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Paper is the real 'killer app'

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Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#241

Post by goerz »

archagon wrote: post #218

I'm 100% onboard with the paper paradigm for my project-related note-taking, but I've moved over to using GoodNotes with my iPad and Pencil[1] over actual paper and graphite. It's basically as good as the real thing, but you also get a pristine PDF version of your notebook once you're done with your doodling. No doubt that there's a charm to leafing through a pile of your ragged, dog-eared Moleskines as an occasional…

I also moved to GoodNotes entirely. It combines all the benefits of paper and digital: it's exactly as flexible as paper, but also editable. This is a huge deal: I can refine my handwritten notes by easily moving things around, adding paragraphs, etc. I can also reorder and move pages around between notebooks easily, and it's fully searchable. the iPad Pro having the same size as a sheet of paper, the Apple Pencil being the first stylus that has low enough latency to make you forget it's not a real pen, and well-designed software like GoodNotes really has been a revolutionary combination for me.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#242

Post by Touche »

davegauer wrote: post #168
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

Wow, my system is just like yours. The key is the daily review and transcription to a digital format (in my case, a big textfile with a rigid date format for everything, Google Calendar for appointments, Habitica for TODOs). Like bullet journaling, the review ensures that I actually see what I've written. The searchable digital copy can be hugely helpful later. It also adds the possibility of recording daily metrics…

I'd be interested in reading about your system.

What I like about Field Notes is that I can quickly write down thoughts and come back to them later --- if I want. It isn't rigorous which I think is key to productivity. The problem with todo apps is they become jobs that you need to complete.

With paper notes there's no pressure to complete anything. Sure, I keep a todo list in my field notes, and every day I create a new list, some of which carries over from the previous day and some does not. I don't feel pressure to complete anything, and paper is what makes that possible (nothing is permanent, just a checkmark in time).

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#243

Post by thecupisblue »

tambourine_man wrote: post #77

I hate paper. No searching and highly losable. I'm also way faster on a keyboard than with a pen/pencil. In fact, I had to fax a hand written letter (yeah, don't ask) the other day and realized I'm now almost illiterate with this thing. I could draw very well as a kid, but my handwriting was always pitiful. But after years of neglect, the thing was illegible. I pity the poor person that would have to decifer the hier…

Few weeks ago I was at a party and had a moment of inspiration so I took a pen and paper to write down some poems. Barely I could read them later, let alone anyone else.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#244

Post by victorhooi »

PetitPrince wrote: post #113

I use an erasable notebook [1] for my scribbling. I find it quite good for sketching a quick diagram /prototyping, short-term todos, mindmapping and brainstorming. I don't think it's good for long term journaling (a proper notebook would be better). Having an erasable pen solves my problem of making tons of stupid spelling mistakes, being guilty of wasting paper and losing them in a giant pile of worthless annotation…

How do you find the Whynote versus Wipebooks?

Is there a reason you went for Whynote over the others?

(I have a Wipebook - but sometimes I forget to erase it immediately, and it gets hard to erase if you leave it too long. Also, the pages aren't the most durable, especially to any liquid. The Whynote doesn't appear available in larger sizes though - e.g. A4, Letter).

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#245

Post by tlikonen »

eddieroger wrote: post #67
otalp wrote: post #37

I never liked all the multitude of list making apps - Evernote, Todoist, Omnifocus, etc. I prefer org-mode[1] on emacs. It's simple, flexible, distraction free and for some reason reminds me of writing on paper. You get the simplicity, while also making it as powerful as you want. 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJTwQvgfgMM

org-mode has been my 2017 resolution, and in the 23 days I've been using it, I'm sold. I love prose and writing, and this scratches that itch pretty effectively while also giving me really powerful things that I need to be organized, like structure to my notes and tag searches. It's also as in or out of the way as I want it to be, which is great - I get to define the structure of how it works, and have largely throug…

I use Emacs' org-mode for pretty much all my work notes. It's very structured, long and includes spreadsheets.

But usually I don't use my laptop during work. Instead I print just day's notes (schedule etc.) to a single paper sheet and keep the note paper with me. I do corrections and maybe add notes with a pen. Then later at home I modify my org-mode files to match my note paper.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#246

Post by bluGill »

falcolas wrote: post #89
jpswade wrote: post #46

"I was shocked to realize how dependent I’ve grown on three simple features that just aren’t available in the analog world: search, sort and filter" https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/04/ui-patterns-for-mob...

They are - you simply have to do the extra bit of indexing work yourself. Create a high level topic for each note, and put that in the front of the notebook, with a page number. Once you're beyond one book, keep a separate index book and update it periodically with a book/page number from the indexes in the individual books. If you find yourself referring to a particular topic frequently, take some time and re-write…

I would argue that anything you refer back to even once should be translated into digital. Note I said translated, not transcribed. When converting to digital you should fix things: check the facts, make the diagrams pretty, fix the grammar.

Paper is great for a rough draft. Rewriting your rough draft to the final is always good practice.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#247

Post by rahoulb »

nomel wrote: post #229
throwaway26960 wrote: post #184

The advantage of paper is that you can be more creative and use slow thinking[1]. Just take a look at Newton's[2] or DaVinci's[3] notebooks, how would they think so freely on a computer? Sure for a work task list, a computer is fine, but I find a computer too limiting on my creativity for myself. Added bonus: no ads, bugs, or distractions. People that create apps create them to make money, not because they make you m…

For me, the benefit comes from two limitations: - The slow and physical aspect allows you to think about and consider the idea, as you're writing it. - The negative reinforcement, for that slow consideration, caused by from the permanence of your mistakes or a tired hand. But, I don't think paper has to be involved. I see it as an indication of a lack of good stylus input in most devices. I now use a large iPad Pro,…

I'll also add that having tried lots of alternatives, the iPad Pro with pencil is the only thing that comes close to real pen and paper (but still falls a bit short)

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#248

Post by erikpukinskis »

I think the reason digital doodling hasn't taken off yet is the UIs are too complicated. They are designed for professionals and have lots of ways to do things.

And the reason for that is we don't have a good drawing layer library yet. If developers could throw together simple drawing apps in a weekend, we could test more interactions and maybe find one that holds a candle to a pen.

Remember: it took a long time to develop the modern pen. If we were still dipping feathers in inkwells I suspect this thread might be more forgiving toward digital drawing UIs.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#249

Post by Sniperfish »

KIFulgore wrote: post #124

I recently re-subscribed to a real-life, old-fashioned newspaper. I like the digital edition, but prefer the paper version. The resolution is amazing and you can't beat the loading times, and I never run into browser incompatibility issues. There are still too many ads, but they don't pop up and dance.

There's a 'joke' in my office, we have someone who circulates key headlines in a morning email because we all have electronic access to a slew of newspapers which means none of us read any of them.

Related, I renewed a print subscription to The Economist after spending the last ~5 years as a digital-only subscriber. I read so much more of the content when it's a physical item than by picking the articles with 'interesting' headlines.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#250

Post by zitterbewegung »

jessedhillon wrote: post #226
agumonkey wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought about that a lot, since I grew up in love about computers and believed they would be the solution for everything; even books. But as many said, "digital" mostly made us realize they were other things than the "pure" content. I believe our brain just crave as much sensations as possible, and writing, flipping pages, seeing a device move[1], touching, watching, etc ... basically the task of dealing with the p…

I was trying to explain this to someone ~10 years younger than me the other day. I was telling them about how, when I was in high school (late 90s) I had a portable minidisc player/recorder. In so many ways, listening to music on that device was better than listening to it on Spotfiy + smartphone, even despite the obvious advantages. Something about holding music in your hands, feeling a drive seek the next track, pr…

I think that if you made an interface to Spotify in your hands with physical buttons you would get an experience that would be 50% there.
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