*** Initially, I posted this message in the Welcome folder. Since the subject is very specific, I copied it in a new folder
CHF
***

Hi:
If you like challenges, I have one for you:

As a law student, I am managing information coming from three sources: class notes, briefed (summarized) cases, and outside study aids. These data must be cross-linked and organized in a hierarchical yet flexible way - and summarized in the form of an outline.

I would like to use a Note-taking/Outlining/Document Management/Database software (or a combination thereof) to efficiently manage this process. I've tried to find a solution myslelf but soon was overwhelmed. I have now more questions than answers. Sound familiar?

Here is the challenge:

- I work with the Window XP OS and Wordperfect Office 2002 Pro.

- The class notes are the collection of daily notes taken during each class. They have no pre-set internal organization or fields beyond: date, subject, and class. The content of the note must be searchable. I would like also to be able to link a class note to the outline (hyperlink, attachment, etc).

- All cases are briefed (summarized) following the same pattern or fields: Name, casebook source and page, class, subject, court, date, holding, fact, etc. The fields are identical for each case. The cases should be retrievable by subject, class, or keywords. I would like to be able to link an individual case to the outline (hyperlink, attachment, etc).

- the outline shall be compatible with Wordperfect, allow hyperlink and/or attachment of files for easy retrieval of source document, etc.

- Finally, the class notes, cases and outline shall be opened at the same time in three different panes or windows.

I was thinking to use a two or three pane outliner/PIM. But to date, I could not find one that meets my requirements.

TakeNote! is interesting with its split window function but its database capacity is very weak (only three fields: source, name, category) and it does not allow hyperlink/attachment.

So, one option would be to make the outline with an outliner, and use some sort of database for the cases and Class notes (or a wordprocessor).

I like NoteMap as an outliner. With NoteMap, I can attached files to my outline, hoist the relevent part, marked notes, etc. But then, I must find a way to organize class notes and cases in a format that would allow me to attach individual note / case to the outlines.

Here are my questions:

1- Is there on the market an Outliner / PIM with outline, database, and wordprocessor capability that meets my requirements?

2- If not, which database would allow me to create an hyperlink to an individual note?

Thank you in advance for your help. Charles Fournier

Assuming you don't mind a bit of programming, you might like to look at MindManager Pro X5, which has a Visual Basic compatible scripting language that lets you make shapes that connect to external applications (like, for instance, a database or word processor).

So you'd use some database to do the case notes, and then use shapes/topics that link to the database in MindManager.

You can get a free trial version of MindManager from mindjet.com. Looks pretty nice.

There are 3rd-party vendors of these "smart map parts" as well.

The demo comes with some samples, including files, directories, news feeds, MS Outlook(appointment,contact,note), and web search. Looks like you could make your own too.

I'm an attorney who has been to law school in the last decade, so I know something of the demands.

You strong outlining and data base capabilities, with both internal and external linking. This makes your choice easy, because there are few Windows programs that fit. There are some excellent databases and a few decent outliners, but the intersect is really limited to two programs, Microsoft OneNote and ADM. OneNote does not (yet)have internal hyperlinks, and its outliner is barely adequate. If I were doing law school today, I'd go with ADM. (www.adm21.com)

You really should have version 3 of adm, which is still in beta, although a final release is ready. You can ask the developer, Eric Sommer, if he'll let you demo version 3, which has columns and other metadata support lacking in version 2.

You can link Word Perfect docs to adm (I think), but you won't get all of the advantages you would have with Word 2003. I'd say it's time to make the switch. Although the law market for word processors is pretty evenly divided, that won't remain the true for long, as Word Perfect falls further behind. As one who has always relied on outlining, I have long felt Word Perfect's greatest weakness--the one feature in Word it cannot apparently emulate--is the absence of an outline _view_ of a regular document. Today it is mostly the older dinosaurs who are stuck on Word Perfect. The rest of us use Word.

Let us know what you decide and how it works out.

srdiamond