Larry Hastings
10-23-2003, 06:56 AM
I maintain a central (though inconsistently organized) "todo list" for my game. Everything left to be done goes on the list, somewhere. I actually maintain the list in hand-edited HTML... once you get used to it it's not too bad.
However, there are lots of times when I'll be busy hacking away at something, or simply away from the computer, and I'll remember something that needs to go on the todo list. I feel it's important to never forget these things--sometimes they're very important, and Need To Get Done. (Even if they aren't important, you can always demote it on your todo list.)
Over the years, I've used several approaches for remembering these things. Sometimes, when I'm otherwise away from my desk, I'll write things down on a 3x5 index card and stick the card in my keyboard. Back when I had a day job, I used to leave phone messages for myself at work.
Last year, I finally broke down and bought a voice recorder at CostCo. It's been great, and I wouldn't go back. I keep it next to me on the desk, and if I want to remember something for later, zap!, it gets recorded. It only takes a few seconds, and it doesn't derail my previous train of thought. I stay in "flow" (as PeopleWare defines it) and I still get the todo item remembered.
I'll also keep it handy when I go to bed. It usually takes my mind a while to diesel to a stop at night, and I get some of my best flashes of inspiration then. So I grope around in the dark for the recorder, and zap! in the idea goes. Sometimes I'll get up the next day and have 27 messages waiting for me. (Which makes me feel like I'm playing both parts in The Elves And The Shoemaker.)
For what it's worth, the voice recorder I bought is The Olympus Voice-Trek VN-900. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/B000067NL9/) I have only minor complaints about it, and certainly none worth mentioning.
That brings me to another minor tip. For those of you near a CostCo, that's a great place to see products at the knee of "price" versus "quality". They buy massive quantities of only a few products, so they're very selective. Name-brand stuff stocked at CostCo is nearly always cheaper than at other stores, and nine times out of ten the items they picked won't suck and will perform their job admirably.
When I bought my voice recorder, it was the only one they stocked. Saved me a lot of time deciding which one to get :) And it was $30, less than half list price.
However, there are lots of times when I'll be busy hacking away at something, or simply away from the computer, and I'll remember something that needs to go on the todo list. I feel it's important to never forget these things--sometimes they're very important, and Need To Get Done. (Even if they aren't important, you can always demote it on your todo list.)
Over the years, I've used several approaches for remembering these things. Sometimes, when I'm otherwise away from my desk, I'll write things down on a 3x5 index card and stick the card in my keyboard. Back when I had a day job, I used to leave phone messages for myself at work.
Last year, I finally broke down and bought a voice recorder at CostCo. It's been great, and I wouldn't go back. I keep it next to me on the desk, and if I want to remember something for later, zap!, it gets recorded. It only takes a few seconds, and it doesn't derail my previous train of thought. I stay in "flow" (as PeopleWare defines it) and I still get the todo item remembered.
I'll also keep it handy when I go to bed. It usually takes my mind a while to diesel to a stop at night, and I get some of my best flashes of inspiration then. So I grope around in the dark for the recorder, and zap! in the idea goes. Sometimes I'll get up the next day and have 27 messages waiting for me. (Which makes me feel like I'm playing both parts in The Elves And The Shoemaker.)
For what it's worth, the voice recorder I bought is The Olympus Voice-Trek VN-900. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/B000067NL9/) I have only minor complaints about it, and certainly none worth mentioning.
That brings me to another minor tip. For those of you near a CostCo, that's a great place to see products at the knee of "price" versus "quality". They buy massive quantities of only a few products, so they're very selective. Name-brand stuff stocked at CostCo is nearly always cheaper than at other stores, and nine times out of ten the items they picked won't suck and will perform their job admirably.
When I bought my voice recorder, it was the only one they stocked. Saved me a lot of time deciding which one to get :) And it was $30, less than half list price.