Why use note taking software?

Maybe you ask yourself “why should I use note taking software or note taking apps”? Don’t a pen & some paper also do the job?

Well, in a way they do … but let me tell you a little story:

My college years are over for quite some time now.

At that time, about 7 years ago, of course there where computers & notebooks. But for some reasons, in the classes we all still got tons of paper … those typical bad copies from books & printed powerpoint presentations.

Not too bad to learn from it … especially since it was easy to mark important parts with a color marker & to take notes right onto the paper. Although even at that time, I hated to carry around all that weight all the time. And when you decided to take some papers out of the ring binder, so that your bag would not be so heavy, you could be pretty sure that exactly in that lesson, you would need the paper you just left at home.

One thing I have to say: I did learn a lot of really good and valuable things at that time. I liked my studies and the topics the classes were about.

Of course it was a lot of stuff to learn, and a lot of the things where there in my head for only a while (… thank god at least until the final exams ).

After my diploma, of course I kept all those ring binders, with all those valuable notes in there. And I always thought “hey, one day I go through all those notes again …”.

But of course I never did. And why not? Because it was way to complicated to find anything in those masses of papers. There simply is no search function in those heavy ring binders. Although there were a lot of notes in there regarding the topics I studied with can’t be found in the internet simply by doing a little google search. You know, I had good classes, held by really good professors … teaching us a lot of their experiences and sharing their knowledge … .

Well, I moved three times since those college years, and the first two moves I lugged those papers and documents with me. But when I moved for the third time, I put most of the ring binders into the trash. Simply because I had to admit that I would never read them again.

And I wish I had the possibilities I have today back in those days. A Laptop with some note taking apps that help me to take notes real quick, including the possibilities to mark important parts, just like on paper. But also with the possibility to take snapshots of web pages, to include whole PDF documents, pictures, audio notes … and the most important thing: a great search function.

Today, when I learn something new in my job, I put it into Microsoft OneNote or Zengobi’s Curio right away. And I know that whenever I need that information again, I will find it right away. Even when I’m on the road, I have all that knowledge with me, all the time. And without carrying heavy ring binders with me

Note taking software is such a great thing, I think I would be a fool not to use it.

Of course everybody has different needs, and might want to use different apps. And that’s what this blog is all about. The different note taking apps, programs and devices.

Have fun reading it, feel free to leave comments. maybe share your experiences and tell me about your favorite apps … and don’t forget to take a note or make a bookmark when you find something that you like

Tom