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Comment by ivanjermakov

14 hours ago

Stopped using paper the day I graduated uni. Digital tools are superior in all aspects for my way of thinking.

Hard to imagine for me. I love the feel of pencil. And the mind feels different.

  • I personally only have negative association with anything related to paper, handwriting, and stationery, since it reminds me of school.

    Maybe it would be different if I wasn't forced to use them to do things I hated for 10000+ hours.

    • Not exactly a negative association, but I was the kid complaining in elementary school in the 90s that cursive was a waste of my time. They insisted I’d need it for college; I told them I’d turn all my assignments in after typing them. Well, I never turned in a single handwritten writing assignment in my entire time in college. :)

you'd think so, but there's something you lose in terms of neural pathways, through some weird effect. I find that anything I physically write down sticks much better in my brain.

Except for sketching out ideas and designs for woodworking. Or jotting down any kind of quick idea I have when I am on the road (frequently). Or sketching an idea for a screen print or art design. Or making notes about what groceries to pick up the next time the wife and I head to the grocery store.

Actually, I use paper every day. I might even be going more "all in" on paper since I invested in fountain pens lately and have built a desk just for writing (with said fountain pens). But I'm probably an outlier.

(I do scan in my Field Notes notebooks to digital once I fill one up.)

  • >Or jotting down any kind of quick idea I have when I am on the road (frequently).

    Seems way too inconvenient compared to opening a notes app on a phone. I always have a phone with me, but there's no way I'd ever bring paper with me when leaving home.

    >Or sketching an idea for a screen print or art design.

    Fundamentally niche, but if ever wanted to draw anything, I'd get a tablet.

    >Or making notes about what groceries to pick up the next time the wife and I head to the grocery store.

    I use the cart of the grocery delivery app as a grocery list when going there in person. But if I didn't I'd just make a checklist in a notes app.

Except for doing maths, which is painful to input on screens (but beautiful).

  • For math I'm usually writing small programs or using spreadsheets, which again has benefits or search/edits/versions/undo.

I’m writing a Kurt Vonnegut book out by hand in cursive on paper. Digital tools can’t give me the same effects and benefits of doing the same thing.