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Paper is the real 'killer app'

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Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#251

Post by willtim »

dvcrn wrote: post #9

I recently adapted bulletjournaling (from OmniFocus) and absolutely love it. Writing my journal is very relaxing and became a daily ritual of mine. Once a week i escape with my notebook to a cafe (without any tech gadgets) and review my entire system, cut out some tasks that are no longer relevant and plan for the next week. Paper also allowed me to confront imperfections and mistakes more directly. I made a ton of w…

I like to think of paper as immutable storage. All my mistakes remind me how safe my jottings are versus the average note taking software effort.

I do use org-mode and git at work, but even then will often capture to paper.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#252

Post by __jal »

bitwize wrote: post #162
adtac wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I got a solution - every article is accompanied by a QR code that you can scan to open a searchable version of the exact same text. Just a couple of seconds away and you don't lose the papery-feel either.

We could provide a device -- say, in a nice friendly shape like a cat -- that can read these codes and open up the relevant text on their PC or iPad or whatever! What could possibly go wrong?

Man, brilliant! The VCs and media companies won't be capable of leaving you alone!

...I think I still have one of those in a junk-box somewhere.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#253

Post by marchenko »

mattferderer wrote: post #98

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Does anyone have a workflow for using paper to take notes & then transferring them to an online notebook (OneNote, Evernote, etc)? My current process is read a chapter, then take hand written notes trying to recall what I just read. A day or more later I revisit material by putting notes into a OneNote or Evernote. I've been weighing pros & cons of this vs doing freehand us…

Your current workflow is actually quite good for information retention and organisation. You have the benefit of manually entering your notes and organising them in physical space in a notebook (remember to doodle in the margins for even better retention!). Then you revisit them later to optimise them for indexing and search in a digital folder. Moving data from short-term to long-term storage in the brain is hard work and there are few shortcuts. The real question is whether it would be sufficient to outsource storing and search to a digital solution rather than doing the work "in-house" in your head.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#254

Post by chrisdone »

nomel wrote: post #229
throwaway26960 wrote: post #184

The advantage of paper is that you can be more creative and use slow thinking[1]. Just take a look at Newton's[2] or DaVinci's[3] notebooks, how would they think so freely on a computer? Sure for a work task list, a computer is fine, but I find a computer too limiting on my creativity for myself. Added bonus: no ads, bugs, or distractions. People that create apps create them to make money, not because they make you m…

For me, the benefit comes from two limitations: - The slow and physical aspect allows you to think about and consider the idea, as you're writing it. - The negative reinforcement, for that slow consideration, caused by from the permanence of your mistakes or a tired hand. But, I don't think paper has to be involved. I see it as an indication of a lack of good stylus input in most devices. I now use a large iPad Pro,…

One thing that will be a factor for a long time is that a piece of paper doesn't require integration to share it with other people, or a battery to be charged etc. It's just a real object representing your ideas.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#255

Post by WA »

CodeSheikh wrote: post #134

Might be a bit off-topic, but here it goes. This article gave me reassurance how I resisted using e-readers and stuck to the notion of using an actual book. Waste of paper? Yes. But then we are wasting papers in many other ways as well (another debate). Plus books hardly get recycled and they often get passed on (used bookstores). Also, my another issue with Kindle-esque books or even buying paperbacks from Amazon is…

Counter-point, at least for me:

I got a Kindle in 2012, when I traveled the world for a few months. Swapping books or even buying new ones every 2-3 days gets boring quickly. So I got the $79 Kindle back then (still think it's the best one ever, because its light, no keyboard, no touch, page flips with mechanical keys on both sides).

The biggest advantage though is: I read way more on a Kindle than ever before. I love that you don't have to carry a book, can adjust the font size, and basically pick it up faster than a physical book and continue reading, even if it's only for 10 minutes in the subway.

Also, Kindle books are usually cheaper and I (as a German) get to download many English books instead of having to order them and wait for a day or two.

Weird: I often highlight some sentences or paragraphs in Kindle books that I like, but I actually never look back at the notes I took.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#256

Post by desireco42 »

Declanomous wrote: post #237
throwaway26960 wrote: post #184

The advantage of paper is that you can be more creative and use slow thinking[1]. Just take a look at Newton's[2] or DaVinci's[3] notebooks, how would they think so freely on a computer? Sure for a work task list, a computer is fine, but I find a computer too limiting on my creativity for myself. Added bonus: no ads, bugs, or distractions. People that create apps create them to make money, not because they make you m…

I have dysgraphia, which is a disability which cognitively affects my ability to write, much like dyslexia affects one's ability to read. Writing is extremely taxing for me, to the point where I will be physically exhausted if I hand write a page of text. I've tried every technology I can think of in an attempt to accommodate my disability. I've been using a computer to take notes for 20 years. I've tried every voice…

Ha :) I don't think it gets better then what you just wrote.

I think it is mostly due to tools on computer being bad. When I use writing app like IA Writer, or simple outliner like Outlinely or Vim plugin... I get a lot from that, mostly because I can type fast.

And I love everything paper and pens/pencils.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#257

Post by doikor »

Is there something wrong with me when I'm the opposite? I can't even read my own handwriting all that well :(

I just write everything in notepad (or vim/emacs) and store the plain text files on my server (and take some backups)

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#258

Post by patrick-dd »

WA wrote: post #255
CodeSheikh wrote: post #134

Might be a bit off-topic, but here it goes. This article gave me reassurance how I resisted using e-readers and stuck to the notion of using an actual book. Waste of paper? Yes. But then we are wasting papers in many other ways as well (another debate). Plus books hardly get recycled and they often get passed on (used bookstores). Also, my another issue with Kindle-esque books or even buying paperbacks from Amazon is…

Counter-point, at least for me: I got a Kindle in 2012, when I traveled the world for a few months. Swapping books or even buying new ones every 2-3 days gets boring quickly. So I got the $79 Kindle back then (still think it's the best one ever, because its light, no keyboard, no touch, page flips with mechanical keys on both sides). The biggest advantage though is: I read way more on a Kindle than ever before. I lov…

I found the same thing. Now I make a conscious effort to look at my recent notes every 3-4 days.

I use my kindle to get German books quickly. The kindle vocabulary builder is super useful.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#259

Post by chrisdone »

otalp wrote: post #37

I never liked all the multitude of list making apps - Evernote, Todoist, Omnifocus, etc. I prefer org-mode[1] on emacs. It's simple, flexible, distraction free and for some reason reminds me of writing on paper. You get the simplicity, while also making it as powerful as you want. 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJTwQvgfgMM

I'd agree. I've been trying to think of why I like orgmode and todoist and toggl aren't the same, it's that I can manipulate it freely as text without being blocked by the structure or hitting a use-case unanticipated by the authors of the app. I can also extend it easily and have done so.

In that way its benefits are similar to pen and paper.

Re: Paper is the real 'killer app'

#260

Post by com2kid »

Declanomous wrote: post #237
throwaway26960 wrote: post #184

The advantage of paper is that you can be more creative and use slow thinking[1]. Just take a look at Newton's[2] or DaVinci's[3] notebooks, how would they think so freely on a computer? Sure for a work task list, a computer is fine, but I find a computer too limiting on my creativity for myself. Added bonus: no ads, bugs, or distractions. People that create apps create them to make money, not because they make you m…

I have dysgraphia, which is a disability which cognitively affects my ability to write, much like dyslexia affects one's ability to read. Writing is extremely taxing for me, to the point where I will be physically exhausted if I hand write a page of text. I've tried every technology I can think of in an attempt to accommodate my disability. I've been using a computer to take notes for 20 years. I've tried every voice…

Have you tried a pen enabled laptop? Software like OneNote let's you doodle and diagram on a computer, and switch over to typing when needed.
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