From fdd80eadcc2f147d0198d94b7b908764778184a2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Christian Cleberg Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 14:18:55 -0500 Subject: format line wrapping and fix escaped characters --- content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.md | 155 ++++++++++++++---------------- 1 file changed, 72 insertions(+), 83 deletions(-) (limited to 'content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.md') diff --git a/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.md b/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.md index b2681bb..86526d5 100644 --- a/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.md +++ b/content/blog/2022-03-02-reliable-notes.md @@ -7,132 +7,121 @@ draft = false # Choosing Durable File Formats -> TL;DR: Write in a format that can be easily rendered and read in -> plain-text mode (e.g., `.txt`, `.md`, etc.). +> TL;DR: Write in a format that can be easily rendered and read in plain-text +> mode (e.g., `.txt`, `.md`, etc.). -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. +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. +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 +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: +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: ![Plain Text Markdown](https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/plain_markdown.png) ## 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). +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. +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. +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 -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. +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. +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! -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. +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. +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. +> **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. +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 incredibly -easy and straightforward. +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 incredibly easy and straightforward. -Here\'s an example of how my Markdown notes look when opened in -plain-text mode: +Here's an example of how my Markdown notes look when opened in plain-text mode: ![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: +Here's the "live preview" version, where the Markdown is rendered into its +HTML format: ![Obsidian Markdown Live Preview](https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220302-easy-reliable-note-taking/obsidian_live_preview.png) ### Programming on Desktop -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. +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. ## Writing on Mobile -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. +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: -[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. +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: +[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. -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. -- cgit v1.2.3-70-g09d2