Organize your notes

In the software industry (don't know about the others), people generate quite a lot of information. Following are the places this information can usually be found:

• In a notebook.
• On a whiteboard.
• Sticky-Notes (PostIt)
• Text files and other documents.
• Wikis.
• Blogs.
• E-mail.
• guess the list could go on...

Each of the methods has it's own advantages and disadvantages:

• Ability to search.
• Long-Term archiving.
• Ease of use.
• Backups.
• Accessibility.
• Ability to share.
• Organization vs. Chaos.
• Privacy.
• again, the list could go on...

I guess most of you use at least a notebook, and probably a whiteboard as well. Both instruments are hard-copies, non-digital, thus, for the digital needs another tool is required.

Until not long ago, my preferred tool was MS's OneNote. It is capable for quite about everything, and I was very happy with it. But my needs has changed. Now I need something which doesn't cost money, able to work on many platforms, works via a web interface and then some.

Today I found out TiddlyWiki. Although I have very little experience with it, I can tell I'm going to love it. Basically, this is a private wiki, which runs locally from a browser. No server required, no further installations required. It is fast, and manages information in a non-linear manner (stuff can be interlinked). Notebook solutions (such as Google Notebook) are considered linear when compared to TiddlyWiki.

Their concept is great - a single HTML file that does everything. Easy to backup, easy to edit, easy. Can't wait to see how will it face the time-trial.