I just read two posts, same topic, same day, same first name. Fun!
Yesterday, Jeff Geerling explained his .txt file TODO list: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2024/my-todo-list-txt-file...
My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
251–260 of 272 posts
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#252I used to use a .txt file like this for over 10 years that I edited with Vim and could also edit on my phone using Dropbox. And then I used the Mac Notes app and realized the search, sync, autosave experience, and other properties made Notes way more useful for me. Similarly, for over 10 years I used to compile my CV with LaTeX using a fancy template I designed, until I realized the time it took to edit it was just n…
> Similarly, for over 10 years I used to compile my CV with LaTeX using a fancy template I designed, until I realized the time it took to edit it was just not worth it. I went the opposite way - trying to typeset[1] in word processors just became too hard as changed CV to emphasise some things over others. My CV[2] in LaTeX was extremely quick to adjust for someone else who wanted an identically formatted CV. [1] I l…
Not trying to be negative, but the photo on your resume looks to me like a "negative" face.
Not to say a picture like that should be happy smiling or linkedin look, but yours look like you are having a bad time.
Although I'm from US where pictures aren't on resumes.
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#253Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Similarly, for over 10 years I used to compile my CV with LaTeX using a fancy template I designed, until I realized the time it took to edit it was just not worth it. I went the opposite way - trying to typeset[1] in word processors just became too hard as changed CV to emphasise some things over others. My CV[2] in LaTeX was extremely quick to adjust for someone else who wanted an identically formatted CV. [1] I l…
Not trying to be negative, but the photo on your resume looks to me like a "negative" face. Not to say a picture like that should be happy smiling or linkedin look, but yours look like you are having a bad time. Although I'm from US where pictures aren't on resumes.
I agree, I will change it.
Now that I look at at it properly, I look constipated :)
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#254This little nugget at the end is the key of all of this, to me:
> It does mean sometimes I miss some questions or don't pursue an interesting research question, but helps me maintain a manageable workload.
It's easy to get hyped up by modern productivity software, sort, categorize, and prioritize everything, only to end up creating way more work than you will ever be able to do.
Keeping things simple (eg using a TODO.txt file) is one easy way to help prevent putting too much on your plate.
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#255Personally, I feel that Todoist[1] has revolutionized how well I can track things. You can use it exactly like a text file, where each line / task is tracked individually. I'll often add tasks for my current day (that will fail over to tomorrow if I don't get to them). However it's real strength (compared to a text file) is in its features for repeating periodic tasks. Other products I've used struggle with irregular…
Big fan of todoist. I've been using it for less than a month, but have already switched to the yearly subscription. I use Obsidian for my notes, but for remembering to do something, I now use Todoist. Any passing thought that I want to deliberately go back to (or even patterns of thinking, like every 6 months, reflect on this concept) can be put into Todoist and I know that I'll see it again.
I contemplated trying to do all of this in Obsidian but the conventional advice seems that while you can, it isn't worth it. Todoist offering a simple mobile interface where I can quickly add a task is great. I wish reminders worked a little better (I'd been using alarms on my phone for reminders I want at a specific time, and Todoist reminders aren't nearly as attention grabbing).
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#256I've had pretty decent luck with `todo.txt` style tracking, but also tend to run into issues with tasks or notes "going stale" so came up with this system. `today` basically opens `~/Desktop/$YYYY_MM_DD-todo.txt`, but it'll start you off with a copy of the most recent (previous) file. This lets me have "durable" files (I can grep for pretty much anything and get a date-specific hit for it, similar to doing a `git log…
I made something similar for myself. It even has the same name!
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#257I 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…
This is exactly what I do, in Notational Velocity. One file per day, duplicate at the start of each day, with regular backups.
I mark completed items with a "+" and items I won't do with a "-".
Simple and works great!
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#258I 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…
PS — Do you trust that your Notes will not disappear one day in some kind of OS-update-related or iCloud-related hiccup? I guess I still feel nervous from the "me.com" days in which Apple's cloud storage simply didn't work.
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#259Glad to know I'm not the only madman using a slew of text files to dump their thoughts into. My kids will surely think I was a crazy person if they ever stumble on them after I pass.
Re: My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file (2020)
#260Earlier quoted context omitted.
I find that files under revision control have one awesome property: they can be ruthlessly minimal. The intermediate note-to-self stuff, the reference material, the stuff that was cancelled, all can be deleted. But you have the peace of mind that you can get it back. This might be especially important if it is a text file you run your life with. My neighbor needs the name of the plumber we used. What was the amount o…
> My neighbor needs the name of the plumber we used. What was the amount of the bill? When did I order xyz last? What was the size of the wiper blades of my car? But how do you look that information up in git?
The git "pickaxe" [0] is the canonical way of searching through changes. Probably `git log -Splumber` with narrowing down by date.