Comments on: Taking Notes

Question: Taking Notes

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 17:33:38 -0800

It's embarrassing but a real need: Is there a simple one-click way, freely downloadable or hidden somewhere, to keep a permanent notebook while surfing and writing? I'm on an imac with OS X/Safari. [More inside.]

I'm afraid that, apart from one-time-only cut & save, I still have to jot down my comments in a little notebook I keep next to the keyboard. What I'd like is something I could click which would keep all my cuttings, addresses and thoughts. Thanks beforehand for any suggestions and explanations.

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 17:39:33 -0800

Stickies? Or do you need something more organized?

By: amberglow

amberglow — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 17:42:23 -0800

Do you know you can type in anywhere, then highlight it, hold down the apple key and just drag it all to the desktop? I keep all sorts of notes and things there.

By: blindcarboncopy

blindcarboncopy — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 17:52:34 -0800

This is not the answer you are looking for at all, but Microsoft OneNote (a part of Office 2003) does exactly that (and more), and has totally changed my computer use patterns. It's the first piece of software to do so since I got introduced to the concept of a web browser.

Disclaimer: I work for Microsoft.

By: anathema

anathema — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 18:01:55 -0800

StickyBrain is great. Through a contextual menu you can save anything you select in any app and StickyBrain will automatically tag it with the URL where you pulled it or other info if it's not from a website. I use it for exactly the purposes you need it for, Miguel. You can also get it free if you are a .mac member although it is no linger listed as a freebie at .mac, it actually still is free.

By: bonaldi

bonaldi — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 18:20:43 -0800

Try this migs, it sounds like it can do what you want. It also has a Services menu item, so can take text from any application.

PS: Ignore the screenshot on the download page. If you turn off toolbars and some of the more esoteric stuff, you've basically got Mail.app for storing notes. The interface is slightly funky in places - there are some tiny icons that sit in the status bar and that don't have clearly defined roles, but the developer likes 'em that way (I asked him).

By: willnot

willnot — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 18:28:34 -0800

OS X comes with something called TextEdit. It's in your Applications folder. Save a file called notebook, and type away. There are lots more programs with lots more functionality like tabs and cross linking, but if you just want someplace to put notes, that'll do it for you.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 18:58:05 -0800

I've heard good things about Omni Group's Omni Outliner.

By: hyperizer

hyperizer — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 18:58:22 -0800

If you want to get really tricky, set up a wiki, then keep it open in a tab.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 19:19:37 -0800

As far as I'm concerned, Notational Velocity is a reason to switch to Mac. Since you're already on a Mac, you're in luck. It's free.

By: tcaleb

tcaleb — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 19:21:36 -0800

I second the vote for Notational Velocity. It is the biggity bong.

By: mcwetboy

mcwetboy — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 19:27:19 -0800

MacJournal is another option. I used it for general note-taking on my last Mac. (Haven't set it up yet on the new one.)

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 19:33:48 -0800

I use Project Builder which comes with the Developer Tools. It's meant for coding, but it organizes notes quite well. Just a little copy and paste magic. More about using it this way here.

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 19:40:40 -0800

You can also get it free if you are a .mac member although it is no linger listed as a freebie at .mac, it actually still is free.

How?

By: anathema

anathema — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 20:38:42 -0800

Looks like I spoke too soon, Mo. Sorry. For a while after StickyBrain was removed from the .mac page if you clicked on the other Chronos deal (F10 Launch Studio) on .mac it would bring you to a page where StickyBrain was still available for free.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:06:41 -0800

I'm sorry, but I remain baffled. I downloaded everything suggested (many, many thanks!) but all the solutions imply what I would call an "interruptive energy", cutting the flow and asking for titles and stuff.

I guess what I wanted (the equivalent of a permanently available infinite page which would automatically register and accumulate the comments I'd jot down) doesn't exist.

Perhaps a notebook next to the keyboard is best? At least you can refer to it and get everything in its proper order?

Though I have to confess I couldn't really understand how Stickies or Text Edit work - they keep asking me to organize stuff, when all I wanted was a continous "sheet", with no organizing or fuss.

I'm sorry if this sounds deranged... ;)

By: BlueTrain

BlueTrain — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:18:13 -0800

Miguel, why not simply open a Word document that fits as a sidebar on your desktop? Create the document in such a fashion that its page attributes fit perfectly with a 3 inch wide bar on the side of your screen. That way it never disappears, never becomes covered (because you'll fit the rest of your program windows to sit next to it), and you can save it at anytime. Plus you'll have the access of Word formatting and easy manipulation should you choose to print/paste later.

By: kickingtheground

kickingtheground — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:25:26 -0800

Sorry, Miguel, but it looks like your best hope is to wait for Opera 7/Mac to be finally released (or to just keep a normal text editor open, as has been suggested). [And yes, I never miss an opportunity to plug Opera.]

By: rorycberger

rorycberger — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:32:34 -0800

I'd like to second the vote for TextEdit, I almost always have a "notes" document open, and use it for everything from funny quotations to jotting down phone numbers to writing reminders for myself (knowing i look at the doc often). Not sure what organizational issues you are talking about, you just create a file and it works exactly like an endless page.

[on preview: BlueTrain has the idea, i just use textedit because i find it less cluttery than word for plain text notes]

By: boogah

boogah — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 22:50:22 -0800

i just organize notes in a text file, but unlike the people who use textpad my editor of choice is subethaedit.

i do understand that xpad is pretty handy, but i haven't had a lot of time to play with it.

By: timyang

timyang — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 00:59:16 -0800

Miguel, if you are willing to switch to Firefox Mozilla, they have an extension called Quicknote that lets you click and paste into a side panel.

By: taz

taz — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 02:18:25 -0800

I am with others who are a bit confused about what you want, Miguel, that having any plain text editor open while you are browsing won't do... But I will point out VoodooPad (which looks megacool), for anyone else interested in this question. (Also note that there is "VoodooPad Lite" for free.)

If you did decide you wanted to try this, I bet you could get one of your smartypants MeFi Mac pals to help you with the installation...

On the other hand, if the point is that you don't want to bothered with saving the file every time you add a note, you may want to look at xPad.

By: blueshammer

blueshammer — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 05:11:57 -0800

StickyBrain

By: amberglow

amberglow — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 05:18:49 -0800

You can also have a text document (or any document) open automatically each time you start up, Miguel:

(from Mac Help) Open System Preferences and click Login Items. Click Add then select an application or document. Drag items in the list to change the order in which they open.

By: vraxoin

vraxoin — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 06:16:47 -0800

By: tenseone

tenseone — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 07:08:59 -0800

I use xPad, Miguel, and I have a feeling you will too.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 07:48:28 -0800

Stickies, stickies, stickies. Migs- just create one long sticky along the side of your monitor. It automatically saves itself, and preserves state across reboots.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 08:19:17 -0800

Yeah, stickies might be the easiest. There's even a Service menu item so that you can select text and shuttle it directly to a new sticky (cmd-shift-Y) from any compliant app.

By: matteo

matteo — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 10:52:53 -0800

Notational Velocity is great! thanks dobbs, thanks tcaleb

By: dobbs

dobbs — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 11:04:33 -0800

No prob matteo. I think it's really easy to dismiss at first but to me, it's a dream. Glad you like it. I looked for years on Windows for something like this with no luck.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 13:00:19 -0800

Wow, thanks!

Although I now have so many notebooks that it's like a whole new Internet spreading across my screen and having to decide between them is really cutting into my spontaneity. Nah, I'm trying out several of the nifty solutions suggested and am sure one will be ideal. ;)

By: dg

dg — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 14:42:17 -0800

Similar products for Windows users?
I use tsDesk, which I found out about here. It works extremely well, but the link to it seems to now be unavailable :-(

By: muckster

muckster — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 23:21:31 -0800

For Windows, there's The Brain.