sufyaan-website/plaintext/plaintext.tex

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\title{Sufyaan's Website}
\author{Sufyaan's Website}
\date{}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section[Use Plaintext]{Use Plaintext}\label{why-i-use-terminal-apps}

\textbf{25 July 2023}


\textbf{Category: }Software

Almost everything I write is in plaintext or is as close to plaintext as
possible. For example, I prepare plans to work on a project, future
articles or brand case studies in plaintext before further processing.

The first step of everything I do is plaintext. I store my notes in
\href{sufyaan.me/definitions/markdown}{markdown} format. However, the first step
is always to write everything in plaintext to get whatever I need to
write out of my head. Formatting such as headings and underlines come
after the aforementioned initial step.

So, why do I do this? Why am I so boring when it comes to writing down
text?

\hypertarget{forget-the-internet}{%
\subsection[Forget The Internet]{Forget The
Internet}\label{forget-the-internet}}

By writing in plaintext, you drop the fear of losing your files in case
you do not have the internet. If you use a notes app that fetches your
notes from the internet, then it will be tedious to access your notes
when you really need them.

Another unspoken advantage of having offline plaintext files is that you
can turn off your internet to avoid all distractions and simply write
your heart\textquotesingle s desires out.

\hypertarget{access-them-anywhere}{%
\subsection[Access Them Anywhere]{Access Them
Anywhere}\label{access-them-anywhere}}

If you save your notes in a proprietary notes app or use an application
like Microsoft Word to write your notes, then you are at the mercy of
the creator of the specific file format you are using. If you do not
have access to the program in question at any moment, you will not be
able to open your notes at all.

Plaintext files are universal. You can open them on any device anywhere
in the world. This makes them extremely powerful as you can use them on
the slowest of devices without any issues.

\hypertarget{compartmentalise}{%
\subsection[Compartmentalise]{Compartmentalise}\label{compartmentalise}}

If you write text in plaintext files, it is trivial to write without any
distractions. This is similar to the operating structure of HTML or
LaTeX. You focus on one thing at a time. If you need to do something
else with the file, you can use another program to do it instead of
having everything in one big file.

\hypertarget{automate-your-life}{%
\subsection[Automate Your Life]{Automate Your
Life}\label{automate-your-life}}

You can use scripts to automatically search for content in plaintext
files and perform actions on them. This can, for example, be used to
automatically look for categories in a plaintext file and convert them
into \href{sufyaan.me/definitions/markdown}{markdown} files.

\hypertarget{conclusion}{%
\subsection[Conclusion]{Conclusion}\label{conclusion}}

All in all, I use plaintext files because I can access them whenever and
wherever I want on any device. It allows me to future-proof my writing
and it also allows me to be more productive.

\end{document}