Slashdot Asks: What's Your Preferred Note-Taking App?

Earlier this week, popular note-taking app Evernote announced major changes to its service. The company announced that free users on the app will now only be able to sync across two devices. The company also raised the prices of its paid tiers by 40%. This move, as you can imagine, has resulted in Evernote facing a backlash from many of its users. To give some perspective, Evernote paid plans ($36/ $70 a year) now costs as much as Office 365's $70 Personal yearly plan. With Office 365, obviously, you get more stuff -- including access to Microsoft productivity suite, and 1TB OneDrive storage. Microsoft was quick to release a free tool for Evernote users should they want to move their data to its note-taking service OneNote. OneNote is free to use and offers 15GB free storage to all users. Google's Keep is another good option with 15GB of free storage. Which note-taking app do you use? Anyone who still prefers taking notes on a notebook with a pen?

Comments

Pencil and Paper

[sconeu]

n/t

pen and paper

[AndroSyn]

Nothing works better than the old fashioned pen and paper. Simple and straight forward. The batteries don't die, sure my pen might run out of ink, but I can always keep a second one with me.

Sometimes simple tech works the best.

Re:pen and paper

[tripleevenfall]

That's great if you want to roll a filing cabinet with you everywhere you go. Or, I can just use Ever/OneNote and have it all in my pocket.

-

With regard to EverNote's changes, I'm not sure why I would use EverNote at the same price as I could acquire the whole Office suite including OneNote, which IMO is better.

Re:pen and paper

[AndroSyn]

A filing cabinet? A simple small spiral bound notepad fits in my pocket. There is also the aspect of when you are in meetings that people realize you are actually taking notes and not just looking at your phone and possibly not paying a damn bit of attention to the meeting.

I can take notes on a notepad without looking at the paper, it's a bit harder to do that on a phone. Afterwards it's not too terribly difficult to transcribe my notes to electronic format if I need to.

*Shrug* Maybe I'm just old.

Re:pen and paper

[wyHunter]

It is also easier to draw diagrams. Yes there are apps where you can do this but it is harder.

Re:pen and paper

[jbengt]

I don't just want a place to write new notes, but I want instant access to all of my previous notes as well.

Notes are not meant to be repositories of great knowledge for future generations, they're meant to be small reminders.

I'd have to cart around hundreds of small spiral bound notebooks to hold all of my notes.

At some point, you need to quit calling them notes.

Pen and Paper

[Anonymous Coward]

I have never had to agree to having my data mined before using paper.

Sharpie and conference room table

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

The best part of this plan is that it usually keeps my invites to future meetings under control.

Google Keep Get My Pick

[linkchaos]

A year ago or so I would have never said that, but Google has been releasing some decent features, integrating it further into other offerings like Google Calendar.

Org-mode

[Darren Bane]

Org-mode in Emacs, with a private git server. I don't really try to do anything productive on a phone/tablet, but there is MobileOrg if you do, not sure how it works. Org-mode can do much, much more than take notes mind you.

Notepad ++

[Crashmarik]

Produces nice txt files that I can use and structure on the fly

Plus it's a hell of a lot better than my handwriting.

Google Keep

[adam.jimenez]

Google Keep is really simple and works well for me. I dearly hope it doesn't get struck by the Google Axe any time soon.

Re:Google Keep

[azcoyote]

I think it's dishonest for Google to name something "Keep." We all know in a few years (or less) when Google inexplicably decides to focus its attention elsewhere, it will screw all of its users and take down the service. At that time I'm sure people will come up with plenty of complaints and puns for the name.

Re:Google Keep

[Nunya666]

Google Keep - works everywhere, it's free, has decent search, does everything I need.

Until it stops working because Google kills the project.

Re:Google Keep

[AmiMoJo]

Google Keep certainly does work very well, but I'm reluctant to trust it. Remember Google Notes? Similar kind of thing, killed off with a pathetic export function that didn't really work for all the refugees. Even Google Reader, that was really popular, was killed off because they couldn't figure out how to make money with it.

I'm using OneNote at the moment.

Emacs Org mode

[Seth Morabito]

I am an adherent of Emacs "org-mode" ( http://orgmode.org/ ) for note taking. I use it almost exclusively.

Org mode is insanely powerful, but like everything in emacs, it has a steep learning curve. Still, if you're taking a lot of notes, I fully recommend it.

Google Keep

[technomom]

Google Keep - works everywhere, it's free, has decent search, does everything I need.

Your e-notes are for everyone, eventually.

[geekmux]

If security is something you're never concerned about with electronic solutions, then by all means, use the tool of your preference. Just understand that your notes are everyone's notes when the next hack is announced.

This is why I prefer good paper and pen. Not old-fashioned, just wise to what will happen eventually. It's become inevitable these days.

Zim or CherryTree

[varag]

But my notes are on my local machine and not in "the cloud."

Having used both for an extended period of time, I've decided Zim works better for me.

Synology NoteStation...

[mlts]

I personally like Synology NoteStation, on a NAS that is dedicated to DMZ/external stuff. It isn't as snazzy as EverNote or other products, but the physical data is under my control, and the NAS appliance can back itself up to a number of sources (external drive, encrypted cloud storage, etc.)

Re:Synology NoteStation...

[Just Some Guy]

I second this wholeheartedly. It also has a nice iOS app (and maybe Android too?), so I basically have Evernote except with terabytes of "free" storage and my data never gets stored anywhere outside my control. Link: Note Station

Killer feature

[Troed]

Users have been asking Evernote for one single feature since its inception: Client side encryption.

It's also the one feature Evernote seems to absolutely make sure will never happen. Probably for a very good, non user friendly, reason.

I've just made the switch to the open source Turtl. Self-hosting possibilities, client side encryption. All the features from Evernote that I ever used. (And none of the features the Evernote team felt were important to add _instead_ of privacy ... )

http://turtl.it/

Re:Killer feature

[Troed]

"Password, File, Image, Bookmark, Text" are the options I get when I want to create a new note. The formatting is Markdown.

Re:Don't subscribe

[RelaxedTension]

I get the Microsoft hate, but OneNote is free. There is no monthly ransom.

For now. It's still M$, meaning it likely won't end well.

Pen and paper are the way to go

[damn_registrars]

Anyone who still prefers taking notes on a notebook with a pen?

Yes, it is the best way for taking the widest variety of notes. OCR with a stylus still isn't that great, especially if you need to incorporate a formula of some sort into your notes while you're going. Typing works if you are taking notes at a history lecture but not for much else. Paper notebooks also never run out of battery and run an OS that never crashes. You might find yourself periodically doodling in your notebook but you'll never find yourself wasting hours on facebook with it.

OneModel / OM

[lcall]

I have tried and thought about many things until finally writing my own tool that is extremely fast, powerful, and flexible. Currently it could be seen as org-mode replacement that addresses some of the key challenges (hard to learn, awkward) while keeping some key benefits (efficient from keyboard, extremely flexible), and adding huge flexibility in what can be done: http://onemodel.org/ (AGPL).
It is a personal organizer, is something like really fast mind maps but (currently) keyboard-driven and handles very large amounts of interlinked data, different topics at once or mixed etc: the beginning of a platform to change how individuals (or mankind) manage knowledge overall. Future features involve much more than note-taking, but exploiting the internals for collaboration, anki-like repetition, to-do reminders, and more.
For current org-mode or evernote users: The app has export (& import) features to convert anything to (or from) an indented plain-text outline. The FAQs have links to a discussion of a more detailed comparison with org-mode that seemed somewhat well-received at the time (link is on this page which discusses evernote: http://onemodel.org/1/e-922337... ).

Feedback would be much appreciated. If one has any interest at all, I suggest signing up for the (~monthly?) announcements list, and participating in discussions on the general list, for suggestions & input on things going forward.

I use

[Cro Magnon]

My favorite is the iPhone Notes app, because it comes with my phone and it's always with me. If I'm sitting at my computer, I'm more likely to use Notepad. Ye olde paper & pen is by far the fastest, but I don't always have paper with me, and I tend to lose paper notes.

Re:Notepad

[lhowaf]

Yeah, when not using pad-and-pencil, using any plain-text editor means your notes are as portable as possible. Sync the files with SyncThing to almost any device and import the text into any word processor if you need to print.
Ascii text is editable on practically any o/s - and will be for the foreseeable future.

Apple Pencil

[friedmud]

Being a science/engineering PhD student I still take a LOT of handwritten notes.

Last year, when it was released, I snatched up the 12.9" iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil. It is truly AWESOME for taking notes!

I use a great app called "Notability" which syncs through iCloud (and backs up in PDF form to Dropbox) so my notes instantly show up on my phone and computers.

It's great in class... and maybe even better as a "lab notebook".

A long time ago when I was doing my masters I actually used one of the first Windows "convertible" tablets for all of my notes. It "worked" but wasn't nearly as nice of an experience as the Apple Pencil and iPad Pro. The Apple Pencil is incredibly accurate and the iPad Pro is essentially the same size as a regular sheet of paper. Really nice tools to work with!

Re:The real question...

[Cro Magnon]

I've been told that nobody has any interest in my thoughts.

Requirements

[irrational_design]

I'm trying to think of all of my requirements:

1. Easy to add a new note
2. Ability to categorize notes (put into notebooks)
3. There is a app on on all the devices I use (phone, tablet, desktop)
4. Synch happens automagically.
5. Ability to search across all notes and to search within one note.
6. Ability to link notes together like a wiki.
7. Ability to export all the notes in a non-binary format (zipped file containing text or html files).
8. Can work offline and then synch when there is an internet connection again.
9. Option to encrypt notes (either all notes or just certain notes).
10. Ability to use markdown syntax?

Re:Summary should have set requirements

[jbengt]

Obviously, syncing across multiple devices is important.

Not at all obvious to me.

$ ln -s /dev/null brain ; cat - brain

[hAckz0r]

Those little reel-to-reel tape recorders that auto destruct are hard to find these days, and this way I don't even have to eat the little piece of paper afterwards.