--[ On Permanence

Something that's complicated requires much more effort to keep up with the
passage of time. ASCII (7-bit) text is the most simplest format to preserve data
in. Tools to read and write the same can be conceived and implemented quiet
easily.

It can also be versioned, tracked and more importantly modified by anyone with
even the crudest text editor (ed). Even without external versioning systems, the
text file itself can contain metadata like timestamp,  which can be processed
using standard Unix tools.

This blog entry is just a text file with a smaller header and footer to make it
somewhat easier on the eyes. Each blog entry itself can be downloaded as its a
self-contained HTML file) and the underlying text file can also be extracted
using a couple of commands. Only an editor, a shell script to attach the
'header' and 'footer' and `aspell` to do spell checking is required to create
this blog.

To download and extract the raw text file from this HTML file, you can use the
following commands.

---------- shell script

curl $url > output.html 
tail -n +28 output.html | tail -r | tail -n +4 | tail -r > output.txt

----------

This means that the txt file will remain the ultimate source of truth without
adding dependencies like Markdown into the process. The more dependencies you
pile on, the more brittle whole process becomes.


--[ Impedance

Writing in plain text is the most impedance free thing there is.  Whenever you
are writing in any other format (Markdown, HTML etc), there is an implicit
overhead in remembering the rules of the format.

When writing in plain text, the format is what you make of it. You don't have to
constrain yourself, you can write freely. WYSIWYG in its truest form.

--[ XREF


   /======================\
    Why I prefer Textfiles      2/27/87
       - Jason Scott -          Written during an illness.
   \======================/

  Being the owner of one of the largest Textfile Clearinghouses in the US, I've
been asked a few times why I prefer textfiles over anything else for computers.
So, I decided to put my reasons into a textfile (Wraparound city) and exaplin to
you my reasons:


    Textfiles won't erase yer Hard Drive, then print "HeyHey EATME!"

    Textfiles don't require a joystick.

    Textfiles don't make you rely on your hand-eye coordination at 3:00am.

    Textfiles never have to worry about compatibility, or DOS versions.

    Textfiles don't feature little green things on the screen named "Glorks".

    Textfiles don't become "Old Warez" in 3 days.

    You can change one byte in a textfile, and the computer won't crash.

    Textfiles don't take up a whole disk every time.

    Textfiles don't require 4-color advertising in COMPUTE!

    Textfiles don't need programs, but most programs need textfiles.

    Textfiles can be drastically changed in a matter of minutes.

    Textfiles won't watch you log on, and copy your password to a secret file.

    Textfiles are cheap, or free.

    Textfiles won't do anything if you're not there.

    Textfiles don't need to be compiled.

    Textfiles don't can run at any speed you want.

    You can tell how good or bad a textfile is, AS you're downloading.

    Textfiles don't make sounds in the middle of the night, while your parents
    are sleeping in the next room.

    If you take your eyes away from a textfile, it won't go "GAME OVER".

    Textfiles don't bring out hidden surprises.

    You can bring textfiles to school, and the teacher won't accuse you of being
    a pirate. [Usually. My old Computer Teacher took away some Blue Box plans I
    was printing on the school computer. Fuck him.]

    You can read textfiles during a blackout, with a flashlight.

    You won't be accused of being a nerd if you have textfiles in your school
    notebook [Unless you're Scott B. (Heh)]

    Everyone can use a textfile on the first try.

--[ 	Index	 ]--