Hey Luddite!

Do you use a file server in your place of work? Do you put numbers at the start of your folder names? Do other people at your place of work also use that file server? Well this handy hint will show you how people in the 21st century use something as ancient as the alphabet to find things!

Your file server probably looks like this…


Figure 1. Bad.

“What’s wrong with this?” I hear you ask. Well, believe it or not, there is plenty wrong with this. Human beings actually developed language as we know it over 100,000 years ago, and even the written word was invented a few thousand years ago, probably before you were even born!

When your brain has been conditioned over thousands of years to work in certain way, it is able to do it almost without thinking! That’s why computers display lists of folders and files in alphabetical order, your brain is able to navigate the list without you even needing to think!

Check out this example here, and notice how much easier it is to predict where the folder called “Admin” will appear (hint: it begins with A and will be at or near the top).


Figure 2. Better.

When you put numbers at the start of the folder names, all of a sudden your brain has to think about where each folder will appear in the list. Let’s take a look at what your poor brain goes through each time you need to find something in numbered folders:


Figure 3. A complete fucking waste of my time.

And now let’s have a look at what your brain does when confronted with a list of folders in alphabetical order:


Figure 4. Evolution in action.

In conclusion, stop putting numbers on the start of folder names.
Welcome to technology!