43 Folders

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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

HDD Folder oranization

How is everyone organizing their electronic data? I started out years ago with MS Outlook and hit the 2G limit early on so I ended up having to archive data monthly which resulted in a folder structure based around monthly archives like this:

2006
. Jan
. Feb
. .
. .
. Dec
2005
. Jan
. Feb

So I started following this structure and would store other files such as bank statements, pictures, invoices, etc in those folders. Problem now is finding anything I have to wait for a search to crawl through all those folders or remember when I did something or have some sort of index to it. I usually end up just hunting through the various years and months looking for what I want rather than keeping an index up to date so I'm looking for better suggestions as to how to organize inportant files.

emory's picture

I seem to have this...

Berko wrote:
I seem to have this weird desire to keep my life's history indexed on my computer. I want everything accessible to Spotlight and Quicksilver, and I want every document I might ever need to be right at hand. I download every episode of my favorite TV shows. Until TB hard drives make it to Apple's laptop line, I am stuck living in "Oh, shit, my hard drive is almost full again. What can I delete/archive to DVD or FTP?" I end up doing this two or three times a month.

Has anyone tried CDFinder? It seems like it might be the solution to this issue of wanting it all indexed but not wanting it all taking up the space.

My method of making text files that are indexes (see also) means that if I do a spotlight search for something, that text file comes up, and I instantly know what CD/DVD/tape that something is on.

Works likedity split. PS, you're a student on a tight budget, why not build yourself an Xbox Media Center! Its a piece of cake and makes for a fantastic media player!

 
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