Author Topic: Microsoft OneNote 2007 (Read 108,083 times)

justice · « **Reply #25 on:** June 03, 2007, 12:37 AM »

Sorry I did say that but after checking this it seems OOo can export to pdf without any extra software, but not edit pdf documents. My mistake, apologies.

edbro · « **Reply #26 on:** June 03, 2007, 12:48 AM »

Does OneNote have an extension for Firefox? I tried OneNote 2003 back in the day but uninstalled it because I couldn't clip from Firefox. I would rather give up OneNote than Firefox!

That is what led me to Evernote, which I'm happy with. But, I will be getting a copy of OneNote 2007 next week as part of the MS Action Pack and I'd like to try it. But, if it doesn't play well with Firefox then I won't bother. I don't want to have to switch to IE every time I want to save a clipping from the web.

wraith808 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 03, 2007, 01:50 AM »

Quote from: urlwolf on June 02, 2007, 08:12 PM

See:
http://www.paulgraham.com/microsoft.html
http://www.paulgraham.com/cliffsnotes.html

Ummm... what does this have to do with the discussion at hand? Not saying it doesn't... I just can't see the correlation to a review on OneNote.

urlwolf · « **Reply #28 on:** June 03, 2007, 11:47 AM »

Quote from: wraith808 on June 03, 2007, 01:50 AM

Quote from: urlwolf on June 02, 2007, 08:12 PM
See:
http://www.paulgraham.com/microsoft.html
http://www.paulgraham.com/cliffsnotes.html

Ummm... what does this have to do with the discussion at hand? Not saying it doesn't... I just can't see the correlation to a review on OneNote.

I was talking about vendor lockin and Microsoft, and Graham says that the business model of M$ is dead. So I was wondering if anyone has found anything that comes close to OneNote (I have read the long notetaking thread, mind you) but is not using a proprietary format.

edbro · « **Reply #29 on:** June 03, 2007, 12:05 PM »

Quote from: justice on June 03, 2007, 12:37 AM

Sorry I did say that but after checking this it seems OOo can export to pdf without any extra software, but not edit pdf documents. My mistake, apologies.

Actually, your idea isn't that far off though. I found that Onenote can export to Word Doc format, and that can be read by OO.

wraith808 · « **Reply #30 on:** June 04, 2007, 08:44 PM »

Quote from: urlwolf on June 03, 2007, 11:47 AM

Quote from: wraith808 on June 03, 2007, 01:50 AM
Quote from: urlwolf on June 02, 2007, 08:12 PM
See:
http://www.paulgraham.com/microsoft.html
http://www.paulgraham.com/cliffsnotes.html

Ummm... what does this have to do with the discussion at hand? Not saying it doesn't... I just can't see the correlation to a review on OneNote.

I was talking about vendor lockin and Microsoft, and Graham says that the business model of M$ is dead. So I was wondering if anyone has found anything that comes close to OneNote (I have read the long notetaking thread, mind you) but is not using a proprietary format.

I still don't see where just posting those URL links implied that, but that's neither here nor there, I suppose. As far as a note taking application that doesn't use a proprietary format, I think that *most* if not all organizational tools for notes are going to use *some* sort of proprietary format- that's just the nature of the beast, and I don't think it's a bad thing. What *is* bad is having no way to easily export the information that you input into something that can be used elsewhere, i.e. pdfs, rtf, etc. And most of the ones that I have used have this in one form or another.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #31 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:12 PM »

OneNote 2003 (and I presume 2007) can export to an MHT file (a compiled HTML file). OK that is used by Internet Explorer but I can't see IE disappearing in the foreseeable future. It can also export to a Word .DOC file - and again I think MS Word is going to survive for a little while yet (and even if it doesn't other software such as OpenOffice will read it).

All this talk of proprietary formats is a bit of a red herring - all of the apps for note taking use proprietary formats as far as I can see - the format most guaranteed to survive (IMHO) are those supported by MS (much as I hate to say it). Most of the other companies are small beer compared to MS and would sell out like a flash if MS made them a suitable offer.

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #32 on:** June 05, 2007, 02:31 AM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on June 04, 2007, 10:12 PM

an MHT file (a compiled HTML file)

Sorry if this is nitpicking.

While MHT is generally a form of compiled HTML, so to speak, normally that term is used for CHM files. And while CHM is indeed a proprietary (though documented) Microsoft format, MHT is not limited to Microsoft. Indeed, the letters stand for "MIME-encoded HTML", MIME being the standard means of encoding, e.g., email.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #33 on:** June 05, 2007, 07:44 AM »

Fair enough - nit pick away.

My point still stands though - and if anything is strengthened.

Having said that I am not aware of any software that opens MHT files other than IE ... anyone know of any?

justice · « **Reply #34 on:** June 05, 2007, 07:49 AM »

Opera browser opens MHT files, they call it Web Archive (single file)

zridling · « **Reply #35 on:** June 06, 2007, 07:21 AM »

urlwolf, I may well do that, documenting the transition from Windows to Linux, although that might bore most people to death. Many have done it before elsewhere and I see Windows-to-Mac users doing it daily to my dismay. I don't hate Microsoft, but imo they no longer care about me, the customer, and frankly, among other reasons, I can no longer afford their products. Moreover, at this point in my computing life, I have over 22 years of data, documents, letters, books, theses, a dissertation, and so on that I want to protect. Microsoft is not interested in doing that unless I pay them to access my data saved with their various proprietary file formats through their software, i.e., vendor lock-in.

Half of my life is invested in my work and writing, and I'll be damned if I'll ever let it be held hostage to a corporation. Not coincidently, Microsoft feels the same way with their own data — they're quick to sue, the threaten patent lawsuits, and they're currently fighting the national bodies of countries around the world to make their product specification of MS-OOXML an ISO standard.

So I've devolved to the simpler formats over the past six years to the point where I even keep backups of most everything in a simple text file (sans formatting, of course). I'll keep a Microsoft machine on the desk for several more years probably, although I won't upgrade anymore after Vista. So using my "text" outlines and files in Linux is the simplest transition on any platform. And the safest. No, I don't get the wonderful benefits of OneNote. But then, I'm not encumbered or beholden to buying, keeping, upgrading, and converting files to the new versions either.

PS: I'm not trying to start a war here against Microsoft; I'm just laying out how I feel these days, and where my head is.

urlwolf · « **Reply #36 on:** June 06, 2007, 10:42 AM »

Quote from: justice on June 05, 2007, 07:49 AM

Opera browser opens MHT files, they call it Web Archive (single file)

How?
I tried file > open, then selected web archives from the dropbox, and tried to 'see' a .chm file. But nothing shows up.

justice · « **Reply #37 on:** June 06, 2007, 10:47 AM »

I thought you were talking about mht files, which have an .mht extension? Not CHM. If I have made a wrong suggestion i am sorry.
Save a webpage with IE with file -> save as -> web archive and you can open it up in opera.

[attachthumb=#]

tomos · « **Reply #38 on:** June 06, 2007, 10:52 AM »

Quote from: urlwolf on June 06, 2007, 10:42 AM

Quote from: justice on June 05, 2007, 07:49 AM
Opera browser opens MHT files, they call it Web Archive (single file)

How?
I tried file > open, then selected web archives from the dropbox, and tried to 'see' a .chm file. But nothing shows up.

works for .mht dunno about .chm

I tried using the Opera archive format - .mht - to save web pages for a while.
I found I often had trouble opening them in opera, but sometimes in IE as well -
they would start to open & then simply hang.

Don't know was that an Opera problem or an .mht problem
Often I saved the pages when offline whether that had something to do with it or not..

Don't trust it anymore anyways!

Jimdoria · « **Reply #39 on:** June 12, 2007, 09:34 PM »

Quote from: edbro on June 03, 2007, 12:48 AM

Does OneNote have an extension for Firefox? I tried OneNote 2003 back in the day but uninstalled it because I couldn't clip from Firefox. I would rather give up OneNote than Firefox!

Yes, there is an add-in that lets you clip from Firefox and it works fine. It shows up on the context menu when you right-click on a page or text selection. Info comes into OneNote just as if you'd clipped it from IE.

One checkmark you can add to the "pro-MS" column is their developer base. Other note-taking programs may be extensible, but many are not, and even if they are, the number of developers targeting them is bound to be tiny. Since anyone who develops for MS Office is capable of writing add-ons for OneNote, the potential pool of developers (and available technology) is quite large. There is already a good number of plug-ins that extend the functionality of OneNote. The Firefox add in is just one example. Check out the list at the OneNote PowerToys list.

edbro · « **Reply #40 on:** June 12, 2007, 09:47 PM »

Quote from: Jimdoria on June 12, 2007, 09:34 PM

Yes, there is an add-in that lets you clip from Firefox and it works fine. It shows up on the context menu when you right-click on a page or text selection. Info comes into OneNote just as if you'd clipped it from IE.

The Firefox add in is just one example. Check out the list at the OneNote PowerToys list.

Seems to be outdated. Will not work with FF2.xx

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #41 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:01 PM »

It does seem to work a bit with Firefox 2.0.0.4 if you simply over ride compatability checking.

To save you the hassle I have updated the extension and attached a copy (you'll need to unzip it) so that it thinks it works up to version 4.5 !!!

I have to say it ain't impressive!

Just highlight what you want on a page, right click on it and clip to OneNote.

Nothing apparently happens but when you open a not you can simply paste what you clipped.

Effectively it seems to be a substitute for copy - unless it did something significantly different in Firefox pre. 1.5

Update ... actually it does slightly more than copy it to the clipboard - id adds the page URL

eg.

Further update ... There is a setting for the extension in Firefox - you need to set the location of OneNote. On my system it is at:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\ONENOTE.EXE

Once you have entered the correct path using the clipper add-on automatically adds it to a new note and opens it onscreen.

See:

in my Firefox I get there by Tools > Add-ons

Hopefully it is the same in your version but I know I have an extension which modifies how all my add-ons appear.

edbro · « **Reply #42 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:27 PM »

Thanks Carol, I'll give it a try.

Edit: It works as you advertise. Once I put the path in options it clipped to a new sidenote.

P.S. A simple copy and paste will also add the url. It was not the extension doing that in your earlier attempt. Try it.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #43 on:** June 13, 2007, 01:19 PM »

So effectively is is an automated cut and paste job ...

Jimdoria · « **Reply #44 on:** June 14, 2007, 08:19 PM »

More of an automated copy - create new page - paste - insert URL of origin job... $:-\$

But what more do you you want? It's two-click solution to move blocks of content or entire pages into OneNote from Firefox. I suppose if there was a toolbar button, you could save a click, but that's a bit nit-picky IMHO. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...

)

The need to setup the path to the OneNote EXE file was in the readme file or on the website as I recall.

auto · « **Reply #45 on:** June 16, 2007, 09:07 AM »

Thanks for the Firefox extension Carol. It was the only thing i missed about I.E.
it took me a while to figure out how to install it, but i got there in the end.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #46 on:** June 16, 2007, 11:14 AM »

Sorry - should have said - if you want to install the extension download it to your desktop and then in Firefox use File > Open File ... to locate the file.

brahman · « **Reply #47 on:** June 21, 2007, 03:53 PM »

After having tried many info dump programs, my favorite is InfoSelect 2007.

They also have again (after a many years hiatus) a 30 day trial version.

www.miclog.com

Pricey but in my opinion the best!

Greetings,

Brahman

JohnFredC · « **Reply #48 on:** August 29, 2007, 04:49 PM »

Sorry to disagree with the generally positive reviews in this thread, but in my opinion (and after an attempt to incorporate OneNote into my work flow) OneNote has too many "on screen" elements and needs a GUI overhaul. It feels awkward to use and looks unnecessarily cluttered/crude.

OneNote's pages display (circled in the graphic above) is incredibly screen space inefficient and reminds me of an old Lotus application (whose name escapes me) from the early 90's.

urlwolf · « **Reply #49 on:** August 29, 2007, 05:33 PM »

John,
you can hit F11 and have a simple full screen of white text to work on.
Brahman, Can you ellaborate on infoselect? going through their site doesn't look like their product is that revolutionary. What's better than onenote?