Re: Notes mode

[Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com>]

Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com> writes:

> So if somebody has tried notes-mode, please share your thoughts.

Ok, for the benefit of a modern user who is familiar with Oddmuse - It
is much similar to "Blogging with Categories" [1]

The basic idea is this:

1. User creates a single journal file for each day.
2. Basic workflow is file and forget (for today or someday)

   A journal entry for a single date can have different topics emacs,
   perl etc adhoc notes, emacs, perl etc.) all in the SAME file.  Each
   topic goes in to an outline entry. [2]

3. One can "collect" entries on a given topic but from different dates
   in to a single buffer.  This would give a subject based journal. [3]

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[1] http://www.oddmuse.org/wiki/Blogging_With_Categories

[2] The essential difference with Oddmuse is in this part.  With Oddmuse
one generates 3 Journal pages for 3 topics, but with notes mode one
creates a /single/ Journal file for all 3 topics.

[3] Think of Oddmuse's Webpage for that Category.

Klaus Zeitler <kzeitler@alcatel-lucent.com> writes:

> I've been using notes-mode since 1998. I use it at work and at home for all
> sorts of things I want to keep track. Sort of external memory :-).
> It's one of the 2 packages I always install with emacs (the other one is bbdb).
> Very stable and also really easy to use. Select a descriptive subject and
> scribble a note, that's it. Also has encryption (I use it for my
> passwords).

I am really surprised to hear a long-time (upwards of decades) user of a
not so well-known and (the then unbundled) package. [4]

> Over the years my index list has grown quite a bit and about the only feature
> I miss is some sort of 2 level indexing, i.e. group subjects together and
> collapse/expand them in the index file.

As a few hours user, I would say, do away with perl dependencies and
instead rely on etags for building the backlinks.  Programmers, will at
once be home with it.

> Unfortunately I don't know anything about org-mode and planner. So I can't
> compare.

The Org mode uses single file (or few files) to rule the world.
Org-mode is for systematic and monolithic note-taking and note-making
(Think dissertations or books)

The notes-mode or wiki view is essentially a large collection of small
files.  AFAIK, the existing Org-mode has no facility to "collect"
/outline content/ from a /given/ heading from multiple files in to a
single buffer. [5]

Bottomline: 
-----------

Use Org-mode: If you want to build (by design).  
Use notes-mode or wikis: If you want to grow. 

Use Org-mode: For document production or strict time-driven workflow.
Use whatever: If you (perceive) time as an infinite resource and believe
in seasons of the moon.

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[5] I came across todo-mode recently.

[5] It does collect TODO entries (just the headings not the contents) in
to an agenda buffer.

> HTH
>
> Klaus