I feel like inline comments plus early/often commits to version control would almost be better than a lab notebook. Perhaps this could also be supplemented by a blog or similar to summarize big-picture ideas or discoveries.
In any case, I definitely agree with the higher-level point that we as developers can do better at documenting what we do. I think this is important for productivity (e.g. quickly figuring out where you left off), personal growth (e.g. forcing yourself to think more about the process instead of just banging on the keyboard), and posterity (e.g. sharing what you learn with others).
I feel like inline comments plus early/often commits to version control would almost be better than a lab notebook. Perhaps this could also be supplemented by a blog or similar to summarize big-picture ideas or discoveries.
In any case, I definitely agree with the higher-level point that we as developers can do better at documenting what we do. I think this is important for productivity (e.g. quickly figuring out where you left off), personal growth (e.g. forcing yourself to think more about the process instead of just banging on the keyboard), and posterity (e.g. sharing what you learn with others).