I wrote a while back here on Acts of Volition about software for taking notes, and how I wished I didn’t have to save my files all of the time (why aren’t they always saved?). As a result of the current state of software I end up having to save a bunch of notepad files when I have to reboot.
Our fine readership pointed out a slew of good suggestions (my favourite of which was to just have a permanent scratch.txt file that I can add to and save). Still, I felt the real problem hadn’t been solved. Until now. Oh, and only if you have a Mac.
Fine weblogger, Garrett Murray, of ManiacalRage.net, has created a new note-taking application for Mac OS X called xPad. It is small, fast, simple, and elegant. There is no “Save” function, because your text is aways saved. There is good multiple document handling, and the application makes nice use of native OS X controls and functionality.
I don’t use a mac as my primary computer, but I’m fortunate to have a CRT-iMac on the side of my desk for testing. Thanks to xPad, the iMac has become the machine I turn to when I need to take quick notes (especially phone messages).
xPad is only $10, there is a free demo to download, and I recommended it.
Oh, and for extra cool – my name is in the About screen!
xPad is very good – I tried it out for a while on a friend’s old G3 iBook.
Personally, I prefer Microsoft’s OneNote, which forms part of Office 2003. But then, I don’t use it just for “notes” – I use it for organising tasks, managing “resources” for reports (for example, links to references, quotables, etc.), and it lets me manage all of this in exactly the way I want.
I will conceed, however, that it costs substantially more than xPad, and is Windows only.
I remember hearing about OneNote a while back. Luckily, since I’m appealing to a niche market that doesn’t involve Windows, I don’t have to compete with that product in this case.
And yes, OneNote costs 20 times more than xPad (199 vs. 9.99). Then again, if you’re using Windows perhaps OneNote would be a viable alternative. At least for the price it offers a few more features (assigning tasks via Office).
Have you tried MacJournal yet?
Great features, great interface and great price (free) – and even includes a taco feature (built in quotes from Homer J. Simpson)!
I use VoodoPad ( http://www.flyingmeat.com/voodoopad.html ) for notes. I keep a Voodoo Pad always open, and type things into it as I learn them during the day. At the end of the day I export to HTML and upload. Then when I have misunderstood someone, they come over and correct me. 🙂
Here’s why I don’t use Outlook notes in the way you describe using notepad:
“The messaging interface has encountered an unknown error. This note will be closed without saving changes.”
Just happened to me, and not for the first time. Gee, I like Microsoft.