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A Simple Note Taking Software - Which One?

Posted by Cliff on from the they-have-to-go-somewhere dept.

pxlpushr asks: "I am a EE major turned CS major who never got over the habit of maintaining a log book. Lately I have been obsessing over the idea of moving all my log books (yes, I have many of them: one for each Computer at home and work, and a couple for my work) to electronic form. I have searched and searched and found nothing interesting. My needs are simple: I would like HTML format so that when I am viewing I can use a browser. It it is available for both Windows and Linux systems, that would be great. I am definitely not looking for something real heavy duty like 'Go Live'. It is too heavy for quick, frequent use of jotting down notes. It should be WYSIWYG software, should allow reasonable formatting options for the text and figures (gif/jpg) I include in the notes, and should provide facility to load up a template for the log and fill in the details into the template. The closest I came across was the freeware Keynote . But two problems: it supports only the RTF, no HTML support and no Linux counterpart. So my question to Slashdot denizens is, which note taking software do you use?"

4 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. Wiki by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 2, Interesting


    I run a Wiki on a personal web site. So long as there is a netorked computer nearby I'm in business.

  2. PmWiki . . . by Dausha · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I highly recommend PmWiki if you have a web-server. It is both Apache (Linux) and IIS friendly. Responding to your requirements:

    * HTML format to view in web browser
    Well, PmWiki is wiki software that relies upon a browser. The output will be HTML. The individual pages are in flat-files, and there are ways to retrieve the text without converting it into HTML.

    * Available for both Windows and Linux systems
    Works on IIS and Linux. Since it works in a browser, it should be cross-platform compatible. I have a script that tars up the source files so you can have off-server backups.

    * Not heavy duty like 'Go Live'. It is too heavy for quick, frequent use of jotting down notes.
    Wikis are ideal for writing. There are recipes in the PmWiki Cookbook that allow for a 'blog' type approach.

    * WYSIWYG software
    Hmm, almost. There is a "preview" tool. But, after you write wiki markup, it gets pretty close to WYSIWYG

    * Reasonable formatting options for the text and figures (gif/jpg) I include in the notes.
    Yep, and yep. You also have the ability to upload files, so you can archive documents and provide a link to said document on a page.

    * Able to provide template (for log).
    PmWiki allows for templates. PmWiki is different than other wikis in that it allows pages to be freely organized in groups. You can create a different template for each group. So, you can have "Logs" group that has a specific template. If you have standard reports, then you can have a similar group for them.

    * Which note taking software do you use?
    Depends. I use PmWiki when I want universal access (i.e., access from more than one computer). I use vi when I want quick writing for only one computer (I also use it to write up PmWiki pages).

    I'm a law student, so right now I write a lot of notes. I tend to use PmWiki for them.

    --
    What those who want activist courts fear is rule by the people.
  3. Single panel outliners rule! by JPyObjC+Dude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The best outliners to user are:

    OSX:
    Omni Outliner
    - Awesome Programmers at Omni
    - Nice Outliner with very good config

    NoteTaker
    - Very good program full of many good features including:
    -- XML file saves
    -- HTML viewer (free)
    -- Cross browser version expected hopefully this year.

    Windoze:
    Ecco
    - Free PIM with excellent outlining UI
    - No HTML support as it was written over a decade ago
    - Has ton's of features but I only use it for my brainstorming, pseudocoding, requirements gathering todo lists, shopping lists ........

    Linux:
    There are quite a few *nix outliners but all that I've seen are very early in the development cycle and are best avoided for now.
    For the time being, it would be best to just run Ecco over wine.

    Rule - Avoid multi panel outliners as they are generally ugly abstracted interfaces. From a UI perspective, single panel outliners are the best way to go ... although some people do like windoze interfaces ... :]

    JsD

  4. Got wi-fi? by Wolfger · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If you can access the net, take your notes in Gmail. Gmail is pretty nifty for that. Simply type up an e-mail (HTML formatting) and save it as a draft. One-click note-taking. Or, with a bit more effort, send it to yourself, and set up labels and filters to categorize your notes.
    Behold, the power of G's. :-)

    --
    Nothing to see here. Move along.