KEEPING A USEFUL PLAIN-TEXT NOTEBOOK
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By the webmaster. Published 2026-09-22.

A small convention for notes that are easy to revisit:

1. Start each file with a title that makes sense outside its folder.
2. Record dates as YYYY-MM-DD. Include a time zone when time matters.
3. Separate what you observed from what you think it means.
4. Put a source address beside the fact it supports.
5. Keep a short changes section when revising a shared document.
6. Use descriptive filenames; avoid depending on a particular app to find them.

An example outline (not a real observation):

  Garden notebook
  2026-04-12

  Observed: The north planter was dry at noon.
  Guess: It may be getting less water than the south planter.
  Next check: Compare both after the next watering.

For portability, UTF-8 text with ordinary line breaks is a useful starting
point. A .txt file is easy to open, search, compare, and copy. Make another
copy before a large reorganization; simple formats do not prevent mistakes.

This sheet is authored reference material, not a visitor message.