Hi,
A very helpful part of the note programs is strong tab implementation. This can avoid your having data in multiple files to open and close, a big plus.
Right Note, for instance has a strong horizontal (x axis) implementation combined with an explorer tree on the y axis with multiple levels, I think. This could be given an arbitrary tab-interface score of maybe 8.5 on a scale of 10, real solid and strong, not spectacular.
Keynote-NF seems to have the same features. (Heavy users of the programs .. please tweak.)
TreeDbNotes as well, so this combo looks to be the standard, more or less.
Any significant functional difference in the 3 ? Right Note seems to win in "presentation" of the meal, where the tabs are easy to color and the sizes vary to text.
I remember seeing (and commenting on) one program having strong X and Y axis implementation of user-defined categories, which is a nice plus for the program. **** Anyone remember or know which program has this ? **** The reason this is helpful is that often your major categories, such as finances, web, spirit, software, etc could be the Y axis distinction, while the specific topics could be X axis, Within the specific topics, then, the Explorer tree would only get moderately cluttered. The whole purpose here is to keep a bit of top-down thinking so that the Explorer tree does not have to be frequently opened and closed and navigated to find the present topic.
Note: some programs use tabs internally in neat ways. MyBase uses them in the context of the explorer menu, Overview, Bookmarks, Calendar, Labels, Outline. Helpful, but a bit rigid, dunno if it is modifiable. Of course, calendar implementation is another place where these programs have major differences.
Compare your favorite programs in Tab implementation (or any substitute ideas that are functionally helpful).
We could also discuss other aspects of tabs, and interface niceties. Do they size and place easily, etc. Are the button bars customizable ? Is the user interface crisp ?
A major example -
** I would like my major colors right on the button bar, rather than a pull-down pallet and choice. **
Is this implemented here or there ? A note is much more usable if you can color-code on the fly, very simply.
This thread, perhaps, can focus on these interface things, which we sometimes consider as secondary, but really help determine if we like the program. Simple example. Keynote-NF is a nice program, but a little bland in style. (Maybe it has skins ?)
Major first interest, tab application.
Your thoughts welcome. Drift into other discussions if you please. Place your pics in the thread (ok, I should remember how to do that, too). The emphasis here is generally on the free-form notes programs, the more techie database ideas are a different issue.
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Another big issue is an active user forum, a rarity in the Note field. Worthy of discussion, too, as it has a lot to do with where we settle. Right Note is considered excellent despite this lack, but it should be noted. The developers should be encouraged on this, even if it is done by a Yahoogroups or Googlegroups type of forum, or even attempted by letting Donationcoder or another forum host. (Wilder's does this a lot with security software, quite successfully.)
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Possibly in printing there are big distinctions as well. Formatting, margins, viewing, combining pages, saving a set of printing. If you find that one program really shines here, share away. We tend to forget about that aspect until we are done and want to take the notes with us. It is nice if our notes can be our pseudo-.doc files.
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Granted, we have a danger here of running through the whole feature set of the notes, revisiting the "big threads". Not exactly the goal. More techie things like synching to the cloud, spreadsheet implementations, export-import, PIM, database, etc. are less the sense of this thread.
Steven
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The program is very quite nice to use, I hope to do a bit of comparison in the weeks ahead (MyBase, Treepad, etc.) Maybe Rael will join us if he sees the tone is supportive and helpful, and then maybe move to a wider venue too. 
