Comments on: XKCD's productivity tip: reboot your computer every time you get bored http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 23:47:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: steeroy http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031954 steeroy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031954 I've been looking for solutions to procrastination recently, but the ones from xkcd don't seem that useful. If I had the willpower to make myself reboot or stop myself removing leechblock, I wouldn't have a problem in the first place. I’ve been looking for solutions to procrastination recently, but the ones from xkcd don’t seem that useful.

If I had the willpower to make myself reboot or stop myself removing leechblock, I wouldn’t have a problem in the first place.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031966 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031966 This technique does not work so well with SSD drives that can reboot in 5 seconds. This technique does not work so well with SSD drives that can reboot in 5 seconds.

]]> By: MrScience http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1033246 MrScience Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1033246 I find that I open many, many tabs for articles I wish to read but never have time to. I hit upon the idea of saving all the tabs to my bookmarks when I needed a fresh start, so that I didn't feel the need to actually read through everything before the purge. I rest easy knowing that I can "undo" my sudden act of shutting everything down, yet I never have that much draw to seek out the ephemera that waits on-disk. And the rare time that I was being too hasty, I can easily pull back up a subset of the pages that I actually need. That said, there's something to be said about restricting the act of opening the pages in the first place. And it would be nice if the systemdidn't runn out of handles when trying to do real work :). Oh... I created a tool that monitored my surfing to figure out how to repro a crash involving random web videos, and ended up leaving it running for the past several months. Here's my <a href="http://darkphibre.com/images/Blog/WebSurfingCounts.png">surfing history</a> (never more than 120 simultaneous pages!). And a breakdown by <a href="http://darkphibre.com/images/Blog/WebSurfingTop40.png">domain</a> (BoingBoing's #1, of course). For those of you wondering... one of my job functions is to create presentation on the "state of the gaming nation" that I present to 30+ industry professionals every week (when I'm able). So I'm aggregating many different stories from several gaming sites, and loading up many of the popular trailers for the prior week to determine which to include. BoingBoing has always been in my browsing logs, though, as my personal vehicle of escape. :) I find that I open many, many tabs for articles I wish to read but never have time to. I hit upon the idea of saving all the tabs to my bookmarks when I needed a fresh start, so that I didn’t feel the need to actually read through everything before the purge. I rest easy knowing that I can “undo” my sudden act of shutting everything down, yet I never have that much draw to seek out the ephemera that waits on-disk.

And the rare time that I was being too hasty, I can easily pull back up a subset of the pages that I actually need.

That said, there’s something to be said about restricting the act of opening the pages in the first place. And it would be nice if the systemdidn’t runn out of handles when trying to do real work :).

Oh… I created a tool that monitored my surfing to figure out how to repro a crash involving random web videos, and ended up leaving it running for the past several months. Here’s my surfing history (never more than 120 simultaneous pages!). And a breakdown by domain (BoingBoing’s #1, of course).

For those of you wondering… one of my job functions is to create presentation on the “state of the gaming nation” that I present to 30+ industry professionals every week (when I’m able). So I’m aggregating many different stories from several gaming sites, and loading up many of the popular trailers for the prior week to determine which to include. BoingBoing has always been in my browsing logs, though, as my personal vehicle of escape. :)

]]> By: wrybread http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031717 wrybread Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031717 All of us reading the comments to this article are clearly in the depths of a clicktrance and should probably be rebooting our computers instead. All of us reading the comments to this article are clearly in the depths of a clicktrance and should probably be rebooting our computers instead.

]]> By: SilverMoon http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031748 SilverMoon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031748 Thanks to reading that article I lost twenty minutes by checking out what Manufactoria was. Yeah, that wasn't smart. Thanks to reading that article I lost twenty minutes by checking out what Manufactoria was. Yeah, that wasn’t smart.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031751 EH Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031751 CLICKTRANCE.COM Creation date: 02 Mar 2005 16:45:22 CLICKTRANCE.COM

Creation date: 02 Mar 2005 16:45:22

]]> By: oldtaku http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031757 oldtaku Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031757 The new Gawker redesign and shift from /any/ original content (yes, they had some) to all reposted URLs helped a lot - Gizmodo, Valleywag, Kotaku, all gone! The new Gawker redesign and shift from /any/ original content (yes, they had some) to all reposted URLs helped a lot – Gizmodo, Valleywag, Kotaku, all gone!

]]> By: perchecreek http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031773 perchecreek Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031773 <blockquote>Personally I like to imagine something the size of a baby hippo, the color of a week-old boiled potato, that lives by itself, in the dark, in a double-wide on the outskirts of Topeka. It's covered with eyes and it sweats constantly. The sweat runs into those eyes and makes them sting. It has no mouth, Laney, no genitals, and it can only express its mute extremes of murderous rage and infantile desire by changing the channels on a universal remote. Or by voting in presidential elections. —<i>William Gibson, Idoru</i></blockquote>

Personally I like to imagine something the size of a baby hippo, the color of a week-old boiled potato, that lives by itself, in the dark, in a double-wide on the outskirts of Topeka. It’s covered with eyes and it sweats constantly. The sweat runs into those eyes and makes them sting. It has no mouth, Laney, no genitals, and it can only express its mute extremes of murderous rage and infantile desire by changing the channels on a universal remote. Or by voting in presidential elections. —William Gibson, Idoru

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031793 Mister44 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031793 Ugh - I am horrible at this. A 30sec delay might be what I need. Ugh – I am horrible at this. A 30sec delay might be what I need.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031572 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031572 That sounds like a stellar way to cut short the life of a computer. That sounds like a stellar way to cut short the life of a computer.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031828 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031828 best xkcd ever! best xkcd ever!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031580 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031580 This is a really nice mindfulness strategy, I think I'll try unplugging my computer from the wall as well! :) This is a really nice mindfulness strategy, I think I’ll try unplugging my computer from the wall as well! :)

]]> By: Dr jayus http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031584 Dr jayus Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031584 "procrastinatory clicktrance". Brilliant. I've been particularly bad lately, I might try this, in addition to the self-control program. “procrastinatory clicktrance”. Brilliant.

I’ve been particularly bad lately, I might try this, in addition to the self-control program.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031586 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031586 I would call this tactic anything but simple. How about this productivity tip: try to use some actual willpower! I would call this tactic anything but simple.

How about this productivity tip: try to use some actual willpower!

]]> By: jjsaul http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031589 jjsaul Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031589 "Clicktrance" is such a perfect neologism I'm surprised to find only 1,390 google hits for the term. Oh... here's a shock. Earliest use immediately apparent on the first page of hits: http://www.boingboing.net/2001/12/24/clicktrance-gaming-e.html “Clicktrance” is such a perfect neologism I’m surprised to find only 1,390 google hits for the term.

Oh… here’s a shock. Earliest use immediately apparent on the first page of hits:

http://www.boingboing.net/2001/12/24/clicktrance-gaming-e.html

]]> By: Shay Guy http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1033638 Shay Guy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1033638 The solution to the problem is to not have had the problem to begin with? Brilliant! Wait...people already have the problem. The solution to the problem is to not have had the problem to begin with? Brilliant!

Wait…people already have the problem.

]]> By: alllie http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031592 alllie Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031592 No, no, no, no! I'm too addicted to do that. No, no, no, no!

I’m too addicted to do that.

]]> By: Alex Kilpatrick http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031596 Alex Kilpatrick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031596 Here is another way to accomplish the same thing, but with a little more fine-grained control: http://www.proginosko.com/leechblock.html Here is another way to accomplish the same thing, but with a little more fine-grained control: http://www.proginosko.com/leechblock.html

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031852 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031852 Why bother with the reboot? My corporate e-mail and vpn server are severely limited with bandwidth. To top it off my e-mail program is a mono tasker. Click the address book or an unsuspectingly large e-mail? Sit and wait for 5 plus minutes. Want to browse some network directories over VPN? Better block out the rest of the day. Re-boot is a blessing. It only takes 8 minutes. Why bother with the reboot? My corporate e-mail and vpn server are severely limited with bandwidth. To top it off my e-mail program is a mono tasker. Click the address book or an unsuspectingly large e-mail? Sit and wait for 5 plus minutes. Want to browse some network directories over VPN? Better block out the rest of the day. Re-boot is a blessing. It only takes 8 minutes.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031855 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031855 The only problem with this is that your geek friends will mock your terribly low uptime. The only problem with this is that your geek friends will mock your terribly low uptime.

]]> By: jonw http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031618 jonw Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031618 Ha. I've installed Firefox Leechblock, and Chrome Nanny, and now have to open an IE window when I want to read Boingboing. The crappiness of IE makes it such a pain that I don't waste too much time. I remember the first month I had the computer, when rebooting took 30 seconds. Now closer to 5 minutes. Ha. I’ve installed Firefox Leechblock, and Chrome Nanny, and now have to open an IE window when I want to read Boingboing. The crappiness of IE makes it such a pain that I don’t waste too much time.

I remember the first month I had the computer, when rebooting took 30 seconds. Now closer to 5 minutes.

]]> By: Cory Doctorow http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031632 Cory Doctorow Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031632 My problem is that ever since I went SSD and the new Ubuntu, my reboot time is down to less than 5 seconds. It takes longer to enter my password to log in than it does to reboot the machine. My problem is that ever since I went SSD and the new Ubuntu, my reboot time is down to less than 5 seconds. It takes longer to enter my password to log in than it does to reboot the machine.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031636 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031636 Windows only. Windows only.

]]> By: The Life Of Bryan http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031640 The Life Of Bryan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031640 Whenever I’m working in a VM I pause it when switching to another app, which stops the clock of the guest OS. I’m quite often shocked to see how much time has elapsed when my perception was that I only checked on “the outside world” for a brief moment or two. Whenever I’m working in a VM I pause it when switching to another app, which stops the clock of the guest OS. I’m quite often shocked to see how much time has elapsed when my perception was that I only checked on “the outside world” for a brief moment or two.

]]> By: Daemon http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031911 Daemon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031911 If you're using pidgin, only allowing one chat client to run at once doesn't really do much. Mind you, I find it pretty easy to not spend hour after hour talking to people via chat. If you’re using pidgin, only allowing one chat client to run at once doesn’t really do much. Mind you, I find it pretty easy to not spend hour after hour talking to people via chat.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/19/xkcds-productivity-t.html#comment-1031926 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031926 at some time ago I stopped looking period make it a deal to watch less than half-a-doz sites daily.. works for me peter at some time ago I stopped looking period
make it a deal to watch less than half-a-doz sites
daily..

works for me

peter

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