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A ramble about various note-taking applications
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Posted by Christoph
Jun 13, 2023 at 10:07 PM
Some more really good ones that should be mentioned in this context:
- https://acreom.com/
- https://joplinapp.org/
- https://standardnotes.com/
- https://www.zettlr.com/
Posted by Dormouse
Jun 13, 2023 at 10:23 PM
I think SiYuan ought to be added to the list. iirc it started off like Obsidian with md notes, but switched to a database which makes it easier for it to support blocks. Local file (unless you are in mainland China and choose to subscribe to its sync), open source but most of its community support is in Chinese (developers happy to respond to queries in English). Cross-platform including mobile. Some nice usability touches. Pretty complete but still developing - the roadmap includes a whiteboard. I put it in the same category as Upnote and Walling as being programs I like but don’t actively use much.
The program I use most is Tangent Notes. Works on top of md files like Obsidian - and can be used on same folders as Obsidian. Fewer features, no plugins but can always use Obsidian if required, but enhances productivity.
Until it came up with Canvas I had virtually stopped using Obsidian (the inability to make Enter produce a new paragraph in one keypress being a productivity killer), but I find the whiteboard notes apps the most compelling format for a large chunk of my work. I also have subscriptions to Heptabase and Scrintal. Originally I found Scrintal the most comfortable workflow, but have come round to thinking that Heptabase is better designed and more productive. I don’t actively use Scrintal atm, but do actively use Heptabase - though only for working with sources. Although it is ostensibly much simpler, I find Canvas has most of the essential features I need (neither of the others do) and the workflows are smoother and integrate better with md files. Heptabase is local (unless you choose web sync) and does local daily backups of notes and whiteboards into md and json files. It does however produce some syntax incompatibility - for instance, tags aren’t #tags and, even when #tags are written inline, it escapes the # when exporting.
Posted by MadaboutDana
Jun 14, 2023 at 01:31 PM
There’s an increasing carry-over between note-taking apps and online collaboration apps, many of which are ideal for use as notetakers (especially those with downloadable mobile and even desktop apps). Should we make a list of those, too? (One has already been mentioned: Notejoy)
Posted by satis
Jun 14, 2023 at 02:39 PM
There’s a free MWeb Mac app
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mweb-markdown-note-taking/id1183407767 (or download from the dev’s site)
with in-app-purchase to make it Pro (or you can buy the separate MWP app) so you can use a limited form of the app and decide if it’s right for you. Not sure if there’s a free iOS version though.
The tweakability of text entry is fantastic and makes for a really comfortable writing experience
https://share.getcloudapp.com/5zuOJnpX
as is the ease of custom theming
https://share.getcloudapp.com/8LuYw9R8
Dellu wrote:
Thank you for bringing Mweb Pro to attention. I didn’t know that this
>app has a menu bar. I have been looking for sth like that.
>I have been using FoldingText for years to jot down my (daily) logs. I
>like to keep those in a single file.
>The menu bar of MWeb seems even better for the job because it can float
>over other apps.
Posted by Dellu
Jun 14, 2023 at 04:33 PM
satis wrote:
There’s a free MWeb Mac app
>
>https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mweb-markdown-note-taking/id1183407767 (or
>download from the dev’s site)
>
>with in-app-purchase to make it Pro (or you can buy the separate MWP
>app) so you can use a limited form of the app and decide if it’s right
>for you. Not sure if there’s a free iOS version though.
>
>The tweakability of text entry is fantastic and makes for a really
>comfortable writing experience
>
>https://share.getcloudapp.com/5zuOJnpX
>
>as is the ease of custom theming
>
>https://share.getcloudapp.com/8LuYw9R8
Yes, it is very cool app.
One drawback I find is that the notes are named with some kind of number (code). A transparent file naming would have been helpful to open the notes (files) with other applications.
But, I like the menu bar.
I am also surprised that Monterey has added a cool QuickNote app that can be triggered by pointing to the corners of the screen. I have never heard of it before.
Another app I am trying for writing my daily logs (thinking, focusing scribblings that help me to think of what I need to do next; similar to what Bret used to use Doing for); is Sidenotes. This one can easily be triggered by pointing the mouse to the side of the screen, or with hotkeys.
- Again, the problem is it uses an internal database. The notes cannot be searched with Spotlight, nor can they be opened by another app.