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Take more screenshots (2022)

alexwlchan.net

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Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#51

Post by kroltan »

RheingoldRiver wrote: post #31
_8j50 wrote: post #3

I actually am in a position where I need to take a screenshot but haven't found any tool on linux that has the right UX like macos builtin screenshot or on windows, greenshot and lightshot. I want to press printscr or some shortcut and immediately screenshot an area of the screen or the whole screen and by default have it saved to a numerically incrementing files under a folder I configure and not have to close or in…

I use Sharex on Windows and I don't think there's any better tool, so I searched for "run sharex on linux" and there is indeed a guide - https://github.com/ShareX/ShareX/issues/6531 - maybe you can get it to work? I believe it can do all of the things you want. Certainly area capture, remembered area capture, fullscreen capture, all bound to different hotkeys. Mine saves with the name = the timestamp but you can prob…

I can't recommend ShareX enough, it is the most well thought out, intuitive and comprehensive tool for handling screenshots. I really miss it on Linux, I'll try that guide.

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#52

Post by giantrobot »

darkteflon wrote: post #43
danhak wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've had a lot of success using the pixelmatch library for image comparison / deduping https://github.com/mapbox/pixelmatch

Thank you, that looks perfect. > “pixelmatch is around 150 lines of code, has no dependencies…”

* Except hundreds of megabytes of Node.js

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#53

Post by post-it »

jxf wrote: post #33
xpressvideoz wrote: post #16

I have been taking screenshots for years, but it developed into a hoarding OCD. And it is ruining my life. My regular life is being interrupted by taking screenshots all the time, so I have relatively less time to work on important things. I don't even view those screenshots again in the future so the time spent on those screenshots is completely wasted. I don't recommend having a habit of taking screenshots to those…

> My regular life is being interrupted by taking screenshots all the time, so I have relatively less time to work on important things. I think I lack perspective on this and am not quite understanding what you mean. Where is the interruption coming from? Why do you need to take screenshots?

Sounds like it's a compulsion, same as people who check the stove or faucet just in case, GP takes screenshots just in case.

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#54

Post by hgsgm »

thejarren wrote: post #19
benatkin wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a niche product it seems. I have zero interest in it.

That makes sense. This archive tool is even more out there because it's not a direct link or file of the content, but just a capture of what the content would be. My work is mostly UI/UX and design related, so the capture is actually pretty valuable. I'm a bit of a digital packrat, and sometimes like to review personal files from nearly a decade ago, so I think something like this would increase in value for me over…

Sort of. The more you hoard, the more painful it is to trawl through the hoard to review. It reminds me of Linus Torvald's "Only wimps use tape backup. REAL [adults] just upload their important stuff on ftp and let the rest of the world mirror it." -- let your work be remembered on the basis of who it had an impression.

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#55

Post by david422 »

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #21
thdc wrote: post #9

This is a lesson I learned too late. Consider extending this idea outside of digital work, to any online hobby. In my case, I think back to all the time I spent on MMOs (basically raised online) and wish I had taken screenshots or recordings of my time then; I have none and it makes me sad. Apply it to real life, too. You'll never know what little meaningful events you'll wish you had records of in the future.

Also, doing it in meatspace has practical benefits. How do these screws go back into this hardware? Oh look, here's a photo that shows the thing disassembled with each screw placed next to the hole it came from, which also shows which bits slot together - maybe I even took multiple pictures to show which part of the case came off first.

I've been doing that with my house as well. Every year I end up trying to rediscover some mundane task like - how do I remove this darn window screen with these hidden latches. So I'm trying something new:

I write up a google doc with some pictures. Then I make a QR code of the url and attach it. I've done it for several things:

  - how to put the air conditioners in the windows
  - documenting the water filtration system
  - documenting the septic system
  - documenting the propane fireplace
  - documenting the network wiring

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#56

Post by hgsgm »

Gigachad wrote: post #35
thdc wrote: post #9

This is a lesson I learned too late. Consider extending this idea outside of digital work, to any online hobby. In my case, I think back to all the time I spent on MMOs (basically raised online) and wish I had taken screenshots or recordings of my time then; I have none and it makes me sad. Apply it to real life, too. You'll never know what little meaningful events you'll wish you had records of in the future.

I’ve picked up a habit of photographing everything even mildly notable outside so when the topic comes up at some point, I’ve got useful photographs. Sometimes it’s years later and someone will bring up a building or street that’s not notable enough to have photos online and my photos are much better than what you get from street view.

What are some interesting minor notable things you've documented?

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#57

Post by Aperocky »

> For example, my oldest files were made in Microsoft Word on an iMac G3 running Mac OS 9. I can open them in a modern word processor, and they look similar – but it’s not the same. Some of the fonts and graphics are missing, and I don’t know where I’d find replacements.

> It’s even harder for an undocumented side project I abandoned years ago. Having the code isn’t the same as a working application.

The author's solution to this is apparently screenshots, I have to respectfully disagree.

For software, side project or not, it should probably come with dependency configurations (granted, in early 2000s this isn't as mature as it is today) and some tests. My side projects basically all have tests, these tests are vital for picking up years later and for validation while developing.

For personal notes, I use this script which upon `$ diary` would create/open an entry for the current day in the appropriate folder with vim: https://github.com/Aperocky/diaryman/blob/master/diaryman.sh. Text files will last forever, it has some basic flavoring with markdown, but that's it. The folder where this is indexed is without a doubt the most valuable data on my computer, and it stretches back years.

I do occasionally take screenshots but never for reasons that author find screenshot to be useful for.

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#58

Post by jerieljan »

I've definitely learned to take more screenshots for over a year now and I'm glad I took the time to "optimize" my process: making use of tools like Syncthing to collect screenshots from my phone and laptops, automatically renaming and filing them in folders and aggressively compressing old screenshots with Hazel, and taking better screenshots overall with Shottr. Oh, and a few handy Shortcuts to stitch and grid screenshots.

It's a thing I didn't expect to be a quality-of-life improvement, but it really did, whether it's to remind me of the little but important things that I've done and am glad to recall weeks after, or to provide helpful TODOs or visual documentation on things that I end up doing from time to time.

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#59

Post by Gigachad »

hgsgm wrote: post #56
Gigachad wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve picked up a habit of photographing everything even mildly notable outside so when the topic comes up at some point, I’ve got useful photographs. Sometimes it’s years later and someone will bring up a building or street that’s not notable enough to have photos online and my photos are much better than what you get from street view.

What are some interesting minor notable things you've documented?

I was in a discussion about modern street design that prioritises pedestrian safety and I brought up a trend I had noticed of new laneways putting the road and sidewalk completely level with no clear boundary between cars and people walking. I had taken a few photos of these streets, not because I had anticipated this discussion but because I just take a photo of all new construction and google photos makes it very easy to search through my photos to find them.

I’ve also ended up incidentally taking photos of areas which later got renovated/redeveloped so I get to show a before and after. It’s mostly possible with google maps but a proper photo from a phone is better quality.

Re: Take more screenshots (2022)

#60

Post by sneak »

thejarren wrote: post #4

I take screenshots all the time, and sync them to iCloud so I can access them immediately on my phone/iPad. I also back up previous years of screenshots, I think I have back to 2015 right now. But one thing that I've been keeping my eye on as well (and used for a month) is https://www.rewind.ai/ which records everything that happens on your M1/M2 mac screen and is immediately searchable. Just like Alex says here "The…

A reminder that iCloud Photos is not end to end encrypted, and that both Apple and the US federal police (FBI et al) have warrantless access to the contents of iCloud, so you are creating a huge trove of data that could be misused against you by police at any point in the future should it be politically expedient to do so. Screenshots frequently contain all sorts of extremely sensitive information.

This may not be part of your threat model, but it should at least be known by people so they can evaluate the risk themselves.

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