Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

jeffhuang.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

221–230 of 272 posts

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#221

Post by ozim »

AlecSchueler wrote: post #111
ravishi wrote: post #41

I use a similar system, but I duplicate and rename the file at the start of each day. Then I remove stuff that got done the previous day. Or stuff that is old and not relevant anymore. The system has evolved over the years. The greatest thing about it is how flexible it is. When faced with new requirements (new projects, job change, etc) I can just start taking notes in a different way and see if it sticks. I also co…

What are the benefits of keeping it in git? Are the commit messages useful? Not trying to knock the idea, I just can't imagine branching or reverting or being curious about the history of a to-do list. Maybe it could be cool for statistics over time. But I'm really curious to hear how you're using it!

Synchronize between computers is easy and I can also use git client on my phone.

Hosting private repo on gitlab solves hosting.

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#222

Post by lelanthran »

karolist wrote: post #109
stormdennis wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My sister is far far richer and more successful than I am. She once told me that every night the last thing she'd do was to make a mental list of things to do tomorrow. That was it. Nothing written down.

I feel there's more to the story. One thing is being organized, another is being able to execute consistently, and being organized is not a precursor to that. I am extremely smart, and productive, sometimes. Most of the times my mind jumps to random areas of interest, life happens, fight with wife/GF, parent illness, alcohol binges and I'm back to a baseline with almost no output. As if I'm sabotaging myself. Consist…

> fight with wife/GF

Life hack - you'll have fewer fights if you have Wife XOR Girlfriend, and not Wife OR Girlfriend :-)

On topic, I'm pretty much the same - my own brain sabotages me via nerd-sniping more often than any enemy ever could.

I don't really think there's anything to be done about it, TBH.

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#223

Post by walteweiss »

kingkongjaffa wrote: post #53
walteweiss wrote: post #17

Make it .org file and you’re in a different league instantly.

I've maintained a single log.org file for 5 years now and it's been great!

I have multiple files, by the way. And as a recent org user I’m not quite sure what is better. It feels like org designed with huge files in mind, although for me it works with multiple files as well.

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#224

Post by pantulis »

danjc wrote: post #210

This illustrates well that you don't need another productivity app - you just need a basic tool and discipline. This also generalizes to other domains.

Agree, the rationale of the FA and the HN comments goes to show that productivity is not about the tool, it's about how you figure out a system that works for you.

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#225

Post by seletskiy »

lelanthran wrote: post #216
tasty_freeze wrote: post #195

At my first job out of college in 1985 I worked for a unknown, unsuccessful mainframe company. I started a TODO.TXT file when I arrived; when I left a year later I put my TODO.TXT (along with ADDRESS.TXT, DATES.TXT) on a 5.25" floppy and took it with me to the next company, and the next, and the next. I didn't buy my own computer until 1997, and those files finally made it to a machine I own and control. Those files…

I did pretty much the same thing for years, using Emacs org mode (same hyperlinked setup). Then I used vim using `CTRL-Wgf`, same as you. Then I added to my .bash_profile: alias todo='vim ~/.todo' Then I test drove a bunch of todo apps (yeah, Obsidian too). The problem I found with this, eventually, is that it's really not great at allowing me to perform my most common workflow: push-context -> start-new-thing -> fin…

Hey, I've realized the same thing (that my workflows are stack-based) awhile ago, but didn't get to the point of writing a tool yet. Dare to share?

Also, which approach you use to efficiently store and re-store relevant context information? I often find that intricate but important details are lost during context switch.

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#226

Post by Propelloni »

hawski wrote: post #197
tasty_freeze wrote: post #195

At my first job out of college in 1985 I worked for a unknown, unsuccessful mainframe company. I started a TODO.TXT file when I arrived; when I left a year later I put my TODO.TXT (along with ADDRESS.TXT, DATES.TXT) on a 5.25" floppy and took it with me to the next company, and the next, and the next. I didn't buy my own computer until 1997, and those files finally made it to a machine I own and control. Those files…

You made your private wiki. I used to use Zim and it was splendid. Then I went down a few rabbit holes and explored a more GUI-less approach, but in my case nothing ever approached the level of Zim. It is more on me, than on tools. Now, when I'm doing a job that finally doesn't cause me a burn out I am slowly going back to Zim and I like it.

Full agreement. I use Zim Desktop Wiki for years now and still use it daily, but it has become harder. I also write on mobile and the experience is lacking. I don't mind syncing with Syncthing, but there is no good editor. Markor is able to open Zim files (which are just text files with markup) but it is just not cutting it.

Maybe I need to wait until the itch becomes too large to ignore and start my own little side project :/

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#227

Post by lloeki »

al_borland wrote: post #149
plg wrote: post #125

I have been using Apple Notes which is great because I can read/write in the moment on a Mac, on iPad, on iPhone, and everything is (almost always) synced and stored in the cloud. I have been doing one note per day. On the other hand, PTF (Pity The Fool) who tries to export these notes. I know some people have written exporters but of course, whenever Apple decides to change format, PTF. I would like to change to a m…

I’ve gone back and forth between Apple Notes and more portable solutions many times now. It has been awful, but I decided to stick with Apple Notes. If/when it goes away, I will need to suffer one more time. If I keep trying to app hop looking for the perfect tool, I’ll suffer every 3-6 months for the rest of my life and never find peace. I like that Apple Notes gives me the option to write, easily add images, make t…

> some nice developer will make a little tool to take care of this

There are already a bunch:

- (discusses the internals) https://devlog.notespub.com/2022/08/site-generator-for-apple...

- https://github.com/dunhamsteve/notesutils

- https://github.com/ydkhatri/mac_apt

- https://github.com/threeplanetssoftware/apple_cloud_notes_pa...

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#228

Post by lelanthran »

seletskiy wrote: post #225
lelanthran wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did pretty much the same thing for years, using Emacs org mode (same hyperlinked setup). Then I used vim using `CTRL-Wgf`, same as you. Then I added to my .bash_profile: alias todo='vim ~/.todo' Then I test drove a bunch of todo apps (yeah, Obsidian too). The problem I found with this, eventually, is that it's really not great at allowing me to perform my most common workflow: push-context -> start-new-thing -> fin…

Hey, I've realized the same thing (that my workflows are stack-based) awhile ago, but didn't get to the point of writing a tool yet. Dare to share? Also, which approach you use to efficiently store and re-store relevant context information? I often find that intricate but important details are lost during context switch.

> Hey, I've realized the same thing (that my workflows are stack-based) awhile ago, but didn't get to the point of writing a tool yet. Dare to share?

Sure, but because I'm only using it for myself, you're going to have to compile it yourself if you want (for now, anyway).

Originally designed to be CLI app, I find I only use the GUI these days (also in the repo).

Start here in case this is not for you: https://github.com/lelanthran/frame/blob/master/docs/FrameIn...

> Also, which approach you use to efficiently store and re-store relevant context information? I often find that intricate but important details are lost during context switch.

Everything is stored in a hierarchical DB, AKA the filesystem :-)

Each 'frame' is a directory with a specific set of files, and the directory name serves as the name of the frame. At any given time, a metainfo file in the root points to the currently active frame.

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#229

Post by sssilver »

BasilPH wrote: post #5

I'm doing something similar with Obsidian daily notes[^1]. I also have a weekly note that I use to plan the next week. Similar to how the author talks about scheduling their next day the evening before, I've started planning the big tasks for next on Friday afternoon, as this gives me momentum on Monday morning. Related: I've found the 3/3/3 technique from Oliver Burkeman[^2] and the concept of open and closed lists…

Those who are familiar with both Obsidian and Bear — what are the principal differences for this particular use case?

Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)

#230

Post by safehuss »

Gbox4 wrote: post #25

I've been using what is essentially a single sticky note (Raycast floating notes feature) for a year now and it works great. I put todos, meeting notes, ideas, and everything else in there with zero organization. When I want to remember stuff I read it. When I finish stuff I delete it. Has worked for me better than Notion, Obsidian, Reminders, Tick Tick, etc. I've found that for productivity tools, there is an invers…

+1 for Raycast Floating Notes. Looking forward to their version 2.0 which will support tabbing and markdown. Should make it even better.
Post reply on HN