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

rjbull · « **Reply #450 on:** April 16, 2007, 10:14 AM »

paulobrabo,

Quote from: paulobrabo on April 15, 2007, 05:56 PM

I found this little gem of minimalism: it's called Mempad.

http://home.mnet-online.de/horst.muc/wmem.htm

My constant "problem" with it (if I remember correctly) was using Ctrl-F Find, then tabbing between note pane and tree pane when I should have Ctrl-tabbed. In that case, it replaces "found" text with a tab character, losing data. That happened so often that I abandoned it.

Quote

CONS(?):
(1) Imports txt files only as far as I can see (not counting its own file format)

Try asking the author. He may have a separate free-standing program for exporting in HTML that's not yet on his Web site.

rjbull · « **Reply #451 on:** April 16, 2007, 10:20 AM »

Quote from: ganrad on April 16, 2007, 12:46 AM

Looks like Notelens meets the need. OK sofar.
[...]
But saves notes as separate .txt files
Possible to import existing .txt files. Notelens just indexex these files. Does not change the location

I think Aignes' AM-Notebook works like that. You might want to compare them.

paulobrabo · « **Reply #452 on:** April 17, 2007, 08:21 PM »

Quote from: rjbull on April 16, 2007, 10:14 AM

My constant "problem" with it (if I remember correctly) was using Ctrl-F Find, then tabbing between note pane and tree pane when I should have Ctrl-tabbed. In that case, it replaces "found" text with a tab character, losing data. That happened so often that I abandoned it.

Oh yes, I could replicate that - ahem - feature. I will write the author about html exporting, thank you for the heads up.

P

JeffK · « **Reply #453 on:** April 21, 2007, 08:16 AM »

I must have signed up for the EverNote email list some time ago. I had it installed once but didn't take a lot of notice. I received an email today promoting the new version 2.0 Plus. I have been trying it with my tablet laptop and it appears to be very good. I am very impressed by its ability to search for text in graphics, and to interpret my handwriting. The email offered it for $US30 (normally $50?). I'm not sure haw that discount can be made available to DC members.

Here is an excerpt from the email:-

"We are excited to announce the availability of EverNote 2.0!

For the first time on the market, the EverNote Team brings to your PC search for printed and handwritten text in images! Seamlessly find your scanned receipts, forms and records; camera phone snapshots of price tags, whiteboard brainstorms, and much more! Experience our unique AIR-search technology!

EverNote Plus 2.0 also includes handwriting recognition, shape and chart recognition and keyword search in handwritten notes captured on Tablet PC or other pen-enabled devices.

We worked hard to implement multiple new features and improvements requested by EverNote users. The new version includes:

Improved UI - Note List with automatically generated titles, multi-color Flags, Embedded To-Dos
Advanced capturing of content and portions of your screen via new Universal Clipper
Greatly improved category management:
Keyword search in categories
New time categories
New category stamp dialogs
Enhanced backup system and more... "

JeffK · « **Reply #454 on:** April 21, 2007, 12:31 PM »

Further to the above a liitle bit more research indicates that the new version is quite different to v1.5 so it would be worth another look for some of you. AFAICT the upgrade is $US19.95. MS OneNote has the recognise text in images capability apparently. I hope to kook at OneNote soon but in the meantime EverNote is very interesting.

Jeff

JeffK · « **Reply #455 on:** April 22, 2007, 05:53 AM »

Well I've done a bit more experimentation and also read most of the helpfile. This is really good.

As an example of the neat things I think I can now due I have an old Motorola A1000 mobile phone. I can make and store handwritten notes on this while on the move. However in the past it wasn't much good - I could transfer the note to my PC as an image but then had no real way of searching the data. Now I can bluetooth the image to my laptop and search it via EverNote. Brilliant.

For $30 this is a no brainer for me.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #456 on:** April 23, 2007, 09:41 AM »

Strange JeffK - I got the upgrade for free.

I emailed them a while back out the version 2 beta and they sent me a copy. It upgraded itself to version 2 with no problems (using the internal link to check for update).

I am sure that they posted out an email ages ago that version 2 was going to be a free upgrade for current customers - I can't find it now, maybe it was just if you took part in beta testing? (my participation consisted of downloading it and installing it!)

Darwin · « **Reply #457 on:** April 23, 2007, 02:14 PM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on April 23, 2007, 09:41 AM

Strange JeffK - I got the upgrade for free.

I emailed them a while back out the version 2 beta and they sent me a copy. It upgraded itself to version 2 with no problems (using the internal link to check for update).

I am sure that they posted out an email ages ago that version 2 was going to be a free upgrade for current customers - I can't find it now, maybe it was just if you took part in beta testing? (my participation consisted of downloading it and installing it!)

Two points: first, check your upgrade, Carol - it's probably for the free version, not the plus version. When Evernote offered me the update from the beta to the final release I just assumed that it would upgrade me to the Plus version. After I kept getting e-mails with upgrade info, I took a look and sure enough Evernote is now running as the Standard (free) version. Second, I'm in the same boat - when I purchased 1.5 Plus in October I did so in part because I was assured that the upgrade to 2.0 Plus would be free. Can't find ANYTHING to back that up

I've actually paid the $19.95 for the full version because I use it ALL the time, so if anyone comes along and says "a ha! here's the e-mail/an archive copy of a website that proves that we should get this for free" I'm out of luck!

JeffK · « **Reply #458 on:** April 23, 2007, 08:32 PM »

Just to clarify. I wasn't "an existing customer". I may have tried it out once but didn't continue. I had just signed up for the mailing list.

Jeff

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #459 on:** April 26, 2007, 09:54 PM »

Nope I have the Plus version

Darwin · « **Reply #460 on:** April 27, 2007, 03:24 AM »

When did you purchase your licence, Carol? As I mentioned, I purchased in October and am *convinced* that I would get the upgrade to 2.0 Plus for free when I did so. I note that they are now offering the upgrade free to people who purchased in December, taking advantage of an offer that they were running at the time... Also, as noted, I've already paid for the upgrade so this is just vapid curiosity on my part...

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #461 on:** April 28, 2007, 09:36 AM »

I bought mine in early July - just luck I guess!

Darwin · « **Reply #462 on:** April 28, 2007, 12:33 PM »

Petulant in Courtenay

rjbull · « **Reply #463 on:** April 30, 2007, 11:12 AM »

Quote from: paulobrabo on April 17, 2007, 08:21 PM

Quote from: rjbull on April 16, 2007, 10:14 AM
My constant "problem" with it (if I remember correctly) was using Ctrl-F Find, then tabbing between note pane and tree pane when I should have Ctrl-tabbed. In that case, it replaces "found" text with a tab character, losing data. That happened so often that I abandoned it.

Oh yes, I could replicate that - ahem - feature.

paulobrabo,

I think the problem was in the RichEdit control the author used. The latest beta of MemPad 3.2 offers a work-around by making nodes lockable, so you can't change the text by accident:

Quote

New Toolbar

Node move buttons: To parent level as next node, To child level of preceding node

Page memory stack: Remember page ("M" button); Recall ("R" button) to jump back

Lock Editing: Option to lock all pages, button to lock/unlock the current page (only locks editing, not index manipulations)

Auto Save option: save to file every 4-5 minutes, if there are any changes (no backup)

Set Tab size (width) by Ctrl+Alt+TAB (at intended first tab position)

Custom popup menus to select and insert words, phrases: by right mouse click + Shift or Ctrl key. Menus are read from plain text files InsCtrl.txt, InsShift.txt

Tab key behaviour changed: normal step thru control elements in visible order, except in editor, where TAB inserts tab space; Shift+Tab = reverse; Ctrl+Tab: to first button in toolbar

Internal: Bugfix ReadOnly switching, enhanced load/save handling

Darwin · « **Reply #464 on:** April 30, 2007, 02:32 PM »

I posted about Bits du Jour's 40% discount on IdeaMason... It's in place today and I can't BELIEVE that I didn't have the wit to post for opinions in this thread last week. Mea culpa...

superboyac · « **Reply #465 on:** May 01, 2007, 09:51 PM »

Regarding EverNote's new 2.0 release...

Is it me, or is EN becoming eerily similar to the old Zoot? Think about it, with the new note-titles that evernote just added, it is now a 3-pane notetaker (of which there are very few) and has many other similar features:

3-pane layout (categories in left-pane, note-titles in top-right pane, and note content in bottom-right pane
find-as-you-type search feature. Both of them are good, but a little different in their implementation.
Auto-categories, where notes will automatically get categorized based on a user-defined rules or filters. Zoot's features in this area are much more powerful, I must say.
Content capturing capabilities.

I mean, the similarities between the two programs are striking. Unfortunately, the development of Zoot has been excruciatingly slow, while EN has remained very modern and updated (being a much newer application). Zoot has a lot of people (a cult, even) that has been dying for the author (the "Admiral") to update the 16-bit interface to 32-bit. It has literally taken years. Now, EN has just about caught up in features. I would think the Admiral would have a little bit more pressure to finish up, but I guess we will just have to wait. Furthermore, Zoot is quite expensive (~$100) and EN is free or $50 for the full-version which just allows some support for handwritten notes and a couple of other features that most users really don't need.

I don't want to criticize Zoot, because I have no idea what is involved in writing software, but it just seems like it has taken a really long time. It's a great software, but if you wait long enough, a viable alternative will eventually come along. I hope Zoot gets updated soon.

paulobrabo · « **Reply #466 on:** May 02, 2007, 01:09 PM »

Quote from: rjbull on April 30, 2007, 11:12 AM

I think the problem was in the RichEdit control the author used. The latest beta of MemPad 3.2 offers a work-around by making nodes lockable, so you can't change the text by accident:

Thank you, rjbull, for the heads up. Updated already.

Strange to know that the program uses the RichEdit control when it works with plain text only. You crazy programmers, always trying to lure us end-user from our ignorant bliss.

Thank you nonetheless

Cheers from Brazil

Paulo Brabo

rjbull · « **Reply #467 on:** May 03, 2007, 10:36 AM »

Quote from: paulobrabo on May 02, 2007, 01:09 PM

Updated already.

Paulo Brabo,

MemPad beta's been updated again today

rjbull · « **Reply #468 on:** May 03, 2007, 10:41 AM »

Quote from: superboyac on May 01, 2007, 09:51 PM

Regarding EverNote's new 2.0 release...

superboyAC,

467 posts in this thread, no definitive answer... Given that Frankenote doesn't exist (yet), and sometime you have to get real work done, which program(s) have committed to? One can't run several equivalents side by side indefinitely.

<gulp> I just realised I do something close to that

superboyac · « **Reply #469 on:** May 03, 2007, 03:37 PM »

Quote from: rjbull on May 03, 2007, 10:41 AM

Quote from: superboyac on May 01, 2007, 09:51 PM
Regarding EverNote's new 2.0 release...
superboyAC,

467 posts in this thread, no definitive answer... Given that Frankenote doesn't exist (yet), and sometime you have to get real work done, which program(s) have committed to? One can't run several equivalents side by side indefinitely.

<gulp> I just realised I do something close to that

rjbull, if I understood your question correctly, you are asking what I use for notetaking? Well, here:

If I come across something that I want to save (random text, internet article), I'll usually just dump it in evernote. I don't organize at all beyond this point, just dump it in because I know it's easy to find later
If it's something more important that I know I need to keep long-term (passwords, software license details, important information about music, etc.) I'll stick it in my favorite tree-hierarchy program. This used to be Mybase, but I think I am moving towards TexNotes Pro because it seems like it is much more powerful (albeit slower).

That's what I currently do. I don't have a problem using several applications. I'd rather use 3 very good applications than one sort of good application, even if it means spreading out the information. I'll take quality over convenience, especially if the inconvenience is manageable.

All that being said, Zoot is a program that doesn't get talked about a lot. There's good reason for it because it's getting developed at the pace of a crippled snail. But IF it ever does get updated, it would be interesting because you can do a lot with it. It's like Evernote, but more powerful. I can (potentially) see myself combining the information I have in Evernote and mybase (or texnotes) into an updated Zoot. The only thing I'll miss is Texnotes unbelievably awesome formatting options. Man, Texnotes is the most polished of all these applications.

Darwin · « **Reply #470 on:** May 03, 2007, 03:44 PM »

I do essentially the same - I use Evernote for everything, unsorted, and use TexNotes Pro to manage projects. I also use Net Snippets for web stuff (but this boils down to habit, more than anything - Evernote is much easier to use); it's kind of a backup for Evernote.

JeffK · « **Reply #471 on:** May 03, 2007, 10:13 PM »

Since I bought EverNote recently I found myself using it quite a bit. At work I use UltraRecall, mainly for it's ability to link to and index MS Office documents.

I used to use InfoSelect and still like the application, but upgrades are to expensive, and the interface looks old, albeit working well.

Darwin · « **Reply #472 on:** May 07, 2007, 10:32 PM »

Anyone have any experience using ZuluPad, the Pro version of which is on offer with a DonationCoder discount? It looks quite interesting and when I read about it, I immediately thought of this thread. Searching the archive, I can't find any mention of it. Am I simply profoundly misguided as to what this app is all about (not that that would ever happen to me!)?

nevf · « **Reply #473 on:** May 07, 2007, 11:32 PM »

For the folks that are using Surfulater or are interested in knowing what's happening with it, here is some info on the latest release.

This is an important release which add’s the ability to select and work with multiple articles in the Knowledge Tree. You can move or copy multiple articles, drag and drop them, as well as move or copy them to a different Knowledge Base. Surfulater has been justifiably criticized for not supporting multiple selection. See: Surfulater, the next release for more on this.

Another much requested capability which has been added in this release is the ability to use Surfulater as a Free Knowledge Base Reader. This lets you share your Knowledge Bases with friends and colleagues who aren’t necessarily interested in purchasing Surfulater. It also enables view access to your KB’s from any PC.

You can read more about this new release here: New Surfulater release, V2.00.10.0 ready and waiting and view full release notes here.

As always we look forward to and value your feedback. You can post on our Forums or contact me via. e-mail listed here.

Thanks for your ongoing support.

PS. It is amazing to see this thread is still ongoing and SB is still its guiding light.

rjbull · « **Reply #474 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:48 AM »

Quote from: superboyac on May 03, 2007, 03:37 PM

rjbull, if I understood your question correctly, you are asking what I use for notetaking?

I meant that as the ideal notekeeping program doesn't exist, what do people do in the real world, so yes, you did, thanks.

Quote

If I come across something that I want to save (random text, internet article), I'll usually just dump it in evernote. I don't organize at all beyond this point, just dump it in because I know it's easy to find later

That's interesting because I have two situations: my personal-interest stuff contains lots of notes that have little relation to each other, so structure is largely irrelevant. And at work, I have lots of notes that contain very similar keywords, so there, I really need good Boolean search features. Being able to find your notes is somewhat important

Quote

That's what I currently do. I don't have a problem using several applications. I'd rather use 3 very good applications than one sort of good application, even if it means spreading out the information.

I just find myself wondering which application I kept a given piece of information in. In some cases, I could get round that with a desktop search engine, but not if the applications are encrypted.

Quote

If it's something more important that I know I need to keep long-term (passwords, software license details, important information about music, etc.) I'll stick it in my favorite tree-hierarchy program.

I tend to keep passwords in KeePass and software license details in an archive, but, I suppose I should keep a separate back-up as well. In which case, you might like to check out Horst Schaeffer's freeware notekeeper MemPad (go for the beta, big improvement) or the cheap shareware JBLab Secure Notes because they're both encrypted and both portable. I'm not suggesting you'd use either as your main notekeeper, but those two features are worth thinking about.