This Week's Main Course#
Computers need to be replaced, software needs to be updated, and only data is expected to accompany you for a lifetime, unless there are any unexpected incidents.
Lessons Learned the Hard Way#
Another one of my mechanical hard drives has failed, making it the third one that I remember using until it broke. While my computer is busy trying to recover the data for me, I think it's time to summarize the lessons learned in this area.
I'm very fortunate that I developed the habit of organizing project files during my time in college. I studied animation in my undergraduate program, and I remember using 3DMax for projects back then. Max had its own file management system, and our teachers emphasized the importance of standardizing file naming and categorization. Looking back now, this is one of the few pieces of knowledge from my college days that I feel has benefited me for life.
It's been almost ten years since I graduated, and I've been exposed to various fields, both in business and personal projects. Television program packaging, print advertising, stage art, toys, architectural walkthroughs, UI, illustrations... If you're working in a company, each department usually has its own set of file management standards, corresponding to different workflow processes. Since I transitioned to freelancing two years ago and started my own studio, I've become a one-person team, so I gradually developed a digital asset management system that suits my needs, not just for work.
I have set a few principles for this management system:
-
Avoid unnecessary categorization
The premise is that the categories can be exhaustive. For example, there are only a few types of file formats, but there are countless variations in formats.
-
Archive in under 1 minute
I've seen many people who know that archiving is important, but very few can stick to it for a year. In many cases, after completing a task, people are already tired and don't have the energy to go through the trouble of archiving. However, if you truly organize your files well, archiving in under 1 minute becomes a natural process.
-
Use English and date numbers whenever possible for naming
This is a professional habit because many specialized applications only recognize English paths, and some fonts don't support Chinese characters, resulting in garbled text.
-
Back up important files once a week, both cold and hot backups
You don't have to organize, but please make sure to back up, for the sake of world peace.
Design Categorization Structure#
My logic for organizing files is very straightforward:
- There are only two types of files on a computer: programs and data.
- The files I store are all data.
- This data is either created by me or by others.
- All data is ultimately output as text, images, audio, or video, these four types.
- Based on the needs of life or work, further subdivisions can be made according to different purposes.
Categorization and Search#
This management approach is actually "category-first," while there is another approach called "search-first." When it comes to searching, I actually prefer to use it within each specific category. For example, searching is particularly suitable for types like movies, music, and e-books. However, categorization is more suitable for images. I use Eagle for managing images, but I'll write about that another time. As for photos I take myself, I just use the built-in Photos app from Apple, which is already sufficient.
For searching to be advantageous, it is necessary to have standardized file or path naming. My habits do meet this advantage, but in my daily life, I really don't have much need to search for specific files. If a file is lost, professional applications will automatically prompt where it was originally located, and usually, it's a case of losing a whole bunch of files, haha. But this is no longer a problem that can be solved by searching.
However, there is one place where I will definitely use search, and that is my "second brain," which I have written about before. Because here, I don't force myself to remember anything, and categorization is very casual.
Side Note#
Overall, these two management approaches are actually inspired by two software applications: Notion and Obsidian.
Notion corresponds to the "category-first" approach, where you have to build the framework yourself, provided that you are clear about your needs in each aspect. However, it also has its own underlying rules, with relatively high flexibility.
Obsidian, on the other hand, corresponds to the "search-first" approach, and its bidirectional linking feature essentially incorporates search functionality from the start. It has almost no rules or restrictions, making it more suitable for allowing content to grow freely.
Finally, I'd like to mention that this system is an optimized version that I developed after buying a NAS last year. In reality, it barely manages to handle the volume of my files. I suggest using the management methods as a reference for your own ideas, and the most important thing is to do what makes you happy. If there are areas that are not user-friendly enough, find ways to continue optimizing them. For example, can repetitive tasks be turned into templates? Can backups be done incrementally? There is no one-size-fits-all solution, nor any shortcuts.
Weekly Highlight#
The ring is finally done, and it's the first time I've seen such a considerate client, and yes, it's me.
It took three months and dozens of iterations, but it was worth it.
Have a great weekend.