Okay, let me tell you about this thing I started calling ‘ppvs’. It’s nothing fancy, really, just something I cooked up out of necessity.
Getting Started with the Mess
So, I was working on a bunch of small personal projects. You know, little bits of code here, some design mockups there, even just writing documents sometimes. Keeping track of changes was becoming a real headache. I’d have files like final_*, final_draft_really_*, final_draft_v2_final_use_this_*. Sound familiar? Yeah, it was a mess.
I looked into some of those big, complicated version control systems people talk about. Honestly? Way too much for what I needed. Felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Setting them up took ages, and remembering all the commands? Forget it. I just wanted something simple to stop me from accidentally deleting good work or figuring out which ‘final’ version was actually the final one.
Figuring Out My Own Way – The ‘PPVS’ Idea
I got frustrated. I sat back and thought, what do I actually need? I need to:
- Plan what I’m changing.
- Prepare a safe place for the new version.
- Actually save (Version) that change clearly.
- Maybe Share or Sync it somewhere safe later.
So, I just started doing it manually, but with a bit more structure. That’s where the name ‘ppvs’ came from, just remembering those steps: Plan, Prep, Version, Share/Sync.
How I Actually Do It
Okay, here’s the play-by-play, my actual process:
First, the Plan: Before I touch anything significant, I quickly jot down what I intend to change. Sometimes it’s just a mental note, sometimes a quick scribble in a text file right in the project folder. Like, ‘Okay, today I’m changing the header image and fixing that typo on page 3.’
Second, Prep: This is key. Before starting the changes, I’d take the entire project folder I was working on and just copy it. Yep, copy and paste. Then I’d rename the copy. My naming wasn’t rocket science, usually something like ProjectName_YYYYMMDD_BriefNote. For example: MyWebsite_20231026_BeforeHeaderChange. This copy is my safety net. It’s the ‘previous version’.
Third, Version: Now I’d work inside the original folder. I make all the changes I planned. Once I’m happy, or at least done for the day, that folder is the new version. Because I already prepped the backup, I don’t need a fancy ‘commit’ process. The versioning happened when I made that backup copy.
Fourth, Share/Sync (Optional): Sometimes, especially if it was important, I’d zip up that backup folder (the _BeforeHeaderChange one) and maybe throw it onto an external drive or a simple cloud storage spot. Just drag and drop. Not automated, just a conscious step: ‘Okay, save this old state somewhere else.’
Did it Work? Yeah, Kinda.
Look, this ‘ppvs’ thing is super basic. It takes up more disk space because I’m copying whole folders sometimes. It’s not smart about tracking tiny changes inside files. If two people were working on the same thing, it would be a total disaster.
But for me, working alone on simple stuff? It was perfect. It stopped the chaos of ‘final_final_v3’. I always had a complete, working previous version I could easily roll back to just by renaming folders. No complex commands, no server setup. Just copy, paste, rename. Took seconds.
It’s funny, I explained this to a friend who was getting lost in his own file mess, and he started doing something similar. He called his the ‘CYA’ method – Cover Your Ass. Pretty much sums it up, right? It’s just a practical, low-tech way to not screw yourself over when you’re just trying to get stuff done on your own.
