Author Topic: General brainstorming for Note-taking software (Read 1,153,647 times)

nudone · « **Reply #400 on:** February 01, 2007, 12:30 PM »

believe it or not, i think i'm going to give EverNote a try.

urlwolf has made me consider what it would be like to search within the notes for specific text, etc. and it looks like EverNote might be just right.

everyone who as been reading this thread knows what EverNote can do, so i won't repeat it.

i was considering purchasing BrainStorm http://www.brainstormsw.com/ for its quick 'idea' entry ability (has it been mentioned on this thread already?). i'm sure it's very useful for this but i couldn't get the hang of the program interface.

i think i'll be able to use EverNote do something similar regarding throwing loads of ideas into it and then sorting them later on by keyword/tags.

superboyac · « **Reply #401 on:** February 01, 2007, 04:51 PM »

I seem to remember playing with Brainstorm, I think, but I'm not sure. From what I remember, it seemed to me to be more of a good outliner than a notetaker.

nudone, I think you will like Evernote. Nothing beats it when it comes to finding unorganized information. If you want to save some information and you have no desire to organize it at all, just stick it in evernote because you will be able to find it later.

Darwin · « **Reply #402 on:** February 01, 2007, 05:38 PM »

Nudone, I have the beta of Evernote 2.0 installed and Superboyac is right about finding unorganized data. I place everything in it and have little trouble finding it later. It even as OCR technology built in and can index, search for, and find text in photos and scans. Of course, I've yet to figure out how to use this feature (but I don't need it, either, so have not been overly motivated)!

Regarding configuring DOpus, YES! it can be quite confusing. The problem, for me, is that I find the documentation to be quite dense, so it takes a long time for me to get from inspiration to realisation when I'm tweaking DOpus. What I hate about configuring DOpus in general is that it takes me ages to figure out how to do something. When I get everything just "so" it's perfect for months, even years, until I want to tweak it further - then I'm back digging through the manual and help files because I have usually forgotten how to do what I need to do. Frustrating, but I still can't live without it...

nudone · « **Reply #403 on:** February 01, 2007, 07:27 PM »

i've not done much yet with EverNote - the free version, but i am wondering if i should just move all my surfulator content over to it. i don't know. it's like going around in circles. nothing fits the bill 100% percent and yet it's just too hard to give up and accept things for the way they are, i.e. using several apps for similar tasks. i also suspect that nothing will ever satisfy the people in this thread.

sounds like i should be trying EverNote 2.0 anyhow.

Darwin · « **Reply #404 on:** February 01, 2007, 08:26 PM »

It IS a bit like running around in circles chasing one's tail. I've kind of settled into a cocktail of DOpus, X1, Locate, Evernote, TNP, and Net Snippets. Net stuff gets saved to both Net Snippets and Evernote but accessed via Net Snippets unless I can't remember what I did with it. I like Net Snippets because I still like to exert control over how my stuff is organized. Evernote is simpler and more powerful but I can't ORGANISE it - it does this for me, in a way... I use TNP for projects, as noted above, X1 to find content in my files, mostly pdf's, locate 3 to quickly find files, and DOpus to do the aforementioned organisation. Essentially, I'm in love with software and am always looking for the perfect app. I suspect that I'd be deeply unhappy if I actually found an app that did everything that I require of it - the software collecting compulsion is simply too strong...

nudone · « **Reply #405 on:** February 01, 2007, 09:12 PM »

Darwin, i shall consider your list of apps when i get the time to look at them more closely. and i shall also have to consider the way i work and the software i currently use - or don't use even though it is there on the hard drive.

Darwin · « **Reply #406 on:** February 01, 2007, 11:45 PM »

Nudone wrote:

Quote

or don't use even though it is there on the hard drive

That, sadly, sums things up with respect to my software habit rather nicely...

superboyac · « **Reply #407 on:** February 02, 2007, 12:26 AM »

Quote from: Darwin on February 01, 2007, 08:26 PM

It IS a bit like running around in circles chasing one's tail. I've kind of settled into a cocktail of DOpus, X1, Locate, Evernote, TNP, and Net Snippets.

I'm in the same boat. I use multiple notetaking softwares simultaneously. I use Evernote anytime I want to save information, but I'm not sure if I really need it or not. I don't even attempt to organize it, I just dump it all in Evernote. Also, for any web capturing I'll also use Evernote.

For more important notes that I need better organization for, I use myBase, although I think I am going to switch to Texnotes Pro pretty soon.

Surfulater, to me, is still the best if a large portion of your notes come from the web. Unlike Evernote, it offers advanced organization features like most hierarchical programs. I do very little web capturing, that's why I just dump them into Evernote.

I also use DOpus and Locate, but I don't consider that part of my notetaking process. That's just file management to me. I used X1 for a while, but I really don't have a need to search deep within the contents of my files or emails or whatever.

Maybe you are right, Darwin. Perhaps it's better that there isn't one application that does all aspects of this entire process well. I've never liked all-in-one apps because they just don't work as well as specialized products. Maybe the Frankenote that I talked about in my review isn't such a good idea. I just had an idea; in the followup to my notetaking roundup, instead of delving deeper into the features of the programs again, maybe I'll talk more about the philosophy of the programs, and relate them to what program is suited for what user.

Darwin · « **Reply #408 on:** February 02, 2007, 12:41 AM »

Quote

I'll talk more about the philosophy of the programs, and relate them to what program is suited for what user

I like the sound of that. Just to clarify, I don't use X1 and DOpus as part of my note taking regimen; I'd managed to digress to talking about file organization in addition to notetaking! mea culpa...

rjbull · « **Reply #409 on:** February 02, 2007, 11:46 AM »

Quote from: nudone on February 01, 2007, 12:30 PM

believe it or not, i think i'm going to give EverNote a try.

Has anyone noticed the beta of EverNote Portable? Saves its data as XML files in its own directory. It would be nice if more of these programs used such an open format to permit a degree of interchange of data. Also sounds like the main version of EverNote is too dependent on the Windows Registry for my taste.

This thread has 408 posts so far - and no definitive conclusion <sigh>

nudone · « **Reply #410 on:** February 02, 2007, 01:54 PM »

forgive me for asking here, rather than on the evernot forum, but how do i see my 'deleted' category where all the notes go when they are deleted. i can't find it anywhere.

Darwin · « **Reply #411 on:** February 02, 2007, 03:56 PM »

THANK YOU Nudone! If I hadn't gone off looking for an answer to your question, I never would have noticed the "notes list" button. Simply enabling the notes list just made Evernote about 5x more intuitive for me. I know that makes me a bit sad, but such is life... Now I'm intrigued about the deleted notes collection. I've probably deleted two notes tops in four months, so it's never occurred to me to go looking for them. As you've no doubt already found, the only mention in the help file is of the collection, without any indication about how to find it... I'll keep looking!

nudone · « **Reply #412 on:** February 02, 2007, 05:03 PM »

oh dear. i'm not sure if that's good or bad news. i assumed the program just wasn't working correctly on my system, now it sounds like a common problem. (or even a bug?)

Darwin · « **Reply #413 on:** February 02, 2007, 05:45 PM »

OK I found it COMPLETELY by accident. There's a little doo-hickey (that's a technical term) on the left of the Evernote screen (see attached image). This expands a hidden panel to the left, revealing the "deleted notes" folder (at the top, under "autocategories"). Notice that my "two notes top" turns out to be 36 deleted since I installed Evernote. Who knew?

[attachthumb=#]

nudone · « **Reply #414 on:** February 02, 2007, 08:08 PM »

i'm going to have to try reinstalling or something because that panel has been there in view for me all along - it just doesn't have anything that says deleted in it. it doesn't have any icons either, unless i right click on the items and assign my own using the properties.

looks to me like i'm missing quite a bit.

Darwin · « **Reply #415 on:** February 02, 2007, 11:24 PM »

nudone, have you deleted anything yet? Maybe the auto categories only appear when they are needed?

nudone · « **Reply #416 on:** February 02, 2007, 11:33 PM »

i did delete notes but nothing happened.

problems solved now. i've reinstalled the beta and all the icons are there and a 'recycle bin' category. maybe it wasn't working before because i had installed the free version before trying the beta. the free version didn't show any icons or recycle bin either - so something must have gone wrong somewhere.

i'm glad i can now use the program with all the features in place.

laughinglizard · « **Reply #417 on:** February 06, 2007, 02:32 AM »

I've read through this discussion with great interest, and I thought I'd add a few more suggestions to the pile.

I didn't see Notefish anywhere......
http://www.notefish.com/
Its an online application. Its a note-taking, research and project product.
It has a Firefox extension that functions like Evernote.

This site has I-don't-know-how-many free PIM's, note takers, and other related programs on it.
http://www.freepims.com/id224.html
There are some nice ones there, though the site lists only free programs.

Abassis Worktop is free for non-commercial use:
http://www.abassis.com/index.html
Its really quite feature rich. Portable.

Zoho Planner is an online application that takes notes and does other things:
http://planner.zoho.com/jsp/home.jsp

Stikkit is also capable of sharing notes with others:
http://stikkit.com/

If you like whiteboards with the additional ability to save your files, GE has come up with Imagination Cubed:
http://www.imaginationcubed.com/LaunchPage

I'm a little hesitant to toss this one out here, because it seems that the author's website has disappeared.
The program is still available for download but I doubt its being developed.
Its called Papel.
You can find it here:
http://tinyurl.com/2fvb4h
Server 2 and 3 are the active links.
Its a free form note system, I think if you like mind mapping I believe you'll like this program.

tomos · « **Reply #418 on:** February 06, 2007, 08:04 AM »

Papel sounds interesting though:

Quote

Publisher's Description
A new software tool designed for authors of fictional stories. It allows you to write creatively and intuitively without logical tasks interfering with the flow of your ideas.

Rather than using lists and tables to keep track of the various parts of your writing project, it works visually, just as Windows does.

You simply create new papels in the main project window, name them and set their type (described below). Papels are easily identifiable, as each type has it´s own icon, and the descriptive name you gave it is displayed with it.

Papel allows you to keep track of all the scraps of writing you create along the way, and instantly reminds you of what goes where by the way you group them in your project. Papels can be moved around with your mouse, renamed, and the type changed if you wish. Once everything is ready for publishing, you simply import the text files into your word processor for final formatting to the desired publishing standard.

Features:

* Visual on-screen representation of your writing project sections.
* Drag & Drop interface for easy grouping of related pieces of work, notes, etc.
* Individual icons for each piece of work, including Chapter, Scene, Male Character, Female Character, Plot Outline, Dialogue, and Note.
* Simple papel naming system, with automatic file saving under the given name.
* Find, Replace, Word Count,Spell Checking & Thesaurus in editor.
* Multi-sizeable project window with up to 8 times your screen size.
* Configurable and saveable Editor font and size.
* Saveable default Application and Editor window positions.

nudone · « **Reply #419 on:** February 06, 2007, 09:12 AM »

Papel, does indeed look interesting.

i'm giving it a go now, but i've got that kind of feeling that the program is going to seem limited quite soon.

but as the program saves to .txt file, them maybe it's possible to use another program in conjuction with it - something that would provide tree views maybe?

mouser · « **Reply #420 on:** February 07, 2007, 06:54 AM »

Thanks for the post laughinglizard - tons more programs to check out

ps. do we get a medal if we read every post in this thread?

laughinglizard · « **Reply #421 on:** February 07, 2007, 07:26 PM »

Errrrr.......I don't know, but, I did read through every post.

I have another addition to add to the pile. I haven't seen it before.
BitsduJour is hoping to have them again in March.

Ultra Recall
http://www.kinook.com/UltraRecall/

Some features from the authors site:

Any web page, document, image, note, or text can be added to Ultra Recall and then easily organized, edited, annotated, and recalled when needed.

Rather than being limited to a single hierarchy of information, this document manager lets you link items in multiple locations via drag/drop or copy/paste, allowing information to be organized however you desire.

Extensive search capabilities are provided, including Quick search as well as Advanced search, with AND, OR, grouping.

kfitting · « **Reply #422 on:** February 11, 2007, 11:48 PM »

Just wanted to let everyone know: Myinfo (www.milenix.com) is currently working towards version 4, due out sometime in 2007. Now is a great time to post suggestions in their forum if you've tried MyInfo and found it lacking. The moderator is Petko and here is the thread which shows some of the planned features for v4: http://www.milenix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1947

Kevin

Crush · « **Reply #423 on:** February 23, 2007, 08:01 PM »

Today I bought http://www.notesbrowser.com/ as full-version on a mag-dvd. This is quite useful for several simple & short notes.

Darwin · « **Reply #424 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:29 PM »

I must say that my appreciation for the beta of Evernote 2 just took a huge leap forward. I hadn't bothered tagging any of my notes as my habit had been to simply use Evernote's search feature to find what I want and (as noted above, somewhere...) use NetSnippets to organize my notes into folders Well! I got around to playing with Evernote and found that I have 200+ notes. I set up a number of tags and was able to get everything tagged using drag and drop in less than an hour. I love it! Now I just select the tags I want highlighted and if that doesn't reveal what I'm after I use the search feature. Brilliant. I honestly had not appreciated before doing this (yesterday) the big fuss about tagging. I'm very interested in finding good apps for tagging my other files, particularly mp3s (and other format music files) and digital photographs.