Recommend a free online notepad

May 7, 2007 10:09 AM

Free online application for storing quick ideas, notes, websites, etc--like post-it notes on your moniter, only digital and easily organized and searched. Currently I'm trying out Helipad, but what do you use? More functionality needs inside.

Over the course of a day I have lots of little things I write down. To-dos, websites I want to visit, ideas to research over the next couple of weeks, recipes to try. Writing things down on slips of paper creates a mess. Up until now I used Gmail, but it's all too easy to forget about them after a million emails to myself with "" in the header I'm realizing this really isn't a solution.

I want an online notepad. Nothing that requires downloading a program or installing an extension in case I'm using a public computer. It should be able to store multiple, editable notes, I should be able to search through it, and the notes should be easy to organize. Tags are good, but the possibility of categories would be great too to enhance browsability--that way interesting/important notes and/or categories can jog my memory if I'm looking for a different note.

Most importantly, it must be simple and easy to use, otherwise I'll slip back into old habits and keep using Gmail.

I've tried Remember the Milk and Backpack. I found Helipad recently and it's good, but I can't shake that in this GTD-obsessed world there might be something even better. What are your suggestions?

posted by schroedinger to computers & internet (18 answers total)

Have you looked at a wiki like pbwiki?
posted by AaRdVarK at 10:16 AM on May 7, 2007

Have you tried Google Notebook?
posted by DrSkrud at 10:17 AM on May 7, 2007

there's of course google docs, which you can already access with your google account. should normally have a handy link from youor gmail account too. should meet all your reqs
posted by poppo at 10:17 AM on May 7, 2007

Just to be clear I'm pretty sure Google docs is different than Google Notebook
posted by poppo at 10:20 AM on May 7, 2007

Sounds like you're describing google notebook.
posted by drezdn at 10:36 AM on May 7, 2007

And poppo is right, google docs and notebook are separate things.
posted by drezdn at 10:36 AM on May 7, 2007

Seconding Google Docs; it allows for tagging. There's also wikidPad, which is a bit more powerful.
posted by youarenothere at 10:50 AM on May 7, 2007

There are server side versions of TiddlyWiki that might fit your needs if you have the means to host it. TiddlyWiki itself is incredibly flexible for the sort of things you describe.

Server Side Wiki looks like they'll host it for you, but I've never used it personally.
posted by Gary at 10:51 AM on May 7, 2007

Microsoft OneNote 2007 ?
From What I saw and tried so far.. nothing else seems to come close....
posted by curiousleo at 10:57 AM on May 7, 2007

I'd give Stikkit a try - tags, post-its, and you can take a post-it from any webpage with a bookmarklet.
posted by mikeyk at 11:49 AM on May 7, 2007

A few months ago I would have been frothing at the mouth telling you to use Backpack, but I've started souring on it due to 37signals' seeming abandonment of it and its bugs.

It definitely sounds like Google Notebook is what you want.
posted by dmd at 1:01 PM on May 7, 2007

Maybe one of these will be helpful to you:
Diigo
Notefish
Nutshell
Fleck
MyStickies
TxtSaver
Posticky
Tagfacts
Goodnotes
Tiddlywiki
posted by mattbucher at 3:09 PM on May 7, 2007

Google Notebook is actually out of beta, which is another plus point.
posted by teleskiving at 4:36 PM on May 7, 2007

I love Google Notebook. And since you say you're into the GTD thing, Lifehacker has a post last week on how to use the GTD philosophy with Google Notebook. It's here: http://www.lifehacker.com/software/geek-to-live/getting-things-done-with-google-notebook-256844.php
posted by Alt F4 at 5:51 PM on May 7, 2007

*had*, of course.
posted by Alt F4 at 5:54 PM on May 7, 2007

Don't forget to actually do the things on your lists. I know I'm prone to spending *way* too much time fiddling with my to-do list system, time that should have been spent actually accomplishing things.

Re-entering a todolist from Gmail to Basecamp is not a 'value-added' activity. Try to spend as little time as possible on it.
posted by JDHarper at 7:13 PM on May 7, 2007

I use Evernote.

It's free, searchable, allows for lists, notes, etc. My only gripe is I wish I could get it for my Blackberry.
posted by MrToad at 8:59 AM on May 8, 2007

i do this with protopage. you add todo lists and notes (and a lot of other things too) from the widgets on the side.
posted by mirileh at 9:20 AM on May 8, 2007