I am a lifelong journaler, and have long searched for software to provide me with a minimalist yet effective thinking/journaling/writing environment plus help me organize my thousands of past files and snippets, and the thousands more that I will write. (familiar story?)
I have several good ideas (at least I think they are good ideas) for the software I want. I’ve been designing it (term used loosely) for a few years. If I could find a software out there that’s anywhere near my design, I would pay hundreds for it in a heartbeat (and I am not rich).
But I have at last become convinced that to get the software I've needed for 20 years I will have to write it myself (said the little red hen). Yet I AM NOT A PROGRAMMER. I am a journaler and wannabe writer. But so determined am I to make this happen that I have begun studying programming on my own. I am in very early stages, but I think I need a mentor and guide. Writing software is not simple.
Some think I’m crazy to attempt this. Call it desperation. I need something that doesn’t exist, so I’ll have to make it happen myself. So I am turning to this community I’ve found so supportive. Can anyone suggest a plan?
Btw, my inquiry was rejected at a programmer’s forum. Those are for programmers, I think. I don’t want to become a software engineer, just get this project done.
Btw (the second), I think some folks on this forum might find my software of interest, if I ever get it done.

That's an ambitious goal. One I have fantasized about from time to time, but I definitely do not have the patience for it. However, if you want inspiration, just look at Keith Blount, who was basically in your same position six or so years ago. No programming experience. Wanted software for writing that he just couldn't find anywhere else. Decided to create his own and Scrivener was born (after a few years of learning and programming). Anyway, I believe he has written and talked about this process and how he went about it. If you check out his website or Google his name, you may come up with some handy solutions direct from the horse's mouth.

http://www.literatureandlatte.com/index.php

Good luck.

Steve Z.

It's not unheard of (I'd put Story Turbo and Gingko in this category as well, where someone pairs up with a programmer). I'm all for new software, but I'd also ask whether a) is there really not a single software that could accommodate your needs (what are your criteria?) and b) could you not use a combination of software (a "tool chain"), perhaps patched together by macros or scripts (AutoHotkey, Python), so that they could act as a de facto single software that accomplish your aims?

Successful software need ongoing development, a user base that spots bugs and offers suggestions for improvements etc. Otherwise there is a risk that the software is left behind as operating systems move on.

andyjim, if you tell us what features and functions you want to have in this program, I'm sure some here would point you to existing programs that may have them. very interested to hear what you have in mind.

Thanks much, I knew I’d get useful responses here. Dr. Andus, I greatly admire your approach of chaining together several apps. I think that will ultimately be necessary for a complete system. My proposed app won’t do it all.
I’ll try to outline what I have in mind and why.
My thing is fresh thoughts. I generate them all the time. I don’t gather material, I generate it. So my needs flow from this MO. I need to be able to launch a new item instantly with a keystroke code. So many times I’ve had a thought, out of the blue and possibly unrelated to what I’m writing at the moment, but by the time I distract myself opening a new file or even simply backing out of a lower outline level to start a new heading, the thought has receded behind the mechanics of preparing a place to write it. I have shifted my mind out of hearing the muse and into preparing the ground. It’s a different, and for me, distracting mode to have to go into every time you have a new thought.
So, immediate new (and independent) item from keystrokes is one requirement.
I want an absolute minimum of distraction on the screen. No toolbars, no main window, the whole screen covered with a neutral, non-white (i.e. non-glaring) background. So at this point it’s just the blank screen and my new item, which itself has no toolbar, and minimalist borders. Not even a title bar at this point (optional, for later). Now, in a split second, I can write the new thought without distraction.
There must be no requirement to name, class or connect the new item. Open it, and write. Then think about where the item belongs in the scheme. (I know that’s not a unique concept). Once it’s time to place the item, I want to be able to class by keyword(s), subject(s), topic(s), project(s), priority, and any other classes (customizable by user). I envision doing this in one table, attached to the item. Classing can be hierarchic but is not required to be. Ideally the system does not constrain you in any way. (I know CT in particular attempts to do this)
I want outliner capabilities, implemented in a minimalist way, within an item, as well as with tree structures for subjects, projects or any other class you want to look at from a tree perspective.
I want some column features, similar to Gingko, for lining up groups of items to work with. This would also occur within an otherwise empty screen. Did I say I like minimalist? Yet I want easy and intuitive manipulation of stuff.
I realize (though with very little use myself) that CT does many of these things, and other apps do as well, to greater or lesser degree. But the minimalist interface is a necessity for me because the way my peculiar mind works, and my proposed system for ‘classing’ or ‘keying’ items in a single table, after writing the item, appeals to my seeming need for order and disorder at the same time. Plus I don't know of any app that does all this.
Even without being a programmer I can anticipate difficulties in all this, and there will be many wrinkles to iron out (nor have I presented all my design ideas). But this gives you an idea of some of what I have in mind and why.
One more 'justification' to add: I have 20+ years' backlog of thoughts & items scattered. And I get worse every year, generating this past year over 300,000 words. I need to corral all this into a cohesive system that enables me to readily access everything I've written (and in the same app in which I write, because the shifting around that will be required if things are spread across various apps, folders, etc is intolerable). Some day I will write a book(s) from all these thoughts, so I need to be able to find and manipulate these thousands of items. This is why I need a multi-key system for classing and connecting things. I gotta be able to find it by subject, topic, keyword or any other scheme I may come up with. My proposed system will accommodate all this (I think). It would also (I think) be highly extensible, customizable and adaptable to many needs and styles.
Thanks for listening.
Andy

andyjim wrote:

My thing is fresh thoughts. I generate them all the time. I don’t
gather material, I generate it. So my needs flow from this MO. I need to
be able to launch a new item instantly with a keystroke code. So many
times I’ve had a thought, out of the blue and possibly unrelated
to what I’m writing at the moment, but by the time I distract
myself opening a new file or even simply backing out of a lower outline
level to start a new heading, the thought has receded behind the
mechanics of preparing a place to write it. I have shifted my mind out
of hearing the muse and into preparing the ground. It’s a
different, and for me, distracting mode to have to go into every time
you have a new thought.
So, immediate new (and independent) item from keystrokes is one
requirement.
I want an absolute minimum of distraction on the screen. No toolbars, no
main window, the whole screen covered with a neutral, non-white (i.e.
non-glaring) background. So at this point it’s just the blank
screen and my new item, which itself has no toolbar, and minimalist
borders. Not even a title bar at this point (optional, for later). Now,
in a split second, I can write the new thought without distraction.
There must be no requirement to name, class or connect the new item.
Open it, and write.

The above seems to be about the front end of the process, capturing written notes. What OS and hardware do you want to use?

On Windows, I'd suggest WriteMonkey. On iOS, Drafts seems to launch a new app automatically (though I never had the chance to try it, as I don't have iOS 7). On ChromeOS, Writebox could do this. Dropbox could be the place to gather all the plain text files.

Scrivener also has a distraction-free writing mode, though it takes a couple of clicks to get there. On the plus side, it could connect more seamlessly to the next stage of the process below.

Then think about where the item belongs in the
scheme. (I know that’s not a unique concept). Once it’s time
to place the item, I want to be able to class by keyword(s), subject(s),
topic(s), project(s), priority, and any other classes (customizable by
user). I envision doing this in one table, attached to the item.
Classing can be hierarchic but is not required to be. Ideally the system
does not constrain you in any way. (I know CT in particular attempts to
do this)
I want outliner capabilities, implemented in a minimalist way, within an
item, as well as with tree structures for subjects, projects or any
other class you want to look at from a tree perspective.
I realize (though with very little use myself) that CT does many of
these things, and other apps do as well, to greater or lesser degree.
But the minimalist interface is a necessity for me because the way my
peculiar mind works, and my proposed system for ‘classing’
or ‘keying’ items in a single table, after writing the item,
appeals to my seeming need for order and disorder at the same time. Plus
I don't know of any app that does all this.

As you note, CT can do almost all of this. It's not the most minimalist of applications, but you can customise much of the colour scheme, hide buttons, remove panes, and there is a full-screen option (though it could be better). Not sure I understand your thoughts about doing the organising in a single table. In CT, the categorising happens within the text note item, however there is a Summary pane that can list all the properties in a box.

I want some column features, similar to Gingko, for lining up groups of
items to work with. This would also occur within an otherwise empty
screen.

CT's floating windows can be dragged around against a blank desktop to arrange them in a column formation, but they are not fixable into columns.

One more 'justification' to add: I have 20+ years' backlog of thoughts &
items scattered. And I get worse every year, generating this past year
over 300,000 words. I need to corral all this into a cohesive system
that enables me to readily access everything I've written (and in the
same app in which I write, because the shifting around that will be
required if things are spread across various apps, folders, etc is
intolerable). Some day I will write a book(s) from all these thoughts,
so I need to be able to find and manipulate these thousands of items.
This is why I need a multi-key system for classing and connecting
things. I gotta be able to find it by subject, topic, keyword or any
other scheme I may come up with. My proposed system will accommodate all
this (I think). It would also (I think) be highly extensible,
customizable and adaptable to many needs and styles.

Again, this sounds very much like a problem that CT can solve.

These are just some suggestions off the top of my head. I certainly wouldn't want to discourage you from developing your own software. As a happy CT user, I am naturally prone to suggesting it, but I realise that it can take a big effort sometimes to get to grips with it.

On the whole though, it sounds like your needs could be served by some kind of a plain text system for capturing and gathering notes, and then organising them in an intelligent database. Piggydb might be another option (although I find the interface even busier than CT's).

Dr Andus wrote:

On iOS, Drafts seems to launch a
new app automatically

I meant to say "launch a new note," every time you launch the app.

Andy, thanks for sharing your thought provoking concept. I find myself in a similar situation in terms of my writing notes, so I can definitely empathise with your woes. I wish you all the best in your endeavours and would definitely want to try whatever tool you come up with.

That said, I can think of at least two programmes which can help here and now. They may not represent the ultimate solution, but they can help in starting to make sense of things: Brainstorm and Sublime Text. The former can be used very effectively for cross-referencing; the latter is a powerful plain text editor which will save your collection of open files as you left them, even if you fail to save them.

Hi Andy.

A hearty welcome. What you intend sounds interesting, and after having read your more detailed description I sit here and wonder what you're after. The user interface you describe sounds too good to be true - and to strange (or new or different) to be feasible. And that's what intreagues me. I have no clue how that could be accomplished - and even if it's desireable. But the idea ...

Anyway. Keith Blount came to my mind, too. I'd also recommend you contact him.

Or maybe: Not. 'cause Keith started out programming a writer's software as no word-processing software met his needs. He started out because he wanted to write a novel. Now he has a flourishing software business - but obviously not enough time to write his novel. Which is good for the users of Scrivener and Scapple (another interesting tool). And hopefully even good for his bank account... But surely not good for Keith, the novelist-to-be.

So, maybe, for the publications you intend, Dr. Andus' approach may be more target-aimed.

Best wishes, Franz

Dr. Andus, I repeat my respect for your approach. I’m glad it works well for you. Although I think your mind and mine work alike in a lot of respects, one notable difference between us is that (as far as I know) you are (for now) pretty much zeroed in on one project. I would guess that the mechanics of your multi-app system do not present much of a distraction for you, and that is a compliment, for one thing, to your powers of focus. I would lose too much creative energy as well as losing the thread of too many thoughts that bubble up if I were to use such. That may be in part due to my lesser powers of focus. My system needs to be as seamless, intuitive and effective as possible. And it needs to be instantaneously responsive to a change of thread with near zero overhead in the mechanics, and no distraction.
Yes I do intend to write a book (quite possibly more than one), but that is not my sole and central focus. I need a system to sort out my current many years' mess and make everything accessible and at the same time give me an effective environment for journaling for as long as I keep it up (like, the rest of my life). I hope all sorts of worthwhile things will spring out of my journaling, but journaling is my gig, more than publishing.
What I will end up with I call a ThoughtBase, perhaps in a very similar sense as Luhmann’s notecard system became a nearly independent partner in his work. Again, not a new concept, and one which, it can be argued, may be fulfilled, at least conceptually, with CT and perhaps IQ (I have both but have not mastered either). But with a busy overhead and interface that distracts me and results in lost thoughts and inefficient work.
Yeah, the summary pane hints at the concept I have of a table of keys for each item. The table would be hidden (like everything else in this system) until you bring it up. Then you enter (or select from a list) all keys (subjects, topics, keywords, project, priority, … customizable) that you want attached to this item. Now, from the collection of those tables from all items, construct any mappings/trees you want to look at or navigate or manipulate from. But in the item itself, I want no constraining, distracting markup/down requirement or any other clutter. Just thoughts.
Dr. Andus, I do not discount your (and others’) suggestions on existing software. I have or have at least looked at most of those suggested. I’ve spent years seeking (not with great diligence but with at least some real persistence) existing software that fits my odd style of creativity. I like aspects of virtually everything I’ve looked at. It has taken years, too, just to sort out within myself just what it is I’m looking for. And that will no doubt continue to evolve too. But I think my proposed design can evolve with me, and that’s a reason I want to do it myself: so I can evolve it.
Franz, I think you get it. I think you glimpse what I’m after and why I need it to be so simple and plain, yet integrated and capable. I’m glad it intrigues you, and glad nobody here is putting down the whole idea, though you do question whether it’s worth it, and that’s a valid question. I know I would gladly pay hundreds for this system if it existed, but it may be of little value to others, so it may never be marketable. If not, I’ll still be exceedingly glad to have it myself. Plain, simple, seamless, intuitive, quick, capable, integrated, extendable. I want all the marbles. That’s why I think I have to be the Little Red Hen.
I know I’ve not answered all comments, but I’ve tried to say better where I’m coming from. I do very much appreciate discussing this which has grown in my mind over several years to where it almost has a life of its own. I believe I will contact Keith Blount as suggested (albeit with qualification).
Speaking as a non-programmer, I nonetheless wonder if it may not be as difficult to implement as it sounds. Seems to me the underlying structures may be fairly straightforward database stuff (but I’m not a database guy either!).
Anyway many thanks all, and I hope you’re not done commenting. I’d be glad to try to make it clearer what I have in mind if anyone wants to delve any further.
Best,
Andy

andyjim wrote:

Speaking as a non-programmer, I nonetheless wonder if it may not be as
difficult to implement as it sounds. Seems to me the underlying
structures may be fairly straightforward database stuff (but I’m
not a database guy either!).

Hi Andy,

You could try the folks at DonationCoders. They could hook you up with someone who might be interested in developing this as donationware. As you can see, there are a number of us here who would want to try such a software.

http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?board=71.0

I've just been reading your interesting definition of the ideal 'inspiration-capturing' environment. I've thought about it, and would suggest that you actually need an iPad, using Launch Center Pro and possibly something like Notebooks (but there are loads of other options, including the astonishing Editorial app).

a) an iPad is 'instant on' - perfect for capturing fleeting inspirations
b) Launch Center Pro allows you to create macros for launching more or less anything (an increasing number of iOS apps support what are known as 'x-url-callbacks', basically simple scripted actions that can become quite complex). A simple sample macro provided with Launch Center Pro, for example, launches a simple text box into which you can type your inspiration, then save it directly to Dropbox - perfect for those lightning-flash moments
c) Launch Center Pro has literally just become available for the iPad (previously only available for iPhone/iPod)
d) You'll find a really useful discussion of these things on the MacStories website, run by the amiable Federico Viticci. The main website is at www.macstories.net; his detailed discussion of Editorial as a platform for precisely the kind of information management defined in your 'spec sheet' is at http://www.macstories.net/stories/editorial-for-ipad-review/ (he's turned this comprehensive review into an excellent iBook - I have it, and can thoroughly recommend it).

The iPad is, in fact, the tool you're looking for, provided you have the right apps. He swears by various Markdown-focused editors/information managers. I do, too, but my preferred option (also Markdown-compatible if that's what you want) would be Notebooks, because its search function is so good, and because it's got desktop versions. It is a two-pane outliner, but also supports tagging. You might eventually decide on a combination of apps (e.g. Launch Center Pro + Editorial or 1Writer + Notebooks), which would give you huge flexibility in terms of 'clean' writing interface vs. sophisticated organisational abilities. So: Notebooks would act as the back-end repository; you'd use other writing apps (e.g. Editorial, but there are dozens of others: 1Writer is one of my favourites) as your authoring environments; you'd use Launch Center Pro to shuttle data between the different environments (it would effectively act as the coordinating engine).

Hope that's helpful!
Cheers,
Bill

I have to point out that your search for better software is diverting you from your main purpose, which is WRITING. If your goal is to be a writer, you need to WRITE, not wander off into the black hole of programming. I used to be a professional programmer and it's a time-consuming, obsessive kind of occupation in and of itself. Believe me.

The problem, I think, is that you're fixated on SOFTWARE.

If you're looking for "a minimalist yet effective thinking/journaling/writing environment [that will] help me organize my thousands of past files and snippets," there are other solutions that don't require investing in compilers, learning how to program and researching word processor/outliner/database software design.

Here's a truly minimalist solution that will probably be rejected out of hand:

Start writing longhand with a fountain pen or something like the Palomino Blackwing 602 pencil. Use 3-ring binders to save/organize your journal entries and miscellaneous notes. Print out everything you have so far. Organize the binders with tabbed dividers and tables of contents. Set up a comfortable writing desk with good lighting and leave the computer TURNED OFF in another room.

I know a suggestion like this will be considered blasphemous and out of place. After all, this is the "outliner SOFTWARE" forum. Still, nothing is more minimalist than writing longhand and there's nothing like it for focusing your attention on your actual writing. Sometimes the old technology is the best.

I have to warn you, though. Writing longhand can lead to obsessive behavior just as bad as CRIMPing. The Blackwing 602 pencil, for instance, is the center of a cult of writers and artists (do a search, for instance). If you get into writing longhand, you will soon find yourself on a quest to find the perfect fountain pen or pencil, the perfect eraser, the perfect pencil sharpener, the perfect paper, the perfect notebooks and organizers and leather-bound journals, etc. etc. Do a Youtube search on the Midori Traveler's Notebook, for example, or check out the Fountain Pen Forum.

The search for perfect tools is endless, but eventually it becomes just another distraction.

Gary Carson wrote:

leave
the computer TURNED OFF in another room.

Or you could still use your PC but turn on an internet connection blocking software like Freedom:
http://macfreedom.com/

I've tried Freedom and LeechBlock and every other program and browser add-on I could find, but they're all too easy to disable or work around. If I remember correctly, all you have to do with Freedom is reboot your computer. But even if you can resist the temptation to waste hours on the internet--something I've been failing at today--there are still a million other distractions available with a computer. You can listen to music, for instance, or play games or whatever. I've found that the only solution is to turn the demonic machine off and leave it off. I would pay good money for a time-lock feature that wouldn't let me turn the computer on at all until a certain time and only for a few hours.

Hey Andy, when I want to get something down on the computer without anything getting in the way I use Notezilla - a sticky note program which automatically names and saves entries without any fuss, yet allows you to process them later if you wish to organize them in some way.

And I tend to agree with Gary about not letting the search for the perfect software to interfere with the one thing every writer needs to do to be a writer - and that is write.

Daly

andyjim wrote:

Speaking as a non-programmer, I nonetheless wonder if it may not be as
difficult to implement as it sounds. Seems to me the underlying
structures may be fairly straightforward database stuff (but I'm
not a database guy either!).

From my (limited) understanding of database management systems, I believe that the basic infrastructure should indeed not be too hard to build. But such systems won't allow you to alter the structure on-the-fly, e.g. create new fields while you are entering data.

Most importantly though, if my understanding of modern IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) is correct, the toughest part should be the minimalist interface. There's a reason that, e.g., .net applications look and feel quite similar. They are based on building blocks which include most aspects of the interface, including windows, buttons, menu behaviour etc. So creating your own kind of interface--with the kind of functionality you want--may require that you delve deeper into more 'primitive' programming languages and environments. The caveat here is that you are not building a simple wordprocessor, like Q10, but a relational database application.

In other respects, the concept you suggest reminds me of the Constructive Application Philosophy Application http://crpa.co/CRPA-Software-Screenshots.htm
Ron C. de Weijze, CRPA's developer, is first and foremost a philosopher, and taught himself programming in order to create the application he had in mind.

Thanks everyone. I owe you a decent response, and at some length, I'm afraid. This’ll teach you to get me started!

iPad has been suggested to me before, and I considered that before buying an iPhone. I dictate into my iPhone as needed when away from my desk. This works okay for me. At home, I’m not sure I can see reasons to use iPad instead of the desktop computer.

Yes looking for software can be a distraction. Actually I consider that I’m looking for systems that work for me. More and more I see that the foundation of my system is me. My own mindset and discipline are the machine language and drive of my system. Any system, be it cards, the computer or notebooks is ultimately an extension of me. For me it’s a bit ironic to enter a forum dedicated to software, to talk about software on that forum and then to be told I’m fixated on software! :)

Gary, I never stop writing. Wrote over 300,000 words last year, not much less the year before. And I’m far from a full time writer. I have other things going on in life. But journaling is engrained in me, and nothing is going to block that. In fact I’m so prone to write fresh thoughts that I rarely go back and review and organize what I have written. That’s a problem, and a prime reason I need a system to organize as I go. And why I need it to work with me instead of the other way.

As far as writing by hand, I have lately been obeying an impulse to get back to more writing by hand, and I like doing it. I’ve used binders and tabs. I definitely like getting away from the computer and expressing creativity manually. I’ve quested for a better pen/pencil too, so thank you for mentioning the Blackwing 602 (I remember it, but didn’t know its name!). I carry a small notebook. I draw some too (not well, but it’s another form of expression), and love playing guitar. The computer maintains its useful place though, as it does things these other modes don’t do, and does them fast. I can type faster than I can write, for example. I’ve worked with dictation at the computer as well (I can talk faster than I can type). Editing is easy. And despite my complaints about disorganization, I can find and work with files on the computer more easily, I am certain, than if everything were in notebooks. I agree with you though, that the inherently minimalist environment of writing manually brings good focus to the business of writing instead of playing with toolbars, menus, etc. That’s why I want to create a minimalist interface.

Gary said, “The search for perfect tools is endless, but eventually it becomes just another distraction.” I have to agree with the first part, disagree with the second. Have you stopped searching on that basis? Maybe so. My own search has led me to better systems and better discipline. Eventually it will lead me to a system that works for me, whether I find it out there, chain it together Dr. Andus style, or build it myself. And that system will be adaptable and extensible as my needs evolve.

I really don’t waste hours on the internet. When I’m on the internet I’m purposefully researching, corresponding, etc; when I’m off line I’m writing. I’m off line more than I’m on. I don’t do games, music, etc on the computer. Now TV, that’s a bad thing for me to have in the house. And we don’t have one.

I’ll tell you what I’ve done for years and keep coming back to. I use MS Word. I open a new file each Jan 1. I do all free flow writing in this one file, for the year. I call it the ‘freeboard’ method. My discipline and method within this file has evolved, but one rule remains: no constraints in this file. Any thought, any subject at any moment is fair game. Writings with constrained focus (which usually spring from the freeboard) I move to separate files. Every time I write a fresh thought in the freeboard file I try to give it a quick heading in bold (usually after it’s written because often I don’t know where the thought is going when I start writing). As a discipline I sometimes make myself give a heading of some sort to each paragraph. Interesting how that sharpens you. I’ve been surprised how often a worthwhile idea can be expressed in a page, often much less. Of course full development of a complex idea with supporting context, extensions, etc. takes more space.

My proposed software design builds on this ‘freeboard’ principle. In starting a new thought item, it will be as quick as starting a new paragraph. In classing items within the system, it needs to be almost as easy as writing a heading for the paragraph you just wrote. All past work is integrated and quickly accessible within the system. Manipulation of groups of items is simple. And all in a minimalist environment.

Now I feel a book tugging at me. It will encompass ideas I’ve written over the past 20+ years, but especially the last five. I need organization, classing of these thousands of items (at least the pertinent ones), and I need a system to class the new stuff that comes along, so it doesn’t just become part of the backlog, but becomes accessible, and to give some organizing structure to writing projects. The accumulation and organization of all past thoughts I would call a ThoughtBase. Feeding, care and interacting with the ThoughtBase will simply be a seamless extension of my ongoing freeboard journaling (if the system is good).

Thanks, Alexander, for the reference to CRPA. I like concept mapping (I think that’s the general term), and what I envision as a ThoughtBase would (at least in theory) be expressible in concept maps and would have the clarifying effect Weijze talks about. There are hidden concept maps, waiting to be brought forth, in all databases of thoughts, whether in CT, IQ or whatever. The content of Luhman’s card system could have been expressed in concept maps. And I too have, as Weijze puts it, “naturally arrived at a point of inescapable necessity” where I must put my house in order. I must integrate the accumulation of my past, present and future thoughts. To attempt this in the paper medium, Gary, would be overwhelming, imo. I need to take advantage of the incredible capabilities of the computer to organize and make accessible 20+ years of thoughts.

As far as software currently available that might fill the bill, I think I need to try CT, IQ, Scrivener, Zkn, CRPA, ThinkComposer and likely others. I think probably what I should do is move my freeboard journaling into one of these (I’ll have to try all to see which works best). For now I’ll continue to pursue the path of writing my own software as well. At some point in that pursuit I’ll have to make the decision whether to continue or abandon it.

Alexander, I believe (and hope) that you are incorrect that a database system cannot allow tables to have fields added by the user. I am talking through my hat since I am not a programmer, but it seems to me a table (at least on the scale I’m talking about, though probably impractical with large tables) could be built on the fly, out of a procedure, rather than the table being itself an inflexible structure. Same for maps. I want the user to be able to select categories from a (customized) table, and then a map can be generated on the fly (from a procedure). Let not the user not be constrained by built in and inflexible structure! I hope not to find myself wrong, but I think such user-customized, on-the-fly tables and maps should not be hard to do. In fact all in all I believe my overall concept is much more primitive and less complicated than say, Scrivener (and I think I’m going to love Scrivener for certain things).

Yes, the minimalist objects of my design will have to be built from the ground up. But once a basic (and extendible) object is built (and I won’t need many different types of primitive objects), it is done, and you merely apply it over and over. My overall system is (or perhaps it only seems so to me) really quite simple.

Whew! I do apologize for length. It’s a characteristic of mine, once you get me going. Don’t let me discourage more comments though. I will try to be more brief next time. But I must say that this dialog with you knowledgeable and helpful folks refreshes me, sharpens my focus and gives me specific ideas to chew on! Thanks for at least listening, and for the suggestions, out of which I hope to come up with a sensible game plan going forward.
All the Best,
Andy

Regarding what you've written, andy, two thoughts occur to me.

One is that Gary is correct. A slightly different way of expressing what he wrote appeared on xkcd the other day: http://xkcd.com/1319/

The other thought is that Tinderbox is the closest application I know to something that satisfies your requirements - not in its specifics, but in its philosophy. Tinderbox is a tool for assembling notes, out of which structure can emerge. As 'a tool for creating tools', it has a steep learning curve, but inevitably one that would be less steep than learning programming. However, it's on the Mac.

Fascinating discussion, all. I find that I seem to flip between the two modes: top down (outline heading followed by development), and bottom's up (a series of small notes with tags). For the first, I mostly use Notecase Pro, the two pane outliner, although sometimes I use Workflowy or CarbonFin Outliner when I want a single pane outliner. For the second, I find myself, more and more, using Simplenote. It seems very like what you want, frankly: minimal interface, tagging that can be surprisingly rich, a single database that doesn't require saving or too much UI cruft. I can imagine working with ResophNotes on Windows, Notational Velocity or nVALT on the Mac, or nvpy on Linux too. or For me, toggling between just two works well: I can pull up the tags in Simplenote, then drag what I want over to Notecase. Speaking as a librarian (which I am) Simplenotes is the card; Notecase Pro is the card catalog. This software pair works on Windows, Linux, and the Mac.

But as I think is evident from so much of this forum, the precise mix of tools is profoundly personal and even idiosyncratic. Folks on this forum don't just settle on one solution, but drift from app to app and their own thinking and processes change. That's what makes all this so interesting. At any rate, best of luck in your quest.

Oh, and if no one else has said this yet, "Little Red Hen" would be a terrific name for the program you write. :)

After reading your lengthy post I agree with Hugh: Take a look at Tinderbox. And at Steven's articles on TB on http://welcometosherwood.wordpress.com/tinderbox (they do not cover the current version of Tinderbox but give you a good overview). Tinderbox could be the database you're looking for: extensible and extremely versatile.

Tragically, the program you really, truly need is Blackwell's legendary Idealist. Alas, now long defunct! It was described as a bibliographic database, but was actually much more than that - a system capable of placing any number of fields in a single record, then searching/sorting on any criterion/combination of criteria in any field(s). So perfectly matching your need for unique records with their own combination of fields.

It was actually a flat-file full-text database (not dissimilar in conception to askSam, but much more reliable - until, alas, the latest versions). But because of its built-in scripting language, you could use it as a kind of relational database. In fact, I built our very first admin database in Idealist, and it served us well for many years (holding records of clients, suppliers, projects, invoices, all inter-related and instantly searchable). The search engine was very, very fast and efficient - literally eye-blink fast.

Somewhere I may have the very last version of Idealist (before the disastrous release 5, which attempted to incorporate rich text and was totally unstable). But it's not being developed any more, and the last developer to take it on - I forget the name - appears to have vanished without trace. If anybody's interested, I'll see if I can dig it out.

Having said all that, there are alternatives. One of them is ListPro by Ilium Software (http://www.iliumsoft.com/listpro/ also available for iPhone and Android. The desktop version could be used as a fairly competent writing tool (the 'Notes' field supports rich text and can cope with significant amounts of text), I suppose, but the mobile phone versions are a bit too fiddly for that. And I'm sure there are others, but they don't immediately spring to mind. You could have a look under http://alternativeto.net perhaps.

Hugh, Tinderbox looks incredible. It almost tempts me to get a Mac. Darn things are costly though! You’d think somebody would be working on an open source project to emulate Tinderbox.

Bill, Idealist sounds like one of the old time greats. It’s incomprehensible that such great software drops from the scene. I find, however that there is an ongoing project developing an open source version: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/qercus/index.php?title=Main_Page

MongoDB is a document-oriented database that may allow multiple independent fields. MongoDB works well with Scala. I hold out hope that the project may not be as difficult as it appears, but I will endeavor to use good sense as to whether to attempt it. I will at least make a few steps in that direction before deciding with finality.

I will also work with some of these other suggestions. Thanks to all.

Yeah, Little Red Hen has suggested itself as a name. I’ve had another name in mind; we’ll see.

Still wishing to talk with a programmer/developer about the whole thing. Wrote to Keith Blount (or at least to Scrivener); no word back as yet.
All the Best,
Andy

andyjim wrote:

Hugh, Tinderbox looks incredible. It almost tempts me to get a Mac. Darn
things are costly though! You’d think somebody would be working on
an open source project to emulate Tinderbox.

Andy, the Tinderbox developer Eastgate announced some years ago that a Windows version was in the works. Possibly they were simply trying to head off Windows rivals - I don't know. Since then there's been little or no sign of it - but I imagine that a potential emulator would find things difficult, because it's a very complex programme. My impression is that currently Eastgate have their hands full readying Tinderbox 6 for launch, which has required a complete re-write of the application. So a Windows Tinderbox may still be some distance away.

But in any case Mac hardware needn't necessarily be as expensive as it sometimes appears. I bought my Mac Mini new not so long ago for somewhere between £300 and £450. It's a very capable machine, although one does of course also need a keyboard and a monitor. A refurbished Mini would be less expensive still. And as other people will tell you, there are ways of running OS X on a PC.

Still wishing to talk with a programmer/developer about the whole thing.
Wrote to Keith Blount (or at least to Scrivener); no word back as yet.
All the Best,
Andy

Currently, as far as I know, Keith has his hands very full overseeing the launches of new versions of Scrivener for OS X and Windows, and overseeing Scrivener for iOS preparing for the launch of Version 1. But somewhere on the Literature & Latte website, probably in his blog, you may find descriptions of how he decided to create Scrivener and the way he did it. Even so, I think Keith is the exception that proves the rule. And the rule, as far as I can see, is "Buy in if you possibly can".