Interesting new software with really bad name
Posted by zeoli
on 9/30/2004
zeoli
9/30/2004 6:57 pm
Hi, all,
I just discovered a new program that is very interesting. It is called Miss Lonely Notes... yuck! But it is quite unique. It uses an index card metaphore in combination with an outline. So, you can create decks of index cards at each subject level, and nest these subjects. Also, you can categorize each card, so you can have a cross-subject association between cards. The categorizing feature allows for color-coding of the cards for visual identification. You can also "flag" cards, which seems to be a way to further categorize your cards. The editor does not allow for text formatting, which is a drawback. The intention is that you will draft your piece in MLN and then export to a wordprocessor... which seems to work pretty well. You can export as a document or in outline format. For some reason, the outline export is only available in TXT format, while the document export is in RTF.
This seems to be a very interesting writing environment, not a datastorage and retrieval program. It has two modes: fiction mode, which provides a tool for plots and character tracking (I think), and non-fiction, which has a reference tool.
Definitely worth a look, and it is only $29. URL www.mindola.com.
Steve Z.
I just discovered a new program that is very interesting. It is called Miss Lonely Notes... yuck! But it is quite unique. It uses an index card metaphore in combination with an outline. So, you can create decks of index cards at each subject level, and nest these subjects. Also, you can categorize each card, so you can have a cross-subject association between cards. The categorizing feature allows for color-coding of the cards for visual identification. You can also "flag" cards, which seems to be a way to further categorize your cards. The editor does not allow for text formatting, which is a drawback. The intention is that you will draft your piece in MLN and then export to a wordprocessor... which seems to work pretty well. You can export as a document or in outline format. For some reason, the outline export is only available in TXT format, while the document export is in RTF.
This seems to be a very interesting writing environment, not a datastorage and retrieval program. It has two modes: fiction mode, which provides a tool for plots and character tracking (I think), and non-fiction, which has a reference tool.
Definitely worth a look, and it is only $29. URL www.mindola.com.
Steve Z.
jonathan.probber
10/2/2004 4:51 pm
Stev Z. -
You're right. This is really intriguing software, mixing index card and outlining metaphors. I'll probably make thr buy. Thanks for the heads-up!
JP
You're right. This is really intriguing software, mixing index card and outlining metaphors. I'll probably make thr buy. Thanks for the heads-up!
JP
srdiamond15
10/5/2004 4:47 pm
Steve,
Have you compared this program to ndx Cards (www.ndxcards.com)? The advantage I see in the latter are a) A much better name. You could actually maybe publicly admit to using it; b) It allows some formatting; and c) Numerous cards can be open at once ("pinned to the desktop").
Lonely Notes might provide greater ability to manipulate the cards, besides using the outline. I haven't investigated this yet, but if that's right, Lonely Notes might be something of a cross between ndx Cards and Writers Blocks, a much more expensive program.
The outliners in both are pretty primitive, but the next release of ndx Cards, now due in October, will contain an upgrade to the outliner.
Ndx cards also has two modes, different in substance. They are Academic and Professional, and only the Academic is a pure writing environment.
I'd be interested in your comparative impressions. Also in what you think the developer might mean by "writing without the games."
Have you compared this program to ndx Cards (www.ndxcards.com)? The advantage I see in the latter are a) A much better name. You could actually maybe publicly admit to using it; b) It allows some formatting; and c) Numerous cards can be open at once ("pinned to the desktop").
Lonely Notes might provide greater ability to manipulate the cards, besides using the outline. I haven't investigated this yet, but if that's right, Lonely Notes might be something of a cross between ndx Cards and Writers Blocks, a much more expensive program.
The outliners in both are pretty primitive, but the next release of ndx Cards, now due in October, will contain an upgrade to the outliner.
Ndx cards also has two modes, different in substance. They are Academic and Professional, and only the Academic is a pure writing environment.
I'd be interested in your comparative impressions. Also in what you think the developer might mean by "writing without the games."