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Paper is the real 'killer app'

bbc.com

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Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#41

Post by nickjj »

miguelrochefort wrote: post #38

This is ridiculous. Are people this short-sighted? I keep hearing about people going back to paper agenda or simple text files for todos. I would understand if they said they couldn't find a better solution, but many of them claim that this is an improvement over any digital solution. Again, nobody seems to be tackling this. Not even YC mentions this problem.

I don't think there's anything to tackle really.

I've been keeping notes in plain text files[1] for the last 15 years. It's a really good system and doesn't require 8 million in funding to make a startup around it.

All you have to do is open notepad and get going.

[1]: https://nickjanetakis.com/blog/plain-text-and-google-keep-is...

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#43

Post by theonemind »

miguelrochefort wrote: post #38

This is ridiculous. Are people this short-sighted? I keep hearing about people going back to paper agenda or simple text files for todos. I would understand if they said they couldn't find a better solution, but many of them claim that this is an improvement over any digital solution. Again, nobody seems to be tackling this. Not even YC mentions this problem.

You seem to have implicitly made a jumbled mass of claims without supporting any of them. I can't quite tell what claims. It seems you contend that you need more complicated solutions for a better task tracking solution than paper or text files can offer. At some point, you reach the point of not getting any more marginal utility by making your planning system more complicated. The mental energy you put into the dealing with the machinery of your task tracking system could go into actually solving the problem. Bill Gates, shockingly, built Microsoft without a GTD planner. Trump became president of the united states without one. I don't find this premise at all convincing.

Paper, as mentioned by the article, can stimulate different parts of the brain. No app can match that.

You seem to react with shock to the notion without addressing the actual shortcomings in any constructive way.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#44

Post by TeMPOraL »

miguelrochefort wrote: post #38

This is ridiculous. Are people this short-sighted? I keep hearing about people going back to paper agenda or simple text files for todos. I would understand if they said they couldn't find a better solution, but many of them claim that this is an improvement over any digital solution. Again, nobody seems to be tackling this. Not even YC mentions this problem.

The only ridiculous thing is how digital is overblown. Paper is a very good tool.

As for simple text files, well, I'm yet to see any startup coming even remotely close to beating Emacs + Org Mode with optional Dropbox sync. But IMO that's the culture clash - plaintext is about actual productivity and usefulness; startups are about bullshitting people with shiny things to get a nice growth curve.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#45

Post by rasur »

criddell wrote: post #39

So, what's your favorite notebook and pen combination? I ordered a bunch of pens from Jet Pens a year ago and my favorite also ended up being one of the cheapest - the Pilot Hi-Tec-C. My favorite notebook used to be an engineering notebook. It had a grid on one side of the page and college-ruled lines on the other and had a spiral bound spine. Not sure if I have a favorite any more. I do use a lot of index cards.

For pens, I am enjoying the Pilot 'Frixion' pens. Biro, but can be erased. Now with different colours and even a highlighter.

Only for note taking though, I'm not happy about erasable ink on official forms.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#47

Post by TeMPOraL »

gulperxcx wrote: post #3

So we're reverting back to killing trees.

I think this whole "go digital to save the trees" thing is utter bullshit, for the following reason:

- the digital revolution made people actually use more paper

- you get a shit ton of paper from a single tree; how much resources do you need to use to manufacture a computer, and keep it running?

- paper is recyclable

- as long as you keep recycling paper, it actually makes sense to plant trees and then cut it down - it sucks CO₂ out of the atmosphere and keeps it out

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#48

Post by mrob »

criddell wrote: post #39

So, what's your favorite notebook and pen combination? I ordered a bunch of pens from Jet Pens a year ago and my favorite also ended up being one of the cheapest - the Pilot Hi-Tec-C. My favorite notebook used to be an engineering notebook. It had a grid on one side of the page and college-ruled lines on the other and had a spiral bound spine. Not sure if I have a favorite any more. I do use a lot of index cards.

Favorite pen: Lamy Safari fountain pen with EF nib, and Noodler's Black ink. I've been using this for many years and it's always reliable. The grip is comfortable and the construction feels solid (it's survived being dropped a few times with no real damage). It's reasonably priced and meant as a practical tool, not a fashion statement like some fountain pens. And Noodler's Black ink is waterproof and will write on the cheapest paper without problems. I've tried many other fountain pens and inks but I always come back to this combination because it's so trouble-free.

Favorite pencil: Rotring 500 0.5mm, with Pilot Neox 4B lead. I never much liked pencils before I found this lead. It's the softest I've found in 0.5mm, softer than most brands of 4B. It lets you write with very little pressure so it feels more like using a pen. The Rotring 500 has the same solid and reliable mechanism as the famous Rotring 600, but a plastic body so it's cheaper and lighter. But despite being a good pencil, I can't recommend it as strongly as the Lamy Safari because of one major flaw - it has no end cap. I reserve it for desktop use because the end pipe is completely unprotected and fragile.

I have no strong preferences for paper and IMO a good writing implement should work with any common paper.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#49

Post by djhworld »

I carry a small "Field Notes" pocket notebook in my back pocket, it's useful for jotting small notes down and reminders.

Each day I review what I've written and and input anything important into digital applications

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#50

Post by jordz »

djhworld wrote: post #49

I carry a small "Field Notes" pocket notebook in my back pocket, it's useful for jotting small notes down and reminders. Each day I review what I've written and and input anything important into digital applications

Ditto! I have a leather pouch full of them :)
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