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Stream

  • Copilot for Commit Messages

    If my repo has any commit message other than "huh?", "what", "done", "commit", it is because of this tiny lifesaver by @code. I don't even know where it is coming from (Copilot, internal, extension) -- but it has made things a lot easier!

    A screenshot of a version control panel within Visual Studio Code. It highlights a feature where commit messages can be auto-generated using AI. The user interface shows a text box where a message "Fix sitemap filter and update site logo" has been typed, likely as a commit message for version control. There's also a tooltip visible with the option to "Generate Commit Message", indicating the AI's assistance in creating commit descriptions. The panel lists several changed files, like "astro.config.ts", "site.config.ts", and "types.ts", with a notification showing there are 4 changes in total.
    A screenshot of a version control panel within Visual Studio Code. It highlights a feature where commit messages can be auto-generated using AI. The user interface shows a text box where a message "Fix sitemap filter and update site logo" has been typed, likely as a commit message for version control. There's also a tooltip visible with the option to "Generate Commit Message", indicating the AI's assistance in creating commit descriptions. The panel lists several changed files, like "astro.config.ts", "site.config.ts", and "types.ts", with a notification showing there are 4 changes in total.

  • Missing information and GPT-4 to the rescue

    Missing information bothers me a ton if I have structured data inputs (food, journal, habits, medications etc). What GPT4 enabled for me is the ability to dump stuff on a page that I would have earlier found an app for. I can use it to extract structured data if need be.


  • Timeboxing

    It took me so long, but I realized I do not want time boxing for actual work. I want time boxing for everything other than work so that I know how much work I can get done, how much social energy can I expend when accepting a meeting, what is urgent vs important etc.

    Work for me expands to fill the space I provide it based on the energy and brainpower I have. It is the most...finicky thing. Everything else affects work. Yes, it is the most important thing, but everything else on my calendar is there because it is either urgent or important.

    So, it **has** to be there. Or I will end up not talking to my best friend for 3 months if I think that is moveable. So, that is what time-boxing needs to be for me. I do 2 day task slots now (it can be 16 hours in 1 day, or 5+10) but, that is what works the best for me.

    Also hyperfocus is no fun, but it does not help me to fight against hyperfocus. So, work gets done how it needs to get done! Yes, there are review deadlines, but having a timer that says, oh, don't do this any longer, or something that says I need to do exact X has not helped


  • Local first apps are a no-go for me

    Every single time I use a local first app, I am reminded why I am not meant for local first apps. My @GoodnotesApp ended up with a corrupted/unliked database to pdf files, even with the auto-backup on, which cannot be fixed. Great!

    This image shows a screenshot of Goodnotes app on iPad. The interface is displaying a folder named "Paper Reviews". Several documents are shown as thumbnails. Annotations on the thumbnails are visible, such as lines or marks made on the documents, but the actual content of the PDFs is not visible in the thumbnail preview suggesting data corruption.
    This image shows a screenshot of Goodnotes app on iPad. The interface is displaying a folder named "Paper Reviews". Several documents are shown as thumbnails. Annotations on the thumbnails are visible, such as lines or marks made on the documents, but the actual content of the PDFs is not visible in the thumbnail preview suggesting data corruption.

    In case people bring this up:
    1. Maybe you deleted the files -- I did not intend to.
    2. You should have exported to pdf -- I'll lose all ability to search handwriting, might as well print it out
    3. Read pdf & review in markdown -- uh huh.
    4. Beta OS switching problem -- and?


  • Morgen’s Calendar Assist

    I tried @morgencalendar's new assist option. It is infinitely configurable (w/ some defaults), which is great! W/ new pricing +education discount, it's more expensive than @reclaimai, the question for me is, how much customization do I really want (I only need todoist+tasks)

    Like, yes I can use morgen to do something like -- oh, propagate stuff based on regex (because I often add stuff like Migraine attack from 4pm-4am) and delete it from original calendar using JS, but maybe I can just do it using google apps script instead, ya know


  • How do I Make Technical Writing Joyful to Read

    Help! writing good technical posts?

    I'm looking for readings on how to improve informal research-focused technical writing that doesn't read like reports. While there's some overlap with general copywriting—in terms of pacing and attention-grabbing—the usual content suggestions don't apply to me.

    My aim is to write for insights and clarity. I want to keep the reader engaged without selling them anything or trying to convince them of something. Essentially, I want the reading experience to be joyful for those who choose to engage with it.


  • Thoughts on UX and Tool Choices

    Realizing I use Procreate because it has double/triple tap for redo/undo & rotation of canvas; use Notion because it is a webapp, multi platform, block based with interesting blocks.

    I've lost all rights to suggesting that people shouldn't have UX as a main deal breaker 🤦🏾‍♀️


  • My Month with Superlist - The Good, The Bad, and The Wishlist

    The notion todoist hybrid

    I like it a lot but it needs a ton of stuff to be my day-to-day app.

    I got access to Superlist about a month ago. I generally don't write about apps unless I've spent some quality time with them. The core concept of Superlist is like if Notion or Apple Notes had calendar views, scheduling, and checkbox assignments. It reminds me a lot of ColumnsApp.

    What I appreciate about it is the focus on collaboration; I can't really work with a personal to-do app. Plus, it's multi-platform, which is a must for me. On the integrations side, it's decent; my go-to app, Todoist, doesn't offer much beyond Google Calendar integration.Tasks, Notes (including files and attachments), and Comments are all centralized, which is honestly fantastic. This is the core reason I wanted to check out Superlist, and it delivers.

    The UI for managing tasks, comments, scheduling, tags, and lists is really well done. Everything shows up in an Inbox that can be filtered, scheduled, and tagged, making task management a breeze.

    So why am I not committed yet? The app lacks export options, activity logs, watch apps, task statuses beyond a basic checkbox, quick capture options (Todoist really spoiled me there), limited keyboard shortcuts, and doesn't display subtask progress. It also has some syncing issues similar to Todoist.

    Despite these drawbacks, I think it's a pretty solid app. It treats tasks as first-class citizens, unlike many note-taking apps, while still maintaining a lot of to-do app features.

    Once it's out of beta, I think it's going to attract a lot of attention. I'm eager to see how it evolves.


  • My Experiment with Google Workspace vs Notion

    I tried using Google Workspace as an alternative to Notion and, although I appreciate many of its features, I've decided it's not the right fit for me right now.

    I have several reasons for liking Google Workspace: it functions offline, almost everyone has a Google account, and its integration with Bard ( Jul 13, 2024, 06:14 PM: Gemini) is seamless-ish. Features such as toggles, previews, markdown-based writing, and rich text are also invaluable.

    The tasks functionality, although not free, is impressive as they can be linked with Google tasks, mentioned in chats, and synced from documents. I find Sheets+API information straightforward, and the ease of handling data through inline dropdowns & places is superior to Notion. Its offline capability, compatibility with Google Calendar, Meet, Keep, Google Apps Script, Gmail integrations, outline on the side pane, and summary are features Show information for the linked content I truly adore.

    However, there are some areas where Google Workspace falls short for me. I prefer the toggles in Notion, as Google Docs' toggles are restricted to headings. The use of embeds, callouts, and block-based editors is something I am accustomed to and enjoy in Notion. I miss features like synced blocks and block mentions, and I'm not a fan of viewing Google Drive as a cluttered space with numerous files. Notion's user experience, especially when opening a page with the same sidebar, feels more cohesive (Update: Google Docs is getting something similarShow information for the linked content). Another concern is the storage aspect; uploading to Google consumes my storage while Notion offers it for free. I'm more familiar with the Notion API, making it easier for me than Google Docs API. Public content presentation in Notion also feels superior to GDocs.

    Perhaps in the future, if I become more comfortable with the editor and the absence of certain block features, I might reconsider Google Workspace. It encompasses many features I desire from Notion, particularly task collection and an advanced AI search via Bard (now Gemini) for GDrive. This post did enlighten me: if I could ever tolerate the sight of 10k randomly scattered files, Google Workspace would be my go-to. Surprisingly, I even prefer it over Obsidian, which further narrows down my options.


  • The Importance of Accessibility as a Default

    I think it is the concept of defaults. If you have time to add cute animations, you have time to make it accessible.

    As someone who never thought about accessibility when I was in India, it took me time to come around to the idea that accessibility needs to be the default.

    For example, yes, looking for color blind palettes and textures adds time to your graphing process, but that time should have been factored in. Considering non-color blind friendly graphs as a completed task was the problem for me. 😅

    And now we have the vision API! If you can use AI to write your content, you can use AI to add alt for the images in the content.