
Ask HN: Do you ever go to StackOverflow twice for the same problem? - zicon35
I find myself googling to solve a problem, finding a piece of code and months later when I need to do it again when I have long forgotten it, I repeat the same thing.<p>Is this common?
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davidsojevic
It may be worth keeping a notepad, journal, or even a blog that you can
document snippets and things you've learned if you're finding that you're
using Google or StackOverflow often to try and solve the same problems.

I personally just keep around a handful of markdown files split up into
different categories for things I use every few months, but can never remember
the exact command or series of commands to accomplish it.

I've also had a few coworkers and friends who have hosted blogs (some public,
some private) for the same purposes.

Documenting them in your own words will also likely help with the knowledge
retention so you may even find that you won't need to look it up next time it
happens.

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zicon35
Yeah that makes sense. Do you keep these files using a tool or just in
organised folders right now? Could you link a public blog for reference? Would
love to take a look. I have been taking notes sometimes like yourself but I
find it hard to look them up later.

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davidsojevic
I have a single folders I call "Notes" with a handful of files that make up
the arbitrary groupings and I keep a "notes.md" file in project folders for
project specific notes I want to keep about.

For example, in the "Notes" folder, "wkhtmltopdf.md" contains some notes
around issues I was experiencing in getting wkhtmltopdf setup in a new
environment and the steps I took to resolve them. Whereas "general.md" just
contains some Docker commands I do infrequently but can never remember the
arguments I need each time and don't want to spend the time reading the docs
and crafting the command again.

Periodically I'll spot something in my notes I haven't used in many months and
I'll just delete them from my notes. Usually this is because I just remember
the command/what to do after a while _or_ because it's just never cropped up
again.

As for a public blog reference, here's an example of one that has a handful of
blog posts with notes and they've used tags for grouping and looking up later
on: [https://jwigley.com/](https://jwigley.com/)

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zicon35
Thanks this is useful :)

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eesmith
I think so. I find myself sometimes doing a search, where the top-level
link(s) are colored visited, so I must have seen them before.

One of the most common reasons is Python's argparse. I find it easier to
consult the documentation when I need it than remember how it works.

Every once in a while the page which gives me the answer is something that I
wrote.

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zicon35
Have you tried bookmarking it or keeping notes ? I bookmark stuff which I
think would be useful but then I dont remember I have the bookmark of it.

"Every once in a while the page which gives me the answer is something that I
wrote" \-- Wow.

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eesmith
If it's code, I make notes in the code as to where the answers came from.

If it's build/configuration, I keep a log of the changes I made. Which has
proved very handy.

But just because it's in my notes, doesn't mean I remember it. I have to know
where to look.

Yeah, I had a friend of mine point to some code I wrote in a StackOverflow
comment. I had no memory of writing it.

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zicon35
"I have to know where to look." -> For me personally this is the hard part.

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eesmith
Inscribed on the wall over the entrance of what was the first library building
at my undergrad: "The half of knowledge is knowing where to find it".

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valand
All the time. StackOverflow questions are there to stay.

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ToFab123
Yes

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zicon35
Do you keep notes?

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ToFab123
No. I have a good memory of how to find it again.

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sagespidy
hehehe, lol , me too

