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diff --git a/blog/2022-03-02-note-taking.org b/blog/2022-03-02-note-taking.org index 884ad1d..15f0b7c 100644 --- a/blog/2022-03-02-note-taking.org +++ b/blog/2022-03-02-note-taking.org @@ -1,125 +1,157 @@ -+++ -date = 2022-03-02 -title = "Easy, Reliable Note-Taking" -description = "After years of testing, I have finally settled on maintaining my collection of personal notes and writings." -draft = false -+++ +#+title: Easy, Reliable Note-Taking +#+date: 2022-03-02 -## Choosing Durable File Formats +** Choosing Durable File Formats +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: choosing-durable-file-formats +:END: -> TL;DR: Write in a format that can be easily rendered and read in plain-text -> mode (e.g., `.txt`, `.md`, etc.). +#+begin_quote +TL;DR: Write in a format that can be easily rendered and read in +plain-text mode (e.g., =.txt=, =.md=, etc.). + +#+end_quote As I've written more and more over the years, I've found that my love of -note-taking is always growing. Everything I learn or need to remember can be -written down in a note and saved digitally, with no cost to myself. Unlike paper -copies that need physical storage space, digital files simply need space on your -local disk or cloud storage, which is fairly abundant these days. +note-taking is always growing. Everything I learn or need to remember +can be written down in a note and saved digitally, with no cost to +myself. Unlike paper copies that need physical storage space, digital +files simply need space on your local disk or cloud storage, which is +fairly abundant these days. -However, I had a historical struggle with migration of notes between different -apps that require different formats and applied proprietary styling. This meant -that I had to go through each note during migration and edit the file to look -presentable again. +However, I had a historical struggle with migration of notes between +different apps that require different formats and applied proprietary +styling. This meant that I had to go through each note during migration +and edit the file to look presentable again. For the last year or two, I have written everything exclusively in -[Markdown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown) format. Small notes, -long-form writings, and even these blog posts are all written in Markdown. - -Why Markdown? While I do appreciate the simplicity of plain-text files without -any formatting, I often need visual cues such as heading and code blocks to keep -my thoughts straight. Markdown provides a minimal set of styling indicators for -me to style my notes without adding any proprietary, embedded data into the -files. If I want a top-level heading, I simply add a hash (`#`) before the line. -An added bonus is that even if a system doesn't understand Markdown, it will -render it as plain-text and I can read it just as easily. - -For example, here's how TextEdit on macOS will open and display a Markdown file -in plain-text, since it does contain any features to preview Markdown as HTML: - - - -## Saving & Syncing Files - -In order to read and edit my notes across platforms, I use my personal cloud -storage through Tresorit due to its native integration with macOS and iOS file -managers. In addition, Tresorit works well on Debian-based Linux distros, which -I used before macOS (and will likely switch back to in a few years). - -You can use whatever sync software you want - syncing plain-text or markdown -files is incredibly easy and fast, since the files are generally tiny. - -Since the cloud storage syncs files automatically, there is no need for me to -sync anything manually or kick-off a sync job to update my files. This means -that I can edit on mobile, and it takes about 5-10 seconds to see the changes on +[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown][Markdown]] format. Small +notes, long-form writings, and even these blog posts are all written in +Markdown. + +Why Markdown? While I do appreciate the simplicity of plain-text files +without any formatting, I often need visual cues such as heading and +code blocks to keep my thoughts straight. Markdown provides a minimal +set of styling indicators for me to style my notes without adding any +proprietary, embedded data into the files. If I want a top-level +heading, I simply add a hash (=#=) before the line. An added bonus is +that even if a system doesn't understand Markdown, it will render it as +plain-text and I can read it just as easily. + +For example, here's how TextEdit on macOS will open and display a +Markdown file in plain-text, since it does contain any features to +preview Markdown as HTML: + +#+caption: Plain Text Markdown +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/plain_markdown.png]] + +** Saving & Syncing Files +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: saving-syncing-files +:END: +In order to read and edit my notes across platforms, I use my personal +cloud storage through Tresorit due to its native integration with macOS +and iOS file managers. In addition, Tresorit works well on Debian-based +Linux distros, which I used before macOS (and will likely switch back to +in a few years). + +You can use whatever sync software you want - syncing plain-text or +markdown files is incredibly easy and fast, since the files are +generally tiny. + +Since the cloud storage syncs files automatically, there is no need for +me to sync anything manually or kick-off a sync job to update my files. +This means that I can edit on mobile, and it takes about 5-10 seconds to +see the changes on desktop. + +*** Version Control with Git +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: version-control-with-git +:END: +A different approach I've contemplated is storing my notes and +attachments is using a hosted Git repository to track changes to the +files. However, I don't want to rely on an external service that could +potentially see into my data, even if the repository is private. + +I might just do =git init= locally and then commit my changes each time +I write or update a note, but that seems to be a lot of work just for +tracking changes - which I don't necessarily care to know. + +*** Backups! +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: backups +:END: +One small addition to the storage/sync conversation is the idea of +backups. Personally, I manually create periodic backups of my entire +cloud storage, compress it into an archive, and store it on my home +server. + +To improve my workflow, I am going to be exploring options to +automatically compress the mounted cloud directory and send it over to +my server on a set schedule. + +** Writing on Desktop +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: writing-on-desktop +:END: + +#+begin_quote +*Update (06.14.22)*: Since writing this post, I have reverted to simply +keeping my =notes= folder open and opening notes individually in +TextEdit for a more minimal and relaxing writing experience on the desktop. -### Version Control with Git - -A different approach I've contemplated is storing my notes and attachments is -using a hosted Git repository to track changes to the files. However, I don't -want to rely on an external service that could potentially see into my data, -even if the repository is private. +#+end_quote -I might just do `git init` locally and then commit my changes each time I write -or update a note, but that seems to be a lot of work just for tracking changes - -which I don't necessarily care to know. +The bulk of my writing occurs in a desktop environment, with a full +keyboard layout and wide screen. I don't illustrate with a smart pen, I +rarely use embedded images, and I love being able to see all of my +notes/directories in a sidebar. -### Backups! - -One small addition to the storage/sync conversation is the idea of backups. -Personally, I manually create periodic backups of my entire cloud storage, -compress it into an archive, and store it on my home server. - -To improve my workflow, I am going to be exploring options to automatically -compress the mounted cloud directory and send it over to my server on a set -schedule. - -## Writing on Desktop - -> **Update (06.14.22)**: Since writing this post, I have reverted to simply -> keeping my `notes` folder open and opening notes individually in TextEdit -> for a more minimal and relaxing writing experience on the desktop. - -The bulk of my writing occurs in a desktop environment, with a full keyboard -layout and wide screen. I don't illustrate with a smart pen, I rarely use -embedded images, and I love being able to see all of my notes/directories in a -sidebar. - -With this simple set of requirements, I chose [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) as -my desktop text editor. -Obsidian has some in-depth tools like a graph view, command palette, -mentions, etc., but I've found that using it as a simple Markdown editor is +With this simple set of requirements, I chose +[[https://obsidian.md][Obsidian]] as my desktop text editor. Obsidian +has some in-depth tools like a graph view, command palette, mentions, +etc., but I've found that using it as a simple Markdown editor is incredibly easy and straightforward. -Here's an example of how my Markdown notes look when opened in plain-text mode: - - - -Here's the "live preview" version, where the Markdown is rendered into its HTML -format: +Here's an example of how my Markdown notes look when opened in +plain-text mode: - +#+caption: Obsidian Markdown Source Mode +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/obsidian_source_mode.png]] -### Programming on Desktop +Here's the "live preview" version, where the Markdown is rendered into +its HTML format: -While I was writing this, I realized I should specify that I don't use the same -editor for writing notes and for writing code. For programming purposes, I use -[VSCodium](https://vscodium.com) as my development IDE. +#+caption: Obsidian Markdown Live Preview +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/obsidian_live_preview.png]] -## Writing on Mobile +*** Programming on Desktop +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: programming-on-desktop +:END: +While I was writing this, I realized I should specify that I don't use +the same editor for writing notes and for writing code. For programming +purposes, I use [[https://vscodium.com][VSCodium]] as my development +IDE. +** Writing on Mobile +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: writing-on-mobile +:END: Personally, I write very little on mobile, except when needing to take -important notes on-the-go. Any long-form writing, journals, etc. are done at -home, where I always have my laptop available. +important notes on-the-go. Any long-form writing, journals, etc. are +done at home, where I always have my laptop available. I wanted a simple and foolproof editor for iOS, preferably open-source. -After a long journey of testing the few (& terrible) open-source iOS +After a long journey of testing the few (& terrible) open-source iOS note-taking apps, I finally found a phenomenal one: -[Runestone](https://github.com/simonbs/runestone). This app is fantastic -for note-taking, has plenty of optional features, and integrates natively -with the iOS file manager. +[[https://github.com/simonbs/runestone][Runestone]]. This app is +fantastic for note-taking, has plenty of optional features, and +integrates natively with the iOS file manager. -This app opens the iOS file manager and allows you to click any file you want, -opens it up in an editor, and lets me save and close out of that note. +This app opens the iOS file manager and allows you to click any file you +want, opens it up in an editor, and lets me save and close out of that +note. Quite simple but effective. |