Welcome to the Careful Digital blog

You will find here blog posts relating to technology and nature.

Business models and making decisions about which technology systems to use

2023-04-13

One aspect of the decision-making process when choosing a system that can get ignored is to properly understand the business model of the supplier.

Week Notes 31.03.23

2023-03-31

It has only been three days since my last week note, so this will be a little shorter than usual. But it is end of the week, and therefore I feel compelled to write at least something

Why do I prefer multiple systems or tools to a single system?

2023-03-29

I think one of the reasons is that they leave some space for intentionality.

My 'all-over-the-place' approach to task management

2023-03-28

A bit like my approach to capturing ideas and notes, my approach to task management is a bit all over the place. I don't have a single system.

Week Notes: 28/03/23

2023-03-28

I am sorry, but I have not been a good working in the open kind of person and I am late with my Week Notes. But here, on a Tuesday, they are.

Using Operating Systems Intentionally

2023-03-17

Installing Fedora Linux on my old Dell laptop has made me think about how I try to use operating systems intentionally.

Week Notes 17/03/23

2023-03-17

This week has mostly been about me realising how many gaps there are in my own patterns of thinking, and exploring the relationship between technology and environmental impact.

A Quick Review of Everything I Know about Life I Learned from Powerpoint by Russell Davies

2023-03-15

The best thing about this book was that it over-turned some of my assumptions. Here's three of those assumptions getting over-turned.

A quick personal review of the Arc browser

2023-03-13

Lots of smart people seem to be enjoying using Arc as a browser, so I thought I'd have a quick play.

My compromised and messy way of capturing ideas and notes

2023-03-10

(That works for me. At least for now.)

Some people want a single tool or system to do all their stuff. I understand the appeal of that, but I've never found it works well in practice.

Living Without Microsoft Office

2023-03-10

I've used Microsoft Office as long as I can remember. It has sort of always been there, for doing email and writing stuff. And it's been pretty good - this post isn't intended as hard-hitting criticism. But I've been beginning to wonder if I needed a change, so this week I stopped using it. It was as an experiment to see if I actually needed it or not.

Week Notes 10/03/23

2023-03-10

Back again for another Week notes post. This time featuring not using Office, learning more about typography, capturing ideas, and using service workers and Progressive Web Applications.

Really good independently produced software that you pay for

2023-03-03

I've been very happy as a business to shell out some money for software products and services recently because:

those software products and services benefit my business and make aspects of my work more pleasurable or less time-consuming or both
I really like the ethos of the small, independent companies involved and actively want to support them

Here's some examples.

You can use Kirby to create high performance websites

2023-03-03

One of my slight worries in starting to use Kirby was whether I would be able to create very high performance websites. Turns out, I needn't have worried.

Week Notes 03/03/23

2023-03-03

In my first week note, I pondered whether I might do another one. Well, flipping heck, here I am.

I have been trialling IAPresenter and now I am completely sold

2023-02-27

IA Presenter is a new product, currently in beta, by the company who created IA Writer. It helps you to create Powerpoint-like slides, sort of how IA Writer helps you to create Word-like documents, but it encourages you to be intentional about the content you create. I've been trialling it for a few weeks, and have been impressed but also have had a few questions. Now I've got my head round it properly I think I'm completely sold. Here's why.

Awakening and the Bayesian brain podcast

2023-02-26

I really enjoyed this podcast on Dr James Cooke's Living Mirror YouTube channel: Awakening & the Bayesian brain with Shamil Chandaria. Chandaria is very good at making complex ideas in neuroscience and meditation digestible.

Week Notes: 25/02/23

2023-02-25

I am writing these Week Notes because Giles Turnbull made me do it. And because, after years of thinking "well, it might be a good idea, maybe next week when I'm a little less busy", I am finally trying to work in the open.

Why do we like Kirby so much?

2023-02-23

We've only been using the Kirby CMS (content management system) for a few months but we have already decided it is a key part of our business for the future. Why?

Tana: a note-taking app with good bits from Roam and Notion

2022-10-09

Tana is a new note-taking app which looks very interesting. It seems to take the most compelling bits of Roam and Notion.

Intentional Technology: We are all cyborgs now

2022-08-12

I've been thinking a lot recently about how to use technology intentionally. What do I mean by that? My starting point is the idea that we are all cyborgs now

Nature and Technology in Chapter 19 of The Outrun by Amy Liptrot

2020-11-20

I've been reading and thinking about Nature and Technology for years, and one piece of writing that has really stood out and inspired me is Chapter 19: Online in The Outrun by Amy Liptrot.

Holochain

2019-05-16

I'm very interested in the Holochain project.

Nature and Technology

2019-03-17

It's easy to think about Nature and Technology as opposites.

In Praise of Resilient Web Design by Jeremy Keith

2016-12-31

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Resilient Web Design by Jeremy Keith.

The Intentional Technology Newsletter...

... will help you use technology with focus and enjoyment.