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Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

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Re: Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

#3
About the only really useful hint here is to turn off notifications. I tried out Growl when I first got my mini, but after a few weeks I realized it was adversly effecting my productivity, bouncing between email, IRC and IMs almost constantly.

Minimalist screens, docks, etc. are a matter of taste but I don't seen any real productivity improvements.

Re: Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

#4
post #2

I wonder how something as utilitarian as a volume control or battery status icon could disturb or distract someone. Sure for a minimal aesthetic it could be considered superfluous, but a distraction? Seems a bit neurotic to me.

It's something for the eye to focus on and the mind to be aware of, something to think about, remember, and compare to previous memories, to examine for changes. Imagine how distracting the shell would be if every command finished with a bell and 'Command completed!', or if there were a menu bar listing every possible command (or even just a subset), or if your room was wallpapered in lorem ipsum. Unless the volume actually changes, or you specifically want to mess with it, it being there at all is an issue.

Re: Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

#6
post #5

It's funny that some dude apparently getting all serious about minimalism must still have an image plastered across his desktop. A "wallpaper" isn't essential to using a computer, folks.

Changing your wallpaper to some solid color isn’t minimalism.

Re: Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

#7
post #6
post #5

It's funny that some dude apparently getting all serious about minimalism must still have an image plastered across his desktop. A "wallpaper" isn't essential to using a computer, folks.

Changing your wallpaper to some solid color isn’t minimalism.

In the context of the article, why not?

Re: Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

#9
post #7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Changing your wallpaper to some solid color isn’t minimalism.

In the context of the article, why not?

You implied that somebody “all serious” about minimalism should only use solid color wallpapers. Anybody else apparently doesn’t have the street cred or something.

He already uses a very toned down wallpaper (mentions that, too) and I honestly don’t get why in that context your snide comment was necessary.

Re: Working without distraction : my minimalist Macintosh experience

#10
post #4
post #2

I wonder how something as utilitarian as a volume control or battery status icon could disturb or distract someone. Sure for a minimal aesthetic it could be considered superfluous, but a distraction? Seems a bit neurotic to me.

It's something for the eye to focus on and the mind to be aware of, something to think about, remember, and compare to previous memories, to examine for changes. Imagine how distracting the shell would be if every command finished with a bell and 'Command completed!', or if there were a menu bar listing every possible command (or even just a subset), or if your room was wallpapered in lorem ipsum. Unless the volume a…

Not sure I follow — are you suggesting it's distracting at a subconscious level?

I find it a stretch to say any of the examples you mention are analogous to small static monotone icons in the corner of a screen; they no more distract me than the 'Eject' key on the keyboard does.

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