Workflows

• Notes on Screen Recording
• Notetaking Tools
• Bookmarking
• DJ Setup
• Onboarding Questions

Notes on Screen Recording

Recommended way

• Use Shift-Command-5 and capture a desktop.
• The microphone can be turned on under Options.

Dismissed

• Quicktime Player no longer has the option to record sound during Screen Recordings, at least since macOS Mojave.

Notetaking Tools

I'm always looking for a cross platform good value note taking solution. I work with the Linux and Apple ecosystems.

Requirements

I have the following requirements:

• Strong Privacy.
• Minimal effort required to input, grouping and search notes.
• Cross platform native client (macOS and Linux, iOS and web optional)
• Supports images (copy paste and by upload).
• Capture webpages or supports pasting in part of webpages, that can be updated (not just a study tool)
• Export option that retains text formatting.
• Linking between notes.
  
• Fast full-text search.
• Some form of organisation / tagging.

So far I have used and dismissed:

1. Apple Notes 
   export options are shit (tip: use AppleScript) no Linux client. However due to the number of people using it there are ways. Code has no syntax highlighting. Linking between notes isn't possible. Must use web version using Linux. Input and search is ideal, grouping is ok (subfolders, manual tagging)
   
   
2. OneNote 
   No cross platform native clients, don't like the free form placement on mobile.
   
   
3. Zim
   It looks like I'm not going to enjoy it, and it doesn't support tags.
   
   
4. Google Docs
   I avoid the Google ecosystem for privacy reasons, plus compared to Dropbox Paper the experience is worse.
   
   
5. EverNote
   no official linux client, £5 a month
   
   
6. Dropbox Paper
   lack of import options and export is single pdfs only. There's an API that I haven't explored. Love the look of the notes, and input is great. Not sure about its future. Exporting made all the images available online without login!
   
   
7. Workflowy
   still use it as an outliner (for rationalising thoughts), it now support inline images but when writing free text descriptions there is too much friction and no formatting, even code fragments are not supported.
   
   
8. Google Keep
   See Google Docs.
   
   
9. Joplin
   don't like the preview pane being split from the input. Too much effort required to enter/search notes, due the interface not being native and off in multiple ways.
   
   
10. Day One
    Grandfathered into syncing on mobile, but on desktop a subscription is required, so the sync doesn't do anything. Feel locked in unless I pay. Good for date based notes, such as journals.
    
    
11. Notion
    Initial impressions looked good. So flexible it's hard to know how to use. Custom queries means powerful but also harder to support specific use cases. Input not as easy as Dropbox Paper. Images are not private.
    
    
12. Typora
    Searching is not word independent and tags are not yet supported. Input is really nice and files can be opened by filename search.
    
    
13. iA Writer
    Doesn't run on Linux even with Wine/Bottles, otherwise I would be using this. Always thought this was a creative writing tool but it also shines as a markdown based notetaker. The default storage location is iCloud but it's easily changed to any location. Notes are just plain text but you can drag images into it which are then inserted using markdown. It allows you to tag and search is instant. Ideally it will have a Linux version in the future.
    
    
14. BookStack (current pick)
    Why not combine public and private notes? Robust and easy to style, great organisation options and markdown can be imported. Using Epiphany or Chrome it can be installed as a webapp.Having to login periodically is a flow breaker, especially with 2FA. Search is great too.
    
    
15. Trillium Notes (trialling)

Bookmarking

To prevent rethreading the same research paths, I'm documenting my bookmark journey.

I'm currently using Firefox across my devices and using it's inbuilt bookmark system.

Acceptance criteria

1. Bookmarks are searchable from the address bar, because that's where I do my searching.
2. Contents are archived to prevent link rot. Thanks to Archivor and Web Archives, I can search for any broken bookmark.
3. Bookmark contents are searchable (using Fafi).

Maintenance

I've added the following addons:

1. Archivor - Sends all bookmarks to the internet archive so I can retrieve them if they get lost. This replaces many paid services.
2. Bookmark Dupes - Easily remove duplicate bookmarks, for example after importing from another service, or after adding the bookmark multiple times. It is very fast as it seems to compare via hashing. I disable the addon after running.
3. Bookmark Organiser - Correct redirections and remove broken bookmarks. Because of redirections it makes sense to run this one before Bookmark Dupes, but it is a lot slower as it visits every bookmark. I disable the addon after running.

Feedback welcome!

DJ Setup

Hardware and Software

WIP

Categorising Music

• Separate DJ Music from your other music by moving it into a new location, ie DJ Music. Within that create a folder XXXX Added where XXXX is the year purchased, to separate music by time purchased. This is helpful when playing more recent music more often.
• Traktor can READ (not write) the iTunes Library XML file. Traktor ratings and metadata changes do not cross over into iTunes. This file can be provided by any application:
  • Changes made in Traktor do not carry over into the library provider.
  • iTunes is suitable, with limitations:
    • iTunes ratings and metadata changes do not cross over into Traktor.
    • iTunes cannot create smart playlists based on path information, unless Sundry Info to Comments is used.
      These changes do not save into the file metadata.
  • iTunes is not available on macOS Mojave.
• Beatport Pro is unsuitable:
  
  • Can not create Smart Playlists based on Paths (no workaround).
  • Syncing songs to be Beatport is done on a per song selection basis, unsuitable for bulk syncing.
  • Syncing does not update Year of release, so can't add Smart Playlists based on that.
  • Repopulating the library removes the files from dated Downloads Playlists.
  • This makes it unsuitable.
• Swansian is unsuitable:
  • Swansian has no native export.
  • Swinsian2itlxm, which exports to iTunes Library XML does not export smart playlists (such as files with a path containing 2019 Added) (no plans)

Onboarding Questions

I’ve found information related to the following helps me onboard ne client services projects easier. Some of this might be already covered in a project overview, but might be a helpful as a checklist:

1. Are there particular skills that are important for this project?
2. Is there an allocation ticket? (particularly useful on one dev allocations)
3. What is the brief / current phase of development for the project?
4. Who previously worked on the project in my role?
5. What are the expectations of me?
6. What are the expectations of my role within the project?
7. Where can I find the onboarding / setup docs?
8. Are there regular meetings I should be aware of or invited to? Same for Slack Channels and project tooling.