Re 1. The template is a nice 'developer' solution but I think the best is freeing users from the burden of learning unnecessary abstractions. Re 2. I mean the

Re 1. The template is a nice 'developer' solution but I think the best is freeing users from the burden of learning unnecessary abstractions. Re 2. I mean the gesture of pressing mouse or finger down on an island/hill then drag to another island/hill then releasing to gesture that the two are related. The line I mentioned is just a feedback mechanism. You can also use an outline of the first island/hill. The ideal reaction to such a gesture is bringing the two notes/topics closer which is where my comment about changing location and/or scale of island/hill while keeping the relative direction (angle) constant. I think relative direction more sticky than the other two.