Software Gadgets

Keynote is a free notebook/organizer. It allows you to store all your notes and ideas in a single well-organized file. No need to remember search your drive for note files, with tree-type notes, Keynote gives you a three-dimensional notebook: storing many notes within one file and multi-level, nested pages within a single note.

From the Keynote web site:

KeyNote was written to overcome major limitations in other popular information managers, both free and shareware. KeyNote is the only information manager that offers a combination of simple and tree-type notes, rich text editor, ability to mix freely many notes of different types in a single file and secure encryption. This makes KeyNote the most flexible and one of the most powerful applications of this kind currently available. Some functions, such as "virtual nodes", per-file configuration settings, multiple backups or WordWeb integration are unique and, to my knowledge, not supported by any other notebook program, freeware or shareware.

With powerful text formatting capabilities, easily navigable interface and additional features such as styles, macros, plugins, and templates, KeyNote is has become the favorite note keeper, diary, outliner, knowledge base and information manager for thousands of users.

What is KeyNote useful for?

In general, any structured of free-form information, especially the kind of information which lends itself to hierarchical representation, such as lists or outlines. KeyNote's powerful search facility quickly locates information you're looking for.

The ability to store many notes in a single file means no hunting for files scattered all over your computer. For many users it will be enough to create just one KeyNote file and add notes to it, with each note covering a separate topic (e.g., "To do", "Addresses", "Bookmarks", "Finances", etc.)

Built-in strong encryption allows you to secure your files against unauthorized access or modification.

The "virtual node" feature additionally allows you to pull together many files and edit them all within a single KeyNote file, while the original files remain on disk (so there is no need to perform any conversion).

Keynote is no longer being developed, however, it is open source, so it's possible than some other programmer will pick the protect up and extend it. Besides, Keynote is a very useful program as it is now. It is every bit as useful as some of the commercial tabbed notebook programs. I've been recommending it to friends and clients for years.

Rating: 4 Stars
Operating System: Windows
License: Open Source
Price: Free
Version Reviewed: 1.1
Web Site: http://www.tranglos.com/free/keynote_main.html
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