Notes mode

Notes mode

[Chong Yidong]

Has anyone on this list used John Heidemann's notes-mode?  It's
available at

  http://www.isi.edu/~johnh/SOFTWARE/NOTES_MODE/index.html

We're thinking of including it in Emacs (maybe not for 23.1, but for
23.2).  What I'd like to find out first, though, if how it compared to
similar packages such as planner-mode and org-mode.  So if somebody has
tried notes-mode, please share your thoughts.

Re: Notes mode

[Klaus Zeitler]

>>>>> "Chong" == Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com> writes:
    Chong> 
    Chong> Has anyone on this list used John Heidemann's notes-mode?

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).
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.

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

HTH

Klaus

-- 
 --------------------------------------------------
|  Klaus Zeitler      Alcatel-Lucent               |
|  Email:             kzeitler@alcatel-lucent.com  |
 --------------------------------------------------
---
You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. -- Dave Barry

Re: Notes mode

[Jambunathan K]

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]

----------------------------------------------------------------

[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.

----------------------------------------------------------------

[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