Note-taking Software for Unix? 107
donniejones18 asks: "I've been trying to find note-taking software for my university classes, work, etc. but all I can seem to discover is Windows-based software, such as OneNote or GoBinder. I would like to know what software Slashdot readers use for note-taking in Linux? If not, would anyone be interested in working together on this project? Ideally the software would support the insertion of PDFs, images, and other documents for handwritten annotation from a tablet PC, PDA or by mouse from a PC."
Comment removed (Score:3, Interesting)
It's been discussed before (Score:5, Informative)
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/21/21182
kids these days ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:1)
So what's wrong with those useful little coloured tags so thoughtfully provided by 3M?
OK, in my area (molecular biology) it is damn hard to find software of any kind that makes note-taking easy, since much of it involves diagrams which are much quicker when done with a pencil. Concentration spent on generating a diagram on a computer is far better spent on listening in the first place.
Some form of dictaphone might be useful, though; you could record lectures to your hard drive,
Re:kids these days ... (Score:1)
Just think: Okay we studied X around mid september. It's now late november... Did that before it... that before it. Oh! Did that after, *go back a few pages* ah, there we go
Re:kids these days ... (Score:2)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:1)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:2)
As far as replication goes, photocopies and scanners work just fine. What's the problem?
Re:kids these days ... (Score:2)
I dunno about you, but I took a hell of a lot more than a 3-ring binder full of notes in college, and I still go back and search them from time to time.
I found vi + TeX + a custom tag generator to be sufficient, but something a little less rudimentary could be interesting.
Re:kids these days ... (Score:1)
a 3-ring binder also has a tree cost.
Re:kids these days ... (Score:1)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:2)
Re:kids these days ... (Score:2)
Use Openoffice, note software is limited (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Use Openoffice, note software is limited (Score:2)
Re:Use Openoffice, note software is limited (Score:1)
When it comes to notes:
KNotes + Ximian Evelution + MultiSync with my cellphone.
Works great, but I still do like paper organisers.
Re:Use Openoffice, note software is limited (Score:1)
Re:Use Openoffice, note software is limited (Score:2)
Re:Use Openoffice, note software is limited (Score:2)
LaTeX (Score:2, Interesting)
Makes for readable notes when I have to go back to them.
It's called a text file (Score:5, Insightful)
Use tools such as mv(1), mkdir(1) , ln(1) and grep to organize,
Re:OT: NOTE TO MODS (Score:3, Informative)
He mentioned mkdir and ln as a way to organize stuff, and insert multi-media, or any kind of elements.
Vim can conveniently be used as a file browser, try:
(that's an uppercase S), then walk around with cursor keys, use enter to edit a file or enter a directory.
Use
for more info.
Re:OT: NOTE TO MODS (Score:2)
What???
VIM is as freaky as that old DOS game Loom.
Who is to know what wonders lie beneath every single combination of possible keystrokes.
Sam
Re:OT: NOTE TO MODS (Score:1)
Re:OT: NOTE TO MODS (Score:2)
I'd mod +1 Insightful (Score:5, Insightful)
43 folders just ran an article about making one big text file [43folders.com], which followed up on an O'Reilly post [oreillynet.com] on the same topic. Bottom line is that one thing all productive geeks share is that they stay organized by just adding stuff to a plain text file. It is a good life hack [craphound.com], which is intrinsically cross-platform & easy to use & small.
Re:I'd mod +1 Insightful (Score:2)
vim vs. wiki (Score:2)
(As I mentioned on that 43 folders page) vim's folding support and markers do let you keep things organized well enough. I still find the search tools for plaintext files are still faster and more useful than wiki searches (not only do you have the highlighting and ability to jump to the next
Re:It's called a text file (Score:2, Interesting)
Whilst I can understand the wish to store images and handwritten annotations, it'll be difficult to search for the idea that you were trying to get down with the annotation. Long-term, it'd be easier to store images as files, and annotate them in separate text files. Convert PDF files to text (having access to the source of pdftotext helps here!). Email is mostly text anyway...
It's easy to cross-reference from one file to another (and
Re:It's called a text file (Score:2)
I used vi for note-taking. When studying for the Bar, I could easily grep all of the files in my class directory structure to find quick specific information wherever it resided.
I also used a few specific key character combinations in my notes all the way through school so that I could search for certain kinds of information (indicating items I expected to see on exams, good quotes from professors, references to books I'd like to read, that kind of thing). As long as you have a met
Re:It's called a text file (Score:2)
But those note taking apps are useful only if you dont have graphics or maths.. otherwise it becomes hell.. I still haven't seen a single good one for that.. during my first year in engineering school I wanted to try writing one.. but I never found the good idea/motivation...
But Why?!? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:But Why?!? (Score:2)
Re:But Why?!? (Score:1)
Pretty much in most of classes which are not PowerPoint slides based. Update text notes, update graphs and sketches almost in parallel and try to pay attention in the mean time. This is why I think paper notebooks have long lasting future.
emacs anyone ? (Score:2)
--- Remember boys and girls --- emacs is a pretty good OS, if only it had a decent text editor
Re:emacs anyone ? (Score:2)
I used to take biology notes in high school using emacs on my old laptop. Don't go thinking I was one of those posh students who flaunted technology, but rather the laptop was old even at the time, which I bought used and refurbished at a discount from a computer repair facility. I used it because note-taking was a problem for me and, even at that age, I could type several times faster than I could write.
The machine was only barely powerful enough to run linux, but I practically lived in emac
Emacs is for wussie programmers (Score:1, Flamebait)
THINK ONCE, THINK TWICE, THINK DON'T PUKE IN THE DATACENTER.
Re:emacs anyone ? (Score:1)
Re:emacs anyone ? (Score:2)
I used Xemacs because for a while, Xemacs would run in both console and X in the same instance, unlike emacs. Thus my laptop could run in console only, and open gui sesions in X on my desktop. Handy, and kept my laptop usable much longer that otherwise posible.
Re:emacs anyone ? (Score:1)
Just in case you are interested:
http://lorentey.hu/project/emacs.html.en [lorentey.hu]
Re:emacs anyone ? (Score:1)
You mean TECO [cbbrowne.com]?:-D
Er... (Score:1, Insightful)
When I was an undergrad, the profs were just starting to make their lecture slides available before or after the lecture. Then again, I always read the book ahead of time (not all at once, mind you), so the lectures were "additi
Perhaps a solution? (Score:1)
Maybe you can split the difference between Computer and Paper... I haven't used this product, but I had come across it a while back.
http://www.acecad.com.tw/digimemo/dm-a501.htm [acecad.com.tw]
It allows you to write on regular paper. The problem with this: I think the software is Windows based. I did however find a freshmeat project
http://freshmeat.net/projects/digimemoa501converte r/ [freshmeat.net]
to convert the files to UNIX, so maybe that will work.
This would allow you to have both a paper copy, ease of 'data' entry, a
Re:Er... (Score:5, Insightful)
Precisely. If you want to do well, reading the relevant chapters before lecture is key. Take notes while reading the textbook (I only use this as an aid to concentration, but it can be very useful if your professor follows the textbook closely) and do the problems. Go to lecture with a decent understanding of the material. The notes you take should only be a rough outline to refresh your memory, plus details about difficult concepts.
Taking copious, multimedia notes seems like a waste of time to me. Anyway, that's just my strategy; I'm sure it won't work for everyone.
Re:Er... (Score:3, Insightful)
However, I gave up after that year because it was impossible to draw little diagrams and such. I just improved my penmanship. Tablet PC's never excited me for a few reasons - m
Re:Er... (Score:2)
Write Graffiti with pen and paper. I've found it's faster to write than handwriting and much easier to read afterwards.
Re:Er... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Er... (Score:1)
View your mind (Score:1)
Re:Pen & Paper (Score:1)
Re:Pen & Paper (Score:2)
notecase is nice (Score:4, Informative)
especially the tree view on the left.
Also if you dual boot, then you can use the same dat file.
Freemind... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Freemind... (question) (Score:1)
Re:Freemind... (Score:2)
I have periodically tried various methods, but (both Windows and Linux) I now just have a QuickNotes folder with a link from the Panel/Taskbar (little known is the fact that you can drag a folder to the taskbar
i don't have a real answer...but (Score:2)
Re:i don't have a real answer...but (Score:2)
Re:i don't have a real answer...but (Score:2)
Re:i don't have a real answer...but (Score:1)
Because it's overkill in real life. Most "note type" information in the real world is quick random bits of info that may or may not have any connection and no easy way of writing it down without small diagrams or lines connecting things. In every situation in my job where I have had to take notes (meetings, interviewing clients, etc.), anything more than a pen and a pad would have been a waste of resources an
Re:i don't have a real answer...but (Score:2)
I personally am not much of a note taker (unless I need to write/type specific things down). The reason is you are right....much notes are not too important. Sometimes it is. If it's important, I write it down. If not, I don't. I know many people who madly write everything on the chalkboard/whiteboard and 90 percent of what is said. The thing is some things in clas
Re:i don't have a real answer...but (Score:1)
Random in the sense that the information comes in no particular order. For example, I usually have an outline and a general script for how I want interviews with client to go. In reality, the client is going to talk about all sorts of things in a different order, but I still need that information. What I find myself doing now is taking down notes in random order straigh
Not just for school chums (Score:1)
I build and maintain networks, and whatever else happens to need doing network or computer wise. I don't do the same thing day in, day out. A good part of my working hours are spent just-in-time learning, so I can finish the job at hand. And tomorrow, it'll be something else. Notes for me are a necessity.
As such, my laptop goes where ever I go. It's also been my experience that paper does
LyX (Score:4, Informative)
Wiki? (Score:3, Insightful)
I personally use roWiki [rowlff.de], mainly because it's easy for me to hack new features onto.
EverNote (Score:1)
I have been trying to convince our management to pursue a *nix version, but we haven't so far - siting low demand.
I suppose that someone inclined enough to use it on Linux can work with the XML exports and a little XSL.
Any takers?
GTDTiddlyWiki (Score:1)
http://shared.snapgrid.com/gtd_tiddlywiki.html#Rev isionHistory [snapgrid.com]
It actually a small webapp that u can use your browser to open with but that's the point because I always has my browser open anyways.
You can add and remove tasks as editing and change information very quickly in one pape.
Check it out.
tomboy (Score:2)
Look for a "Computerized screen to write on" (Score:3, Insightful)
Some of you guys (and gals!) in computer science (prob most of the audience here) might find it practical to type away on a laptop. Or you don't have to worry much about "keywords", thus the pen and paper.
I'm in 4th year in a Liberal Arts program - and I know of several business, communications and other majors as well that are dying for a better digital notetaking alternative. Since I have a nice desktop system (iMac G5) a laptop is not practical and affordable used ones are either missing things (ethernet), are in need of replacement parts (old HDD), or I don't feel like lugging it around on the bus back from university. And there's no warranty. Overall, though, I don't mind useing a note-pad like program to type in notes.
I'd like to know if there is a small monochrome display that you can simply write-on that will save all your notes. I've thought of scanning in all my notes but its too tedious. (Please don't suggest an etch-a-sketch, I've already thought of it
Someone's mentionned the Ace Cad (http://www.acecad.com.tw/eng/application.htm [acecad.com.tw]) notepad. To me, the usefullness of this thing is self-defeating. 1) You need special ink and finding it is hard; 2) You still end up wasting paper; 3) it only works on Windows; 4) You can't easily clean up the file digitally afterwards; 5) its $150 CAN. I do like the fact it uses Flash memory as storage. But it loses some of its appeal.
IMO, Microsoft missed the boat on the Tablet PCs. If they had lowered the system requirements (I'm sure they could have
A PDA isn't a half-bad idea with a keyboard attached I supposed.Any other suggestions?
Re:Look for a "Computerized screen to write on" (Score:3, Insightful)
You mean an Apple Newton?
One Note eh? (Score:1, Redundant)
Brilliant.
There have actually been several great inventions since Unix - one of them is called Paper. Sometimes, it's just the "Best tool for the Job"tm
I'm just messing with ya...
Tomboy kicks ass (Score:1)
Check out Tomboy [1] if you use GNOME, or don't mind pulling in a million dependencies for a simple note-taking app.
[1] http://www.beatniksoftware.com/tomboy/ [beatniksoftware.com]
Freemind (Score:4, Interesting)
More and more, I use it in preference to Powerpoint for presentations. Being able to drill down on points while retaining the context of other points onscreen, is a really powerful way to keep audiences interested, and also lets you change tack mid-presentation if you've misjudged the prior knowledge of your audience.
Free, rock solid, export to XML, link to other documents and Web sites, simple interface that stays out of the way. What more could you want?
Re:Freemind (Score:2)
I believe you can also embed it in Web pages, which is probably useful to somebody but not yet to me.
Ecco on wine (Score:2)
I know of some people who have already gotten it working via wine.
Have not tried myself as I do not hack in linux and am tied to my windoze box:
http://www.thenakedpc.com/dan/pims/ecco.html [thenakedpc.com]
Regarding NoteTaker types, single panel outliners are the only way to play. I have always found the common multi-pane outliners to be too
FreeNoteQT (Score:1)
I have the best solution... (Score:2)
use a Wiki ? (Score:2, Interesting)
There are many different wiki sistems, from very simple, to very very extensive. Im sure yu can find soemthing you like. Take your pick here http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiEngines [c2.com]
Many will have plugins to draw simple diagrams, can attach files etc.
The one I use extensively is TWiki : http://twiki.org/ [twiki.org]
Both for note taking and group collaboration in my university department.
I used to use a Palm OS device (Score:1)
But once I got into upper level classes, I found that the my notes needed a level of organization that was much easier to enforce with pencil and paper. When taking notes, I would put the date in the left margin along with key words to use as something of an index. I used the equivalent of a
You dorks don't get it. Again! (Score:2, Informative)
All of the above recommendations clearly illustrate a common problem with a lot of Linux users. It seems that although they are quick to deride Microsoft and their software, they don't actually have the slightest clue what the software is or what it can do. Certainly they have never actually used the software so they are completely unqualified to make ANY stat
Re:You dorks don't get it. Again! (Score:1)
basket for kde (Score:2)
it really is great and exactly what your looking for.
Emacs/XEmacs outline mode (Score:2)
Use Emacs or XEmacs in outline mode. If you want fancier output, use consistent markup (either homebrew or something like markdown [daringfireball.net]) and write a script to convert it to your preferred fancy format (e.g. LaTeX or HTML).
If you're writing down math lectures, learn LaTeX and use it to jot down equations.
Easy!
(Well, to say, anyway--I've never tried it. But you can't go wrong with a text file and a scripting language.)
note taking (Score:1)
Notes can be more than just text (Score:2)
Here're two projects inspired by Microsoft Journal:
http://freshmeat.net/projects/jarnal/ [freshmeat.net]
http://www.adebenham.com/gournal/ [adebenham.com]
Depending on your needs, you might find a drawing program of use --- I use Futurewave SmartSketch (old PenPoint program ported to Mac OS and Windows which morphed into Flash) on my Stylistic 2300
So look at
http://www.cenon.info/ [cenon.info]
or use GIMP for bitmaps
If you do a lot of math, you may find the Freehand Formula Entr
Re:Hi. Linux is not Unix. (Score:1)