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diff --git a/log/2015-03-15-alife-of-todos.org b/log/2015-03-15-alife-of-todos.org new file mode 100755 index 0000000..b5b7ea0 --- /dev/null +++ b/log/2015-03-15-alife-of-todos.org @@ -0,0 +1,267 @@ +--- +title: A life of TODOs +date: 2015-03-15 +layout: post +category: log +--- + +It's been a year and seven months since I reintegrated Emacs to my +life. I do most of my daily tasks with Emacs. From reading my favorite +mailing lists with [[http://www.gnus.org/about.html][Gnus]], to replying to my work's [[https://github.com/baohaojun/org-jira][bug-tracker issues]]. +I do all of it inside of Emacs, well, almost all of it, [[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/EWW.html][EWW]] is only +good for browsing documentation.. + +It came by surprise to me, but the data of my =TODO= says, that the +major mode that drove me into the Emacs ecosystem, is [[http://orgmode.org/][Org-mode]]. + +*** Decomposing Org-mode + +So what is *Org-mode*? That's usually the main question from the +newcomers. + +At first, *Org*, short for Org-mode, looks like another markup +language. To others, it's the way to export to multiple document +formats from Emacs. To the ones that read the [[http://orgmode.org/manual/index.html][Org-mode manual]] or [[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/org/index.html][Emacs +info reader]], it's just a =TODO= list and Agenda suite that mimics +other software that they know of, for example, Evernote and Trello. + +Org is that and more. To quote the Org-mode website: + +#+begin_quote +Org mode is for keeping notes, maintaining TODO lists, planning +projects, and authoring documents with a fast and effective plain-text +system. +#+end_quote + +*** Everything is a TODO + +Org-mode revolves around plain text headings, which makes all of the +entries generated by it manageable and portable. In Org-mode, all of +the headings start with a =*=, followed by the state of the heading. +The state usually changes from =TODO= to =NEXT=, and ends in =DONE=. +For example: + +#+begin_src org +,* TODO Example to do + This is a paragraph inside of the heading. + [[http://example.com][this is a link to example]] + +,* NEXT Next example to do + ** Child heading with list + - Item A + - Item B + - Item C + +,* DONE Example done +#+end_src + +This examples show the markup language that Org-mode uses. There's a +full list of the elements in the [[http://orgmode.org/manual/Markup.html#Markup][markup section of the manual]]. + +*** But why TODOs? + +The brilliance behind the selection of =TODO= headings, is based on +the fact that everything you write to be addressed later is a task to +be done soon. To give an example of this, if I recommended you the +works of Op-art artist [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Vasarely][Victor Vasarely]] in the middle of a party or an +event conversation, one usually doesn't interrupt the conversation, +and goes searching for Victor Vasarely's artwork in his smart-phone. +Usually, what people do is to create a =TODO= in whichever format and +in whatever software. For example: + +#+begin_example +Artists to checkout: + - Victor Vasarely <- Recommended by Carlos +#+end_example + +As you can see, this basic note of the task is enough, but the problem +arises if you were to sort it and search for this =TODO= later. This +can be solved by having a markup or syntax with parseable definitions. +Now what would that =TODO= look in Org-mode: + +#+begin_src org +,* Personal +,** Arts +,*** Victor Vasarely + :LOGBOOK: + CLOCK: [2015-03-15 Sun 23:34]--[2015-03-16 Mon 00:30] => 0:56 + :END: + [2015-03-15 Sun 23:33] + +#+end_src + +In the example above, there's a =TODO= entry in the correct tree +(category), this way we can sort and order for fast searching. It +seems like an overkill, but trust me, after a couple of =TODO=, you +forget why you added that =TODO= and what to do =NEXT= with it. + +The example above shows a timestamp and clock to track the time spent +on that =TODO=. This is useful for keeping track of the type of [[http://orgmode.org/manual/Tracking-your-habits.html#Tracking-your-habits][habits]] +you commit. + +*** Outline structure with TODOs + +Giving the nature of Org-mode, you can outline a text with different +heading levels. With this you can create sections, a hierarchy of +topics, or a simple tree that works as the main outline of a text +file. For instance, this text's outline so far: + +#+begin_src org +,* A life of TODOs +,** Decomposing Org-Mode +,** Everything is a TODO +,** Outline structure +,** Agenda made of TODOs +#+end_src + +With these you can create projects or topics based on the headings +levels. So it becomes fairly easy to order your ideas, and author +documents. Org-mode well defined markup can be exported to any format. + +Org-mode can export to most common markups and documents, see the +[[http://orgmode.org/manual/Exporting.html#Exporting][Exporting]] section of the Org-mode manual for more information. + +This document is rendered to HTML from Org markup, thanks to =jekyll= +and [[https://github.com/wallyqs/org-ruby][org-ruby]]. + + +*** Agenda made of TODOs + +With hierarchy and levels of your tasks, it makes sense to prioritize +headings based on their schedule, deadline, and priority. That's when +the [[http://orgmode.org/manual/Agenda-Views.html#Agenda-Views][Org-mode Agenda]] comes in the picture. + +#+CAPTION: Org-mode Agenda view +#+NAME: block-agenda-nonproject.png +[[http://gnusosa.net/img/block-agenda-nonproject.png]] + +Agenda views render and display the current projects you have, the +child headings of the projects, in these case the =NEXT= headings +entries. The Agenda divides work into what is active, stuck, and +scheduled. At the top of the Agenda, you have the headings with +[[http://orgmode.org/manual/Deadlines-and-scheduling.html#Deadlines-and-scheduling][DEADLINES and SCHEDULED tags]]. Timestamps and Clocks help with your habits, +but they can be used as a way to schedule tasks that need to be +repeated or have a higher priority. + +For example, a =TODO= about doing your laundry weekly: + +#+begin_src org +,* TODO [#B] Laundry :CLEANING: +:LOGBOOK: +- State "DONE" from "TODO" [2015-02-23 Mon 13:01] +- State "DONE" from "NEXT" [2015-01-16 Fri 18:54] +CLOCK: [2015-01-10 Sat 12:17]--[2015-01-10 Sat 12:18] => 0:01 +:END: +:PROPERTIES: +:LAST_REPEAT: [2015-02-23 Mon 13:01] +:END: +:DEADLINE: <2015-03-01 Sun +1w> +[2015-01-10 Sat 12:17] + +#+end_src + +The above =TODO= entry has a priority of level B, and will be repeated +every week after it's set to the =DONE= state, that's what the tag +=:DEADLINE:= says. The last time this entry was re-inserted was on +Monday February 23, this was introduced after the state was set to +=DONE=. The =:LOGBOOK:= tells us when was the last time the state was +changed from "=TODO=" to "=DONE=", and also a clock of the time it +took for this =TODO= to be captured. The last timestamp tells us the +time this =TODO= was captured(inserted), which was on Saturday January +the 10th. + +*** Capture quickly, take care of it later + +Like mentioned before, you usually want to capture a =TODO=, and add +as much information as you can in a give set of time. This means that +you should write down as fast as possible the task you have in mind or +the information just given. This a great habit and it works for +anybody, since not all retain that much information, at least, not me. + +Because we want to capture as soon as you think about the =TODO=, +captures occur directly from any mode or place in ~Emacs~. Capturing +is done by calling =org-capture=, this will bring a selection frame +that will give you hooks based on a set of templates in your +configuration. For instance: + +#+CAPTION: Org-mode Capture selection +#+NAME: org-capture.png +[[http://gnusosa.net/img/org-capture.png]] + +For example, you just realized that you have to reply to a +collaborator or compose an email. You want to capture as fast as +possible this =TODO=, you make use of the email template in +=org-capture= by pressing =m=. This will give you a template to fill +out, in these case the email address and the name. + +To generate new capture templates you can call =C-c c C=, this will +bring up a customize group frame. For more information on the +templates, check the Org-mode manual section on [[http://orgmode.org/manual/Capture-templates.html][Capture Templates]]. + +To understand how capturing a =TODO= works, read the Org-mode manual +section on [[http://orgmode.org/manual/Capture-_002d-Refile-_002d-Archive.html#Capture-_002d-Refile-_002d-Archive][Capturing, Refiling and Archiving]]. + +*** Refile and archive later + +This is one of my least favorite parts, but in order to keep a sane +=TODO= entries tree and to keep tidy projects, you have to refile them +and archive them. + +Refile, literally, means reorganize and file the entries in their +corresponding hierarchy. For example, move your recently captured +=TODO= entry about Cats into Personal/Animals. + +#+begin_src org +,* Cats + +,* Personal +,** Animals +#+end_src + +You can refile any heading in any view of Org-mode with =C-c C-w=, +that calls =org-refile=, and that will ask you in what hierarchy or +project do you want to file a =TODO= heading. org-refile takes care +about assigning a hierarchy to the entry, for instance, the Cats +=TODO= entry it was first heading, it will now be filed under Personal/Animals/, +turning into a third hierarchy heading. For example: + +#+begin_src org +,* Personal +,** Animals +,*** Cats +#+end_src + +You should capture and refile all the uncatalogued =TODO= entries into +a file dedicated as a staging step before refiling each to the correct +project. Usually, the community makes use of the '=refile.org=' file +as a staging space, and it's turn into a community standard. + +The *advice* is to ~refile when you have time~, make it your last +errand, the same goes for archiving. Org-mode Agenda views will tell +you what entries are ready to be archived. + +** TODOs make my life easier + +Org-mode is part of my work flow with Emacs, and I love it. On a daily +basis, I create =TODO= entries for every task or activity I take part +of, for instance, keeping track of meetings, email replies to write, +mailing list articles to reply, documentation to finish. This is all +thanks to how well Org-mode is integrated with Emacs base modes, like +[[http://www.gnus.org/about.html][Gnus]] and [[http://magit.github.io/][Magit]]. All kind of modes provide integration with Org-mode, +at least [[http://orgmode.org/manual/External-links.html][org-links]], for example, =org-mu4e=, that provides org-links +to mails and drafts to later to be finished or to be later send. + +According to what I've witness and what I've found online, it looks +like I don't even take full advantage of Org-mode. You can find +hardcore users and org-veterans in the Org-mode mailing list - +[[http://news.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode][http://news.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode]]. One of those hardcore users +is Bernt Hansen. To see how Bernt Hansen makes use of Org-mode and his +work flow, go read his famous article [[http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html][Organize your life in Text]]. + +Thanks to [[http://orgmode.org/manual/MobileOrg.html#MobileOrg][MobileOrg]], you can capture =TODO= entries from your +Smart-phone. I capture =TODO= entries everywhere, that I later +synchronize with the ones in my laptop. + +I hope that with the given points of how you can make use of Org-mode, +and how I make use of it, I'm able to explain why Org-mode is the +killer feature of Emacs. |