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He uses a text file for his TODO list so that mankind will be able to read it in 1000 years! I wish my work were that important.

When I was younger and first using a computer, I would "Open with Notepad" all sorts of files to see if anything about the structure was readable. That's why I liked text files then, these days I like them because they are often indicators of the mindset of simplicity.

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Actually he uses it, I imagine, so that he will be able to read it next year.

I haven't even tried to use any todo apps, (the text file has always served me well) but what experience I have with proprietary formats is that they're a poor choice for storing data, since either they're poorly designed or the designer is constantly redesigning them and invalidating your data.

That's why the statement was doubly odd, because todos are pretty transient.

I like Things for Mac myself because it automates repeating and scheduled todo items, and has a distinction between completable projects and areas of upkeep. A programmer can leave any time they want by processing its XML file.

Assuming they still use ASCII (or an ASCII extended character set) in those days.

As long as people still use English (or letter-based languages), ASCII would be pretty straightforward to decipher — especially compared to a straight binary dump.

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