Earlier quoted context omitted.
cat > note.txt … EOF
cat > note.txt cat >> notes.txt <<EOF
Yes. If we also add
date >> notes.txt
Thinking with pen and paper
161–168 of 168 posts
Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#162For me, what feels like quicksand, is writing on paper. I type very fast on my keyboard 120+ WPM. I want to get my thoughts out of my head as soon as possible, and shape them fast with immediate feedback. My notes are very random and they're all over the place, yet all easily interconnected and searchable because of backlinks and some minimal organization. If I were taking physical notes, I would not have as many not…
> I want to get my thoughts out of my head as soon as possible
Why, is there something wrong with them?
> I think the author might have chosen the traditional way of note-taking, because he just doesn't have the patience or the particular obsession to tailor the note-taking system.
Because nothing says "This is naturally the best way for humans to do something" as clearly as it requiring patience or a "particular obsession", right?
Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#163Pencil, for me a pencil is much better than any pen. Pencil and paper, square paper A4 or A5.
> square paper A4 or A5.
You mean paper with a grid of squares on it, right? Because all the DIN A-series paper formats are rectangular, not square (as I first misread your meaning).
Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#164Earlier quoted context omitted.
cat > note.txt cat >> notes.txt <<EOF
Yes. If we also add date >> notes.txt it would be a great immutable ledger .
Yeah, I was actually thinking of that too -- and how they should both be rolled up into an alias, for single-command dated notetaking. Dunno if that would work, though: What's the syntax for adding the "EOF" bit after what you type after invoking it?
Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#165Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes. If we also add date >> notes.txt it would be a great immutable ledger .
Yeah, I was actually thinking of that too -- and how they should both be rolled up into an alias, for single-command dated notetaking. Dunno if that would work, though: What's the syntax for adding the "EOF" bit after what you type after invoking it?
$ alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt Reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507878
> alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt EOF
$ cat notes.txt
Thu 18 Aug 2022 01:41:18 PM UTC
Reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507878
alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#166I would love to see a site where people posted stuff they have been doing for over a year and it still works for them. Seems like all these blog posts are, "I Started doing this yesterday, and I'm going to do it for the rest of my life... or tomorrow when I blog my next big thing I'm going to do forever." I'm more interested in stuff people have stuck with and actually works for them when the novelty of the medium we…
> I would love to see a site where people posted stuff they have been doing for over a year and it still works for them. Here's the one thing that's stuck with me: I started carrying earplugs with me in 2002. I was forced into it by the Army, but I've kept it up all these years because of how great it is. They completely disappear into the pocket, and when you want them, you *really* want them. But they're great, eve…
Glad to read there's others like me. My friends and family like to poke fun at me for carrying ear plugs, but I find most audio too damn loud at events and it's nice to be able to shave 30dB off and know I'm not damaging my hearing.
Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, I was actually thinking of that too -- and how they should both be rolled up into an alias, for single-command dated notetaking. Dunno if that would work, though: What's the syntax for adding the "EOF" bit after what you type after invoking it?
$ alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt Reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507878 > alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt EOF $ cat notes.txt Thu 18 Aug 2022 01:41:18 PM UTC Reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507878 alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt
Yeah, but you had to type "EOF" to get out of the "cat >>" sub-process, didn't you? There's probably no way to automate / hide that away... (?) Sure, it's pretty good the way it is already, but it bugs me that you have to type that bit that isn't what you want to note. (Who, me? What OCD?)
Re: Thinking with pen and paper
#168Earlier quoted context omitted.
$ alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt Reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507878 > alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt EOF $ cat notes.txt Thu 18 Aug 2022 01:41:18 PM UTC Reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507878 alias dn='date >> notes.txt && cat >> notes.txt
Yeah, but you had to type "EOF" to get out of the "cat >>" sub-process, didn't you? There's probably no way to automate / hide that away... (?) Sure, it's pretty good the way it is already, but it bugs me that you have to type that bit that isn't what you want to note. (Who, me? What OCD?)
The essence of this tiny "interactive command line utility" is to capture user key strokes and redirect to a sub-process. So there gotta be a way to interrupt and exit the sub-process. "EOF" is just a convention. You can also get out of the sub-process with "Ctrl-D" like in Python shell.
Interactive editors like vi/emacs also need to flush the buffer and save the content to the file, but you have to type something, such as ":w" and "C-x C-s" (or use GUI).
If you want full automation without human input, I/O redirection is the way.