Hierarchical note-taking software

For sometime now that I've been hunting down for such software. I've found a few open source applications, that I started testing today... and have started with CherryTree. Below, you can find the list I gathered. It may be useful to others.

The Guide -http://theguide.sourceforge.net/
wikidPad -http://wikidpad.sourceforge.net/
Tobu -http://tobu.lightbird.net/
KeyNote NF -https://code.google.com/p/keynote-nf/
Zim -http://www.zim-wiki.org/
NeverNote -http://nevernote.sourceforge.net/
RedNotebook -http://rednotebook.sourceforge.net/
KeepNote -http://rasm.ods.org/keepnote/
cherrytree -http://www.giuspen.com/cherrytree/

I like these kind of software to help me writing notes, for my studies, in a hierarchical structure. It keeps things very clean.

The hard part is: Which one to take? Overall, they all have their uses. They all share the same basic uses. They all have their pros and cons, as any other software does. I'm testing CherryTree right now, and it does what I want - hierarchical notes; it allows to insert images, text style...

Why does it have to be this complicated to choose one?

I'm wondering if any one has ever come across any of these I mention here and what's been your experience over time?

 

From those I mentioned, I liked KeepNote and CherryTree. I found KeepNote a bit unresponsive, though.

RedNotebook is more like a diary or something like that.

Is anyone using Microsoft OneNote 2010? I do have Microsoft Office 2010, but I didn't install OneNote to save some space. I couldn't tell by looking at Microsoft website, and other places, if it structures our notes in a hierarchical way/tree view?

Subject1
----Subject1a
----Subject1b
Subject2
etc...

I've seen some screen shots, where it's all lined up, like:

Subject1
Subject1a
Subject1b
Subject2
etc...

This kinda sucks. Not sure if there's some option to have it in a tree view?

 

I suppose there's not. I've found a few people complaining over time in Microsoft's forums.

It's really shameful that we have to pay what we pay for Office, and yet it lacks some useful functionality. It's not like we pay $10 for it.

Some Microsoft developer did create an add-in for Office 2007, but unfortunately it won't work for Office 2010.

So, I suppose I'll have to stick with KeepNote or CherryTree.

 

I usually just use word and then i just tab

 

Nice tactic. lol

But, apparently, Microsoft OneNote does have the functionality, though.

-http://blogs.msdn.com/b/onenotetips/archive/2010/01/09/page-tabs-in-onenote-2010.aspx

I wonder why some people have complained about it in Microsoft forums. Maybe they wanted something else together, and I ended up confusing it.

I think I'm going to install OneNote. Let's see. I hope I won't regret it.

-edit-

By the way, do you use it?

 

OK. I installed it in a tests purpose sandbox, and I do like it! It allows section groups, for example.

It's actually the greatest note taking software it exists, be it for Windows or any other operating system. It's simply amazing!

I removed it for the time being, as I'll first create a sandbox dedicated to it. But, it's a keeper.

There's one gotcha, though. When naming sections, we cannot include certain characters, such as : & and a few others. They're illegal. OneNote must be making use of them. I did notice that, when I created a section group, after the name it appeared :.

That's the only down side I've found so far.

 

I'm using KeepNote in Kubuntu and for me it's very responsive. It's a very good software, IMHO.

I had never heard of Cherrytree before but will certainly test it. Thanks!

 

Most likely, it was because I ran it inside Sandboxie. CherryTree was very responsive, though. So is Microsoft OneNote.

You're welcome.

On a side note, OneNote scared the hell out of me! I had a few notes already, then I took a break and when I returned, it was all empty. Apparently, after a period of time without activity, it will close the notebook. I have to see if there's a setting I can change. But, it did scare me!

Another thing, that for some may be great and for others perhaps not, is that we don't have to always save our work, it will synchronize it. Any changes we do are automatically saved.

 

Microsoft OneNote is just getting better! It has a clipping tool! We can clip images right from the browser, etc, and it will be automatically placed where we want it.

Lovely!

 

My 2 favorites (extremely tight apps, which I have used extensively, for critical personal info, for ages):

Mempad
http://www.horstmuc.de/wmem.htm

Noteliner
http://www.noteliner.org/i/Main.html

 

tnx,

the choices are more limited on Linux.
i have tried a few and for me the best is Zim.

i started a thread here a few days ago about it:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=317552

i will have a look at Cherrytree, looks interesting.

 

What else have you tried? I like both KeepNote and Cherrytree better than Zim as they offer, e.g., more formatting options.

Yes, it is. I haven't decided yet if it will replace Keepnote on my system. One thing I'm missing in Cherrytree is a built-in screenshot capability.

 

On Linux:
TheBrain: requires Java, but very good.
WikiPad: could not even write text in it
Zim Wiki
RedNotebook: only 1 note per day, better used as a daily journal
Tom Boy: a good Wiki based notes app

i haven't tried KeepNotes or CherryTree because they're not part of the repository i use.
too complicated for me.
Zim is really simple and use the Wiki system, which i like.

i am not on Windows anymore but i've heard good things about ConnectedText.
---http://www.connectedtext.com/

 

i have been trying a lot of these apps lately.

i had a hard time to chose because i was looking for an hybrid between a note organizer and a PIM.

then i had the bright idea of looking through my drives, where i have a whole bunch of paid apps i don't use. lol

i re-installed Ultra Recall and this thing is precisely what i was looking for.
it has very robust import and capture features, tagging, custom field, hoisting, reminders, contact list.
the whole 9 yards.

they have a paid and free version.
it is also portable and quite small, at about 7 megs.
well worth a try, imo

here:
---http://www.kinook.com/UltraRecall/

 

Have a look at TreePad it comes both as freeware and shareware and it's quite nifty.

 

@moontan and newbino: Both UltraRecall and Treepad look nice but they are Windows applications They might run with Wine but I try to avoid that. I'm using Cherrytree right now.

 

GAOTD today

For someone interested to try:

Tree Notes 2.53 - GAOTD today.

 

found this thing:
http://www.zotero.org/

it's free, cross platform, and available as either standalone or as a Firefox addon.

bloody awesome!

 

Interesting! Thanks for sharing - I'm going to try it.

 

Minimalist, configurable, portable - this one gets my vote too!

 

Zotero was a little buggy on my end.

i've been trying a few of them today.
Keepnote seems to be working ok here and i thought the text formatting options were better than CherrryTree.