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+Keeping track of files
+======================
+
+There are two kinds of files you need to keep track of: those related
+to current affairs, and those you archive for possible future use. These
+have different usage patterns, and may need different kinds of handling.
+
+Current files (also called "pending and support") are for active projects.
+You may need to access these files at a moment's notice, so they should
+be at hand.
+
+Archived files are needed rarely, possibly never. Access times may be
+longer, but it should still be easy to find them. An archive is useless
+unless you can find things from it when you need them.
+
+Files may be digital or on paper. You may have current files on your
+computer, and on paper, and ditto for archived files. This might not
+affect the way you organize them: much of the organization is depdendent
+on naming and sorting, and it is probably best to use the same naming
+system for both digital and paper files.
+
+You may need have things other than documents you need to keep track
+of for some of your projects. For example, one of your projects might
+be to move some artwork to a different country, and the artwork would
+then be part of your current files. Since large paintings are hard
+to keep on your desk, never mind risky, you may want to represent
+them in your GTD system using proxies: instead of putting each painting
+in your "current files" folder, you can put a photo of the painting
+there instead, and store the actual artwork somewhere safe.
+
+There are any number of ways in which papers and computer files
+may be organized. For example, Allen recommends using manilla folders
+for papers, and dislikes hanging folders; others like hanging folders.
+If nothing else, hanging folders seem to be easier to find in at least
+some European countries, whereas manilla folders are considered an
+exotic American delicacy, which cost a premium. 
+
+Some people reject both kinds of folders, and use ring binders. 
+Or envelopes. More important than the physical manifestation of
+the concept of "folder" is how you arrange them, when you have many
+of them.
+
+What seems to work best for Lars is to have an easy, cheap way to
+have very specific folders (envelopes, tabs in ring finders, whatever).
+Each folder should have very specific kinds of items in it. Thus,
+a folder named "Edinburgh council tax, 2011" would be better than
+"Financial stuff". The former is very specific, the latter would
+quickly grow to be very quick.
+
+Every folder should be labelled clearly. People with a lousy
+handwriting font might want to invest in a label writer of some
+sort, so that the folders can be labelled in a readable fashion.
+However, clear handwriting, if you have it, works fine too.
+
+Allen recommends a simple alphabetical sorting system for
+folders. Others like two or three levels of keywords. Thus, the
+tax folder from above might instead be called "2011, tax, council, 
+Edinburgh" or "UK, Edinburgh, council tax, 2011". The order of
+the keywords depends on how you're most likely to search for them:
+put the year first, if you think of things mainly in chronological
+order. Put the location first, or the words "countil tax" (or "tax, 
+council") first, if those are what you look for first. Whatever
+works for you is best.
+
+You'll eventually gather a fair number of folders, so putting some
+thought into your naming scheme ahead of time helps a bit. However,
+if you've never done this kind of thing before, be prepared to 
+re-do it at least once. ("Be prepared to write a prototype, since
+you'll make one anyway.")
+
+For digital files, having a computer that can quickly do full text
+searches helps a lot. Indeed, you may be tempted to rely on search
+only, and if that works for you, great. However, there are files for
+which full text search won't work, such as images, audio, and video.
+Thus, it is probably best to put your digital, archived files in
+folders named using the same system you use for your paper files.
+
+Lars recommends having a folder named "Archive" (or something similar
+in your local language), which is the location where all your archived
+files shall be. Under "Archive", you'll create a folder for each 
+topic: these are the folders that correspond to the physical manilla
+folders (or equivalent). Have only one level of these.
+
+    $HOME/Archive/
+        Debian DPL election plans 2013/
+        Edinburgh council tax 2011/
+        Orange GSM prepaid/
+        Talk: Debconf 2010/
+        Three GSM prepaid/
+
+Having only a single level of archive folders makes it easier to
+look for them manually, when full-text search is not available of
+good enough. If you create folders within folders, searching manually
+becomes at least an order of magnitude harder.
+
+Create a folder under "Archive" even if you're only putting a single
+file there. Later you might need to archive a second file together
+with the first one, and if you didn't create the folder beforehand,
+you'll have to move the first file.
+
+The archived files should be left undisturbed. Do not modify them in
+the archive. If you need to start changing them, move them out of the
+archive first, into your current files. It's OK to read from the
+archive, but not change them.
+
+Scanners and shredders
+----------------------
+
+* scan everything in your paper archive
+* shred everything you can, but keep things for which originals are
+  important (you may need originals for tax or legal purposes, or
+  warranty receipts)
+* digital files are so much easier to deal with...
+