Ask HN: How do you work? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do you work?

5 pointsmcormier6 comments

How do you work? More specifically, how do you keep your programming tasks organized.

When I do Mac development at home I use software called an outliner to organize, keep notes and prioritize the tasks I need to do. I started out using a program called Deep Notes (http://amarsagoo.info/deepnotes/) which is a nice simple free tool. But now I use The Hit List (http://www.potionfactory.com/thehitlist/).

I’ve been looking for an equivalently good program on the Windows platform but so far have not found one. So far I’ve tried FusionDesk (http://www.fusiondesk.com/) and am not satisfied with it. I’m starting to get the urge to write my own software but thought I would ask around first and see if anyone knows of a good product that I have not been able to find on this vast internet.

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I used John Wood's Priorganizer for my development. http://www.riaform.com/product,priorganizer,product.aspx

He doesn't actively develop it anymore which is a shame - I love it but I went back to a notepad approach after my last big project.

I use a hybrid, depending on where I'm working. Sometimes I use Gmail Tasks, for high level "don't want to forget about this thing.." tasks. At home I generally use paper / pen. At work I use notepad.

Pen and paper.

This is a hard and fast rule that I have always followed and is absolutely critical to my success. Just a few of the reasons:

1. I firmly believe that analysis, design, and planning is much more effective if it is done away from the computer. These are totally different activities from programming and they take a different mindset and environment. That's pretty tough to do if you use computerized tools to organize.

2. I like to spread out my notes, plans, diagrams, lists, etc. on a table to work on them. I also tack them up on the wall above my work space, both at the computer and in the other room. I want to give my mind every opportunity to see the "big picture" when it's appropriate. Again, tough to do with a computer unless you have 5 monitors.

3. I carry my notes with me whereever I go. You never know when inspriration will hit, and I don't want to carry a laptop everywhere and wait for it to boot up.

4. Bedtime is critical thinking time (both at night and in the morning). I always have my notes and multiple colored pens with me in bed. Some of my best ideas have come at this time. I can't imagine the same thing happening with a laptop. I have addressed this before here:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=191275

and here

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=290842

Hope this helps.

I also use paper but I'm much more of a hybrid organizer than you. Some of my notes are on paper and some of my notes are electronic.

My prime counter example for not organizing solely with paper is when I am programming. Sometimes when implementing a feature that I've already planned out I get an idea for another feature. In this case I find it more natural to switch briefly to another program and write a short sentence about the idea. Then I can switch back and keep programming.

Oh and thanks for the links.

Another nice (simple) task application is Google Tasks. Not only is it simple, it's web based which means OS non-specific! :)

Todoodlist: http://todoodlist.com/

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