joshuapaling · August 4, 2016 03:10 · anicholson · Aug 4, 2016
diff --git a/code_learning b/code_learning
 Answer to https://twitter.com/saronyitbarek/status/760853206205292545
 If you code (or learning!), do you use a journal/notebook/todo list for code-related tasks/planning?

 I always have scrap paper on my desk. I intentially make it scrap, already printed on one side paper, so I don't feel even a tiny bit bad about using it. I'll write ToDos on it when I want them to physically be right in front of me till they get done. I'll also doodle on it when struggling with a concept, when that can help.

 I use digital flash cards. When I come across a term I don't know, but want to, I put it in there. I use http://ankisrs.net/, specifically. I could give a whole talk on digtal flash cards, how good they are, and how to use them effectively. TL;DR: They are SO good. To be effective, go through them every day. Keem them short - a word or two on the front, a short sentence or 2, max, on the back. Be selective about which things you want to commit to memory - you have finite space. Focus on concepts, not language syntax.

 I use what I call "living cheat sheets". They're on my personal site, online, just not at a guesable URL. I have one per topic (Rails, Docker, RSpec, etc) and use them to store stuff that I'm not yet ready to commit completley to memory, but that I do use regularly, and what to be able to look up easily. They're "living" because once I don't need to look up a thing (either I no longer use it or I've commited it to memory), I remove it from the sheet, and as stuff comes in that I need to use often, I'll add it. It's never finished, and it's custom to just the stuff I need to know at the level I'm currently at. It would be largely useless to anyone else. I've been lazy about maintaining them lately, but I should get back into it!

 In lots of projects, I have a joss_wip_notes.txt, globally git-ignored. I use it for various things - writing pseudo code before I implement the real thing, writing stuff I'd like to fix that doesn't quite warrant an issue in the tracker, breaking a 1hr task into 5 or so steps as a list to help me stay focussed. I find that last bit particularly useful when working in a noisy office / office with music and my working memory seems to be continually getting cleared. Having the written set of smaller steps really helps (I *HATE* noise when coding!). I'll also use it to keep notes on that project that are specific to me / my learning about the codebase, and don't warrant going in the project's README.md.
	Answer to https://twitter.com/saronyitbarek/status/760853206205292545
	If you code (or learning!), do you use a journal/notebook/todo list for code-related tasks/planning?

	I always have scrap paper on my desk. I intentially make it scrap, already printed on one side paper, so I don't feel even a tiny bit bad about using it. I'll write ToDos on it when I want them to physically be right in front of me till they get done. I'll also doodle on it when struggling with a concept, when that can help.

	I use digital flash cards. When I come across a term I don't know, but want to, I put it in there. I use http://ankisrs.net/, specifically. I could give a whole talk on digtal flash cards, how good they are, and how to use them effectively. TL;DR: They are SO good. To be effective, go through them every day. Keem them short - a word or two on the front, a short sentence or 2, max, on the back. Be selective about which things you want to commit to memory - you have finite space. Focus on concepts, not language syntax.

	I use what I call "living cheat sheets". They're on my personal site, online, just not at a guesable URL. I have one per topic (Rails, Docker, RSpec, etc) and use them to store stuff that I'm not yet ready to commit completley to memory, but that I do use regularly, and what to be able to look up easily. They're "living" because once I don't need to look up a thing (either I no longer use it or I've commited it to memory), I remove it from the sheet, and as stuff comes in that I need to use often, I'll add it. It's never finished, and it's custom to just the stuff I need to know at the level I'm currently at. It would be largely useless to anyone else. I've been lazy about maintaining them lately, but I should get back into it!

	In lots of projects, I have a joss_wip_notes.txt, globally git-ignored. I use it for various things - writing pseudo code before I implement the real thing, writing stuff I'd like to fix that doesn't quite warrant an issue in the tracker, breaking a 1hr task into 5 or so steps as a list to help me stay focussed. I find that last bit particularly useful when working in a noisy office / office with music and my working memory seems to be continually getting cleared. Having the written set of smaller steps really helps (I HATE noise when coding!). I'll also use it to keep notes on that project that are specific to me / my learning about the codebase, and don't warrant going in the project's README.md.