RETRO-DECK MD-1
The calm work notebook that plans your day around your energy and turns your mistakes into revision.
Local. Offline. No account. No subscription.
English · Français · Website · Try it in your browser · Campaign page · Documentation
Status (October 2026): early access, version 0.2 for Windows. The app is on sale as a one-time purchase, no subscription; it will evolve with the first users' feedback.
This repository is the public showcase: documentation, design charter and the source of the website. The application itself is proprietary and is not included here.
What it is
RETRO-DECK MD-1 is a local work notebook for Windows built around three moves:
- Plan: three tasks a day, and a suggested order based on your energy right now.
- Focus: one task on screen, one timer, everything else fades away.
- Remember: a solution you found becomes a revision card that comes back at the right time.
Your notes are plain .md files in a folder on your computer. If the app disappears, your files stay readable.
New in version 0.2: one project at a time
- Projects: each project is a plain folder of
.md files; only one is open at a time and the app shows nothing else. Closing a project takes a deliberate move (hold Esc for 2 seconds).
- Parking (
Ctrl+Space): park a stray thought in parking.md without leaving your text, sort it later (tomorrow / card / trash).
- Concentration (
Ctrl+Shift+T): full screen, only the paragraph you are writing stays sharp.
- Session (
Ctrl+Shift+S): 10, 25 or 45 minutes; in draft mode delete, arrows and mouse are locked. A short landing screen follows.
Features of the prototype
| Area | What it does |
|---|
| Today | Three tasks maximum, one suggested next action, a guided "Plan my day" assistant (energy, hard/light tasks, suggested order) |
| Energy | One tap from 1 to 5; the app learns your best time of day, only on your computer. No sensor, no health data |
| Focus | One task, one timer (15 / 25 / 50 / 90 min), a counter that stays visible while you work elsewhere |
| Writing | Full-screen editor with autosave, nano-style shortcuts (Ctrl+O, K, U, W, L, R, G), reading mode, templates (journal, stuck/solved, weekly review, Cornell, reading, meeting) |
| Files | Open any .md / .txt file, browse a folder, drag a file into the window, recent files |
| Revision cards | One card = one .md file; create one from a selection (Ctrl+J); spaced repetition (again / good / easy); import your own .md files as cards; card library with filter |
| Close the day | Brain dump you sort later (task / note / idea / bin), then a 60-second evening review that is saved as a note and reminds you the next morning |
| Comfort | Home screen with eight icons, directional pad and arrow keys, foldable menu, note drawer, settings (paper / ink theme, text size, page width) |
Full details: documentation · shortcuts · data and file formats · FAQ.
Principles
- Local first, offline first. The core works without a connection.
- Open formats. Markdown and JSON. You can leave at any time with all your data.
- Deliberately small. Better a few solid features than many fragile ones.
- No manipulation. No streaks, no notifications, no artificial rewards.
- Honesty. What exists is separated from what is planned.
- Discretion. No access to your email or calendars. This version has no AI feature and sends no data to any AI service.
Roadmap
The detailed roadmap is on the website. A dedicated device is an idea under study, with no date, no price and no preorder.
Planned, with no date: bundled fonts and polish, a Windows installer and an offline-verifiable perpetual license, removing a card with confirmation, read-only calendar import (.ics link), validation of interest through a waitlist.
Ideas, not commitments: macOS and Linux versions.
What is in this repository
| Path | Content |
|---|
docs/en, docs/fr | User documentation in English and French |
design/ | The e-paper design charter (independent from other LastParadox projects) |
site/ | Source of the website (https://retrodeck.lastparadox.dev): static pages (FR/EN) plus a small Cloudflare Worker for the waitlist |
Feedback
Open an issue with your impressions: too many features? a missing one? a detail that would bother you? Or join the waitlist on the website to be notified when the beta launches.
License and contact
© 2026 LastParadox. All rights reserved. See NOTICE.md.
Contact: [email protected]
