by Abbot Antonio Barbavara (and companions) from the Abbey of Saints Nazzaro and Celso in the Duchy of Milan to the Council of Basel and back.

Topography: He argues that the circular features represent specific geographical locations, such as Alpine lakes and rivers (rather than seas or islands), and that the "castle" in the drawing reflects real architectural features like Ghibelline merlons.

Historical Influences: He suggests that parts of the VMS, particularly the astronomical sections, show Germanic influences likely encountered by the author while attending the Council of Basel.

Methodological Skepticism: On the forum, he is known for being critical of "complete decipherment" claims (like those of Gerard Cheshire). He argues that many such theories rely on too many "degrees of freedom," such as arbitrary word spacing and tolerant spelling variations. 

Philosophy on Research
Knowles views Voynich research as a scientific process where theories must be detailed and subject to rigorous criticism. He has expressed that even if a theory is eventually proven incorrect, the process of developing a "complete detailed theory" is essential for progressing the field.

That seems quite accurate. Although, I am not sure what it means by ->

'He has expressed that even if a theory is eventually proven incorrect, the process of developing a "complete detailed theory" is essential for progressing the field.'

And it hasn't mentioned anything about my thoughts on Steganography etc. But generally, it seems accurate.