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Just use fucking paper, man

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Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#171

Post by cholantesh »

wwweston wrote: post #46
jjeaff wrote: post #11

My problem with paper is that I can't keep up with paper. I will lose it several times a day, and inevitably, I will lose it permanently after a year or two. I need the sync and findability that an app on a device affords.

15 years ago while resisting the smartphone shift I got myself a passport case to use as a combined wallet and portable notebook to write things down in. It worked reasonably well and certainly had some robust advantages but honestly so do cross-device syncd apps that I've used since smartphone adoption.

I hate those cases, but yes, synced todos (including grocery lists!) have been the killer app for smartphone use for me. Still, once I got my S20 this year I stopped doing it as much because the thing is too damn huge to be worth it. I've gone back to using a moleskine and it's fine, but just one more thing to carry around.

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#172

Post by tgaj »

clircle wrote: post #96

I don’t understand how note taking is such an impassioned subject on this site. But fwiw, what works for me is to have notes everywhere. I take notes in a journal, ephemeral notepad, emails, texts to myself, apple notes, and orgmode. I just want to have lots of accessibility.

I think that's because a lot of Hacker News readers are autistic and/or ADHD (I am). As autistic I love to catalog things and as ADHD sufferer I need notes to be able to function in the modern works.

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#173

Post by WOTERMEON »

allenu wrote: post #104
clircle wrote: post #96

I don’t understand how note taking is such an impassioned subject on this site. But fwiw, what works for me is to have notes everywhere. I take notes in a journal, ephemeral notepad, emails, texts to myself, apple notes, and orgmode. I just want to have lots of accessibility.

It (note-taking tools) really is a big thing among this cohort. I think there’s this deep belief that if you just had the right organizational system, you could get more done and be more productive. Having gone down that line of thinking before, I get the appeal, though I think it’s overrated when it comes to actually being productive. But man it feels good to play with new toys.

I think it’s caused by being stressed. We hope to find a simple solution from being overwhelmed.

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#175

Post by RockRobotRock »

fancyfredbot wrote: post #169
RockRobotRock wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not saying this is a bad idea but it’s hilarious given the point of the post is to uncomplicate note taking.

It was intended as satire but reading it back now it's not sufficiently far fetched. Says something that the craziest comment I could think of can easily be mistaken for a serious suggestion, but maybe it says more about me than anything else.

That’s so good you totally got me. I can never tell on HN

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#176

Post by thih9 »

viraptor wrote: post #85
thih9 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it was important, you wouldn’t lose it. It’s a feature; sort of a garbage collection.

Assuming that judgement is in any way involved in situations like that is a mistake. At the very least for ADHD-i people like me.

I meant that instead of hoarding ideas it can be fine to let go of unimportant ones.

And sure, if you feel like you forget or cannot distinguish between important things for any reason then a different method is fine too.

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#177

Post by jjeaff »

thih9 wrote: post #60
jjeaff wrote: post #11

My problem with paper is that I can't keep up with paper. I will lose it several times a day, and inevitably, I will lose it permanently after a year or two. I need the sync and findability that an app on a device affords.

If it was important, you wouldn’t lose it. It’s a feature; sort of a garbage collection.

You've never lost your wallet or your keys?

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#179

Post by GFischer »

_g0wg wrote: post #132
_emacsomancer_ wrote: post #62

I think "use paper" is good for lots of things. But if I'm trying to quickly make notes of lots of things, I end up not being able to find things. Org-roam (or some other similar system) is what I've found to be a good substitute for paper. The thing about both paper and Org-roam/Emacs, is that it's under your own control, and can be tailored to meet your own actual needs, not how someone else thinks you should do th…

I'm also an org-roam and paper guy, but I've designed my system to be platform-agnostic. It's all in the naming conventions. Files are named hierarchically with periods. I have top-level categories that have changed little over the years. `con.` for concepts, `lit.` for documents, `proj.` for projects... you get the point, I'm not listing all of them unless someone really just wants me to. My go-to example is always…

You have somehow reinvented the USENET organization method :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet#Organization

Re: Just use fucking paper, man

#180

Post by jmhammond »

unsignedint wrote: post #150
BlueTemplar wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Get a different brand of fountain pen recharges ? Use a pencil instead ??

Well, fountain pens are actually worse for lefties because the "push" motion tends to tear the paper. If only there were truly functional, smudge-free inks! While some brands claim to be "smudge-free," they don’t dry quickly enough to prevent smudging from a lefty’s own hand—they seem more focused on preventing smudges from other objects rather than the writer's hand. As for pencils, they’re not much better than pens…

You might recheck your assumptions. It’s possible you’re pushing too hard (since it’s not a roller ball, you don’t need force to get flow). And there’s a variety of different “grips” for us lefties, and I write daily with my vanishing point and kon peki ink with no smudge.

I’ll agree somewhat on pencils, though. I used to have gray hands when I was in high school after all my notes.

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