High-tech the old-fashioned way: On coding and writing by hand
I recently saw a post on a web forum in which someone commented that no one in their right mind hand-codes XHTML strict anymore, now that we have Dreamweaver and other web dev tools. I stopped and thought, “I do.” And then after a moment’s self-doubt, I thought, “And I’m going to keep doing it.”
Then I read a recent post on 37signals’ Signal vs. Noise blog:
Every time you outsource something, put something on automatic, or get software to do it for you, you put up another layer. After a while, these layers add up. They blur your vision. You lose touch with the core of what you’re doing.
37signals’ designers code XHTML and CSS by hand, just as developers code in text environments rather than IDEs; it helps them “better feel the pulse of the code.” Which I find to be true. For one thing, I’m comfortable working in different environments because I’m familiar with the raw stuff of web development, unmediated by software. And it’s much easier to learn new skills because of my deeper understanding of the skills I already have.
After enjoying a welcome moment of validation, I started to think about the wider applications of this attitude. I usually write first drafts of my fiction in longhand on lined paper, particularly for my novel. I used to write strictly on the computer, but then I found that writing longhand forced me to slow down, to think about what I was writing. It has practical benefits, giving my eyes a break from the computer screen and giving me the option to slip my notebook into a tote so I can work where and when I want. And perhaps most significantly, I do a great deal of revising when I type the draft into the computer — I’ve found few better ways to really revisit every word and sentence.
Slowing down, simplifying, stripping away “conveniences” that save time on the front end but have a huge cost in the long run. I’m sure the same impulses that lead people to code by hand and to write longhand also show up in other areas. Cooking comes to mind, with a return to basic, raw ingredients and less processed food. Music also comes to mind, with a lot of musicians stripping away the over-produced sound of a lot of pop and working on a rawer sound.
Here’s to high-tech, the old-fashioned way!