I like my data like I like my coffee, simple
I write and store information in plain text whenever possible.
There, I said it. For my personal information I hate databases and proprietary formats like .doc/.xls/etc, and time and time again I’m justified in this stance against what should simply be called “vendor lock in”. There are very few things I need to keep that aren’t just words written down in some format or another. So again, why do I need to have that all in your applications special format?
Time and time again, the answer to the question becomes ‘features’ and ‘security’. I encrypt my entire file system, I have the working knowledge to know how to reference saved pictures, and neither of these things is particularly difficult to do for anyone. Hell, if you run a privacy based operating system, it comes standard.
Note
What formats do I use then?
Tip
Markdown – A formated, easy to read, text format where data can be easily read with or without a markdown editor. This entire website is powered by Markdown files. You can even create slideshow presentations with it.
CSV – When you need simple column data, a CSV or “Comma-seperated values” file can again either be read within any text editor, or imported into any spreadsheet application.
txt – When in doubt, the good old txt file just… works.
And yes, okay, I fully understand I am giving up some ‘features’, but for 90-95% of what I’m working on? I don’t need those features, and I’d rather have the data security of being able to always access my data as a fair tradeoff to those features I’m not using.
This mindset comes from a quantified place, that software packages die. Yes that new Google product may look awesome and offer every feature you could ever want, but the odds are against its survival. And when, not if, it ends your data may simply disappear with it, or worse be given to you in a format that you simply can’t use again easily.
Text files are the foundation of our digital world (remember .ini files? If you’re old enough to, you might appreciate this mindset a bit more), and that same document I wrote on my first computer back in 1987 can still be opened and read on any computer, old or new, without ‘conversion’ or hassle.
It’s partially for that reason and partially for others (security) that I’ve switched this blog to Hugo, a static site generator that is powered by simple plain text files I can check into my git server of choice, and backup with precise revision history. It makes my workflow reasonable, simple, and keeps me in peace of mind that I’m not vulnerable to the next security vulnerability of a certain popular blogging platform.
This pleases me greatly.