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diff --git a/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.org b/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9fbc8c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.org @@ -0,0 +1,156 @@ +#+date: <2022-03-02> +#+title: Easy, Reliable Note-Taking +#+description: + +* Choosing Durable File Formats +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: choosing-durable-file-formats +:END: + +#+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. + +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 +[[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. +#+end_quote + +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 +[[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: + +#+caption: Obsidian Markdown Source Mode +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/obsidian_source_mode.png]] + +Here's the "live preview" version, where the Markdown is rendered into +its HTML format: + +#+caption: Obsidian Markdown Live Preview +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/obsidian_live_preview.png]] + +*** 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. + +I wanted a simple and foolproof editor for iOS, preferably open-source. +After a long journey of testing the few (& terrible) open-source iOS +note-taking apps, I finally found a phenomenal one: +[[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. + +Quite simple but effective. |