Note taking

ruenoak · 2025-02-18 22:18:40

Hi all, just wondering what does the community do to create, sort and store their notes?
I have used various note taking applications in the past but have always returned to text files in folder.
Speaking of applications I do like Zimwiki and used it for quite a while and still have it installed.

My basic structure for note taking is Mousepad as my editor, though any text editor will do, a folder called Notes and the naming convention is ‘date-description’.
I save everything as markdown though, I have been saving in gemtext too.

I like text it’s very zen and I find Mousepad and a Notes folder is all I really need.

EDX-0 · 2025-02-19 14:00:24

i'm currently using vimwiki inside neovim, used to use joplin notes but i really had no use for the encryption of the notes nor was really notetaking on the phone.

Eeqmcsq · 2025-02-19 19:01:02

I use text files for my notes. Text files are so versatile. I can read them with a GUI or console-only text editor. This is very useful if my GUI goes down, and I have to look up my linux command notes to see how I previously solved a problem. I can use any format that fits the notes that I'm writing. This includes writing paragraphs of text, an outline of appointment date/times, a "tree" format for tasks to complete, text-based diagrams and tables, etc. I can search for keywords using cmd line tools like grep. My files aren't dependent on any specific format or app. So I don't have to deal with having the right version of an app that matches the file format, or having a new app version reformat the file structure. I can read my notes on the latest Linux distribution, or a 10 year old distribution, or on any Windows.

I developed/evolved my own format for calendar and tasks. Here's a quick and dirty example. + is done, > is in progress, - is todo, ? is a question to ask, ! is a problem I encountered, x is something I decided not to do or couldn't do.

Feb 01, 2025, Sat: Pick up new 27" monitor from the store

Feb 02, 2025, Sun: Test the new monitor
  * TODO
    x Tape the receipt on the new monitor box.
      ! They didn't give me a paper receipt.
    + Test the HDMI port.
    > Test the VGA port.
    - Replace the old monitor with the new monitor.
    ? How long should I keep the packaging?

Feb 6, 2025, Thu: E-recycle old monitor
  * Recycle location:
    123 Main St
    Anywhere, USA

For the text editor, I mainly use Mate Desktop's pluma, pluma's predecesor Gnome 2's gedit on my old PC with an old Linux installation, or vim if I'm in a console.

ruenoak · 2025-02-19 20:16:32

Yes agreed the universal aspect of text makes them ideal for information storage and retrieval. I have an old Compaq Pentium III laptop running Devuan minimal, really a prof of concept on how Devuan can be used to recycle old technology, but If I had to I can read all my text files on that machine.

quickfur · 2025-02-20 00:12:40

Agree that text files are the most versatile. I generally prefer text files over other formats, because other formats tend to be tied to specific applications, and when those applications break / are not available, your data becomes inaccessible. Whereas anyone and anything can read text files.

Text files are also great for version-controlled projects, because it's easy to compare differences across different versions. Version-controlled binary files require specialized tools and are generally hard to compare in an understandable way. Patches to text files generally also work much better than binary patches, for many reasons.

tl;dr: text files are superior in just about every way, they should be preferred over binary formats where possible.

ruenoak · 2025-02-20 02:52:26

Yes you are right about other formats I work in the field of Records and Archiving and we are well into the world of digital archiving and my work in extracting data from the numerous file formats in existence brings new meaning to format hell! sometimes we can only extract the raw data into a text file and then try to make it human readable.

Text is best!

PedroReina · 2025-02-20 10:30:11

I use text files too. But if I'm on the go and I only carry my phone, I take audio voice notes.

mmaglis · 2025-03-02 15:03:50

I follow the Get Things Done methodology https://gettingthingsdone.com/
I also use the Pomodoro technique https://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

For years at work and for personal use, I rely on https://orgmode.org/.
I got inspired by and I have started with this guide http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html, optimized it for my workflow.

I use it for task management, note taking, agenda building, work/task/project time tracking (e.g. for customer billing).
In general to Get Things Done ;-)

I rely on my system to capture ideas, record work, build my knowledge database, review and improve my execution and quality, reminders, etc.
All in plain text.
When mobile, there are a few apps that can handle the same orgmode format, which I sync back to my main system (e.g. at the end of the day).

ruenoak · 2025-03-02 21:08:04

Now orgmode, I was briefly introduced to this when I was using or attempting to use emacs.
I have been toying with the idea of another attempt to master emacs and after a quick read of the orgmode site https://orgmode.org/ I might need to look into it more seriously.
GTD (Get Things Done methodology) sounds interesting I'm going to look into this as I have a cluttered and disorganised brain.

I'm dyslexic and one trait of dyslexia is they way we work through tasks, instead of starting at 0 and working through to 9, If i don't keep myself in check I will start at 7 find myself completely in another dimension at -4 teleported to 17.5 and eventually arrive at 9. It can be quite an adventure. Unfortunately in the corporate world they don't see it that way.

Tasks for this evening.

0. install emacs

I think I can manage that!

trinidad · 2025-03-03 14:38:37

Text files are great for small note taking but for me I often need large files of information i/e technical stuff while on various sites out of the office and readable by different OS bases. My important notes, years of them actually, are all written in plain .html. That way any browser on any OS with an Internet connection can read them remotely from my office web/data server. No download security checks, connection configuring, overloaded disks, software incompatibility issues, etc. AI is going to replace me anyway so in the meantime I might as well make it as easy on myself as possible.

TC

thym · 2025-03-19 18:44:12

Nano or mousepad for something on the fly.
Cherrytree for my personal wiki covering a wide area of topics.

ruenoak · 2025-03-19 22:02:07

Another mention of Mousepad excellent!

greenjeans · 2025-03-20 00:02:58

For the text editor, I mainly use Mate Desktop's pluma,

My do-everything text editor of choice, notes, coding etc. It's pretty versatile without being overpowering with all the options.

In terminal nano, it's simple.

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#1 2025-02-18 22:18:40

Note taking

#2 2025-02-19 14:00:24

Re: Note taking

#3 2025-02-19 19:01:02

Re: Note taking

#4 2025-02-19 20:16:32

Re: Note taking

#5 2025-02-20 00:12:40

Re: Note taking

#6 2025-02-20 02:52:26

Re: Note taking

#7 2025-02-20 10:30:11

Re: Note taking

#8 2025-03-02 15:03:50

Re: Note taking

#9 2025-03-02 21:08:04

Re: Note taking

#10 2025-03-03 14:38:37

Re: Note taking

#11 2025-03-19 18:44:12

Re: Note taking

#12 2025-03-19 22:02:07

Re: Note taking

#13 2025-03-20 00:02:58

Re: Note taking

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