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Ask HN: What are the tricks to remember stuff you don't always use?

2 points by snitko ↗ HN
For instance, I don't always use some vim commands, but when I do, it is because I remember them. So it all comes down to this vicious cycle: in order to use something more often, you need to remember it, but in order to remember it, you need to use it more often. How do you break it? Do you have any special tricks?

7 comments

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subv3rsion
I've been using Evernote to handle a lot of that. Between the web version of Evernote, apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad. It is always available. Not just for coding or IT either. I started using it for recipes as it is so ubiquitous.
ISeemToBeAVerb
I second Evernote. While I don't use it for this particular problem, I use it for TONS of other things. I can't even tell you how many apps this single app has replaced for me.
stonk
I third Evernote. I keep a single note for each largish task or smallish project and add points for each new thing I solve. It's great to come back to 6 months down the track...I remember doing this before, but how did I fix it then?
ISeemToBeAVerb
Not sure what OS you're on, but I use Mac OS X's Sticky Notes to remember commands that I don't use often. I use a single note for each tool and I write down the commands along with a brief description. So all I have to do is bring up my notes, find the tool I'm using and browse for the command.

I'm sure there are more elegant or geeky solutions out there, but this works for me.

snitko
I'm on Linux and macosx interchangeably. The problem with sticky notes (and I tried them both on paper and computer desktop) is that you have to remember to look at them. I just don't. I was thinking maybe an app that displays growl notification every ten minutes with the next note could be a deal breaker. Of course, it would have to do this when I'm not busy writing code, so as not to distract, but rather when I'm chatting or reading emails. Do you know any such app?
ISeemToBeAVerb
Hmm... GeekTool for OS X might be able to work for something like that. Or you could always go the super lo-fi route and create a folder of images and set them to rotate as your desktop background.
mapster
Cheat sheets. There are some free cheat sheet makers on the web.