In Linux, just switch to text console. :-)
The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
21–30 of 30 posts
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#22My anti-distraction software: I type `sudo nano /etc/hosts` into bash and un-comment the domains that commonly distract me.
Why don't you have 2 hosts files and a small script to swap them over?
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#23In Linux, just switch to text console. :-)
links2
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#24As engineers we should be looking at root cause, not fixing the superficial symptoms. The root cause here is that we don't have 100% control over the decisions that we make. The way to gain that control is not via willpower or superdiscipline, but rather through meditation which trains our brains to recognize the moment where we are about to fly off to Facebook/HN/Twitter. Mindfulness is the key word, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc Its almost embarrassing how much that video changed my perception of my decisionmaking.
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#25Like probably most of you, I need an Internet connection to do my legitimate work. Though some of these productivity guards do allow granular control of their blocking, it's too much work to keep them in sync with my changing projects and reference needs. I read an interesting article recently, discussing the idea of "habit fields". Basically, their assertion was that our bad habits, like checking email or refreshing…
Sounds like something Paul Graham once wrote about using separate computers for work and leisure. You end up feeling uneasy spending too much time at the wrong machine because you're more aware of the difference in physical context.
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#26This reminds me of an Idea I never got working. I want to set up a cron job to disable my internet from 7pm - 7am would any one be willing to help? I posted the question on StackOverFlow http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3027574/help-with-running...
LeechBlock, an add-on for firefox, does exactly that.
Like I don't have 4 other browsers than Firefox, plus wget.
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
> So the only answer to controlling ourselves is to hobble our equipment? I totally disagree. A certain amount of muscle memory is the problem. I can open distracting sites without even thinking about it. I use the LeechBlock plugin for Firefox to block out distracting sites when I really need to get something done. For the first little while, I open the sites automatically (which, of course, doesn't work). Eventuall…
Avoiding distractions is not a physical addiction that one needs to go "cold turkey" with. If so, the user has bigger problems than information overload. Game addicts would fall into that category, not those following Twitter or any other real-time media. Widening the bottleneck allows one to view, arrange and process more information. I bet you are using both monitors directly in front of you, as one large display.…
> Sounds like you might have an addiction.
Isn't that what we're talking about here?
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#28My anti-distraction software: I type `sudo nano /etc/hosts` into bash and un-comment the domains that commonly distract me.
Why don't you have 2 hosts files and a small script to swap them over?
Go ahead, shave the yak! (This should not take long at all, but I wanted to make the point about taking time to make tools to help save time.)
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#29This reminds me of an Idea I never got working. I want to set up a cron job to disable my internet from 7pm - 7am would any one be willing to help? I posted the question on StackOverFlow http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3027574/help-with-running...
LeechBlock, an add-on for firefox, does exactly that.
No, that disables HTTP/S through Firefox. It will not disable your e-mail client, or your instant messengers, or anything else.
Re: The rise of Anti-Distraction Software
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Kind of ironic you chose quitting alcohol as your comparison - locking people in a room is exactly what many high-intensity anti-alcoholism/drug abuse programs do. You stay in there with nothing but food, water, and maybe some books until you've gotten through the cold sweats, the puking, and the other associated symptoms of withdrawal. Once your body has returned to a semblance of normalcy, you start treating the ps…
You countered with "So a period of cold turkey pain is some times necessary." How does that apply to turning off your services? Doe one then seek counseling before turning them back on? Or in the case of the alcoholic, never turning them on again? Goodbye Twitter! Maybe I made a bad analogy, my point was that information overload is more a general problem than addiction, another topic altogether. But in both cases, y…
I don't disagree with you at all, and you raise a number of good points. I thought we were talking about addicts though - which is why I took it where I did.