
Ask HN: What is your favorite way of taking notes? - franca
I am looking for an open source, free from ads app for my laptop and phone. What do you use?
======
ylere
This is a repost of something I commented a few months ago
([https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14943853](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14943853)):

I always carry a pocket sized notebook and a pen with me wherever I go. It's
still the fastest method to write something down, it always works and it's
socially acceptable to use in all situations. Most people whom I meet, even in
private, will see me take out my notebook at the beging of the meeting, taking
notes occasionally while we interact. I don't think you could do that with a
computer or phone and it allows me to remember important details and action
points that I (and the person I'm talking to) would forget otherwise. At work
I have larger, A4-sized notebooks that I use similarly.

One of the features that I appreciate most is that everything I write down is
in chronological order and can be accessed very quickly. In seconds, I can go
through last weeks notes and check if I forgot to do something, or even go
back a year or more to revisit my thoughts on something that happened back
then. Using a pen is also much more expressive, allowing me to
highlight/format certain points as a discussion/meeting is ongoing and add
illustrations, arrows etc. on the fly.

I've seen and tried some of the new epaper notepads and they're definitely
getting closer, but for now they're still to slow, clumsy & fragile to replace
paper for me.

------
Philipp__
Org-mode. I won’t be wasting any words at it since I think it is well known
thing here.

Besides that I use Apple Notes. They sync and work flawlessly between iOS and
Mac devices.

And lastly, pen and paper. I like writing things down.

~~~
palmy
Then I will! I've always preferred taking notes on a computer due to how much
easier it is to

\- edit

\- organize (heck, you can even search!)

But I'm a maths student and I never came across anything where I can
efficiently write equations and formulas, before Emacs + Org-mode.

I have now been using Emacs + Org-mode + Yasnippet for a year, and it's bloody
amazing. When it comes to efficiently including latex-expressions in my org-
notes, Yasnippet is an absolute must.

And because this is Org-mode, I can export all my notes to HTML, PDF, etc.
Adding a bit of customization, you get something like this
[http://www.retiredparkingguard.com/notes/](http://www.retiredparkingguard.com/notes/).
If you go to one of the note-pages with a bit of maths on it, e.g.
mathematics/geometry.html, you should see a bar on the right displaying the
notation used in each section. This requires javascript.

I also make heavy use of customized named blocks in my note-taking, e.g.

#+name: def:schrodinger-equation

#+begin_definition

...

#+end_definition

And then, using org-ref, I can do a `M-x org-ref-insert-ref-link` anywhere in
the document and I can search through all these definitions, theorems, etc.

These blocks, when exported to HTML, are also given CSS classes, hence you can
easily give these styling, making the reading experience into whatever you
want.

Finally, I would also suggest org-ref by John Kitchin
([https://github.com/jkitchin/org-ref);](https://github.com/jkitchin/org-
ref\);) it makes organizing papers and the corresponding notes so incredibly
easy.

All together this makes note-taking such a breeze and lowers the barrier for
me to re-read and edit my notes significantly, compared to handwritten notes.

~~~
wodenokoto
My main reason for preferring paper over keyboard is that I like to draw
example graphs of everything. These don't need to be exact just give a visual
idea of how a function acts.

I also heavily annotate equations (color code, add description, etc)

How do you get around this?

~~~
palmy
The flexibility you get with pen and paper, e.g. draw arrows between arbitrary
words / equations, you can't really beat.

But for the specific use-cases you mentioned:

\- Org-mode allows you to integrate code into the document, hence to draw a
function you could easily write a small snippet of code outputting a plot,
which will be embedded in the document.

\- I actually do this sometimes too! For the color-coding, Org-mode allows you
to embedd arbitrary LaTeX such as "\textcolor{red}{\alpha}". I've set up a
Yasnippet which lets me type "color + [TAB]" and expands to "\textcolor{}{}"
with my cursor inside the curly brackets. I type "red" and hit TAB again, and
then type whatever I want to be coded in red. For descriptions, I'm unsure why
you couldn't as easily do this in a document. In my documents I usually have a
larger body of text deriving/explaining the equation, and then I simply put
the equation into a definition-block for further reference. Then I know that I
can jump to its definition, and I'll find a more thorough explanation of it.

------
timwis
Oh boy have I tried just about everything. I've settled on a pretty nice
solution: markdown files in my Dropbox directory. To edit them I use iA Writer
(paid but worth it) for a very nice markdown exciting experience without any
special serialization format like all the others (just plain markdown files).
I also use their Android app but for both platforms I could switch to any
other app that edits markdown files. Total portability. Syncing is Dropbox's
job.

------
john00088876
Sublime or VS code, as markdown in Dropbox for constant backup and easy roll-
back for up to a week or something. I had used Ulysses on the Mac but an
iCloud sync bug caused me to lose 8 hours of notes from customer meetings so
that was the end of that. VS code has a lot of nice markdown plugins and I
also use the “highlight” plugin for arbitrary colour based on regex for custom
things like tags I include.

------
privong
It depends a bit on my mood, but I generally switch between a zim[0] wiki and
plain text / markdown files written in vim.

[0] [http://zim-wiki.org/](http://zim-wiki.org/)

~~~
fiveFeet
Zim is awesome on a local machine. For remote work, I stick to vim. All the
notes are stored in a gitlab repository which makes it easy when switching
across machines.

------
stewbrew
It depends on the kind of notes:

For information you want to retrieve easily later on: markdown files (avoid
any wiki-like format that isn't widely used) + some way to sync those files
(e.g. unison, synching, Dropbox etc.). The app doesn't really matter but I use
vim on my workstation, notebook, phone, tablet etc.

For overviews, outlines, mind maps, notes in a meeting: a white sheet of
paper. You can scan it, put keywords in the filename etc. I avoid tech in
meetings.

For sketches: a small notebook (A6 format) I always carry with me. At my age,
it's more natural for me to think with a pen in my hand than with a keyboard
below my fingers.

------
archagon
A bit unconventional, but I like taking "analog" notes via GoodNotes and an
Apple Pencil. Can't search them, but much more conducive to brainstorming—and
you get a cute PDF notebook of all your thoughts at the end of a project. More
here: [http://archagon.net/blog/2016/08/30/goodnotes-and-the-
joys-o...](http://archagon.net/blog/2016/08/30/goodnotes-and-the-joys-of-
digital-note-taking/)

If it's knowledge I want to aggregate or reference later, I use OneNote.

------
kaiby
I use standardnotes. I just use the webapp pinned in a safari tab on the Mac,
and the iOS app on my phone. Syncs between the two well. It's encrypted, too.

It has minimal features, namely tagging/folders for organization. Makes
navigating between my notes fast and easy, and the minimal amount of text
formatting allows me to jot thoughts down without being overwhelmed by the
desire to format things the right way, which is counterproductive to me.

I found it to be worthwhile enough that I actually pay for it to take
advantage of its additional plugins (markdown, dark theme)

------
muzani
For laptop, I usually use Evernote or Sublime, depending on how I want to
store them. Sublime has some nice plugins that make it really sweet for notes.

For phone, I use Evernote or Jotterpad.

Evernote is only when I really want to store the notes for the future. If
they're disposable, I just care about how fast I can write.

BTW, you should also look into being able to type quickly. I find a critical
weakness in taking notes on my phone was that I couldn't write as fast as I
think, and I would drop a lot of thoughts. I recommend getting enough practice
to hit 50 WPM at 100% accuracy.

~~~
hnrodey
Care to expand on the Sublime plugins?

I use Sublime for notes but store them as plain text files. My other favorite
Sublime feature is it persists unsaved tabs through app restarts and system
restarts thereby giving me the effect of holding on to my notes until I'm
ready to actually save. A lot of stuff I just need temporarily.

~~~
lou1306
Not the parent comment's author, but personally I'm quite content with
PlainNotes
([https://github.com/aziz/PlainNotes](https://github.com/aziz/PlainNotes)). I
also rely a lot on ST temporary buffers, and only use said plugin for mid-to-
long-term stuff.

------
ColinWright
Same question asked 4 days ago, with some suggestions there:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17239554](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17239554)

------
sampl
Surprised nobody’s said Google Docs yet. It’s up on my laptop in every
meeting.

It works well on every device, supports simple text notes or fancy formatting,
good sharing options, good live multiuser editing, inline comment threads,
free to use, works offline, keyboard shortcuts, etc...

------
izemmezi
Sublime Text, Google Keep, and I take a lot of screenshots.

Sublime Text - I use it to take notes when I can type on the laptop. Usually I
write a lot of text (for example during a meeting). It's just text, no
markdown or something like that, and no plugins.

Google Keep - For when I don't have the laptop with me. Since the data goes to
the cloud, I often copy these notes over to a text file on the laptop,
especially when I want to add more details.

Screenshots - I have noticed that for many things, like watching online
courses, I take a screenshot of the part I want to take notes about, and then
just organize the screenshots into folders. Works quite well because it saves
a lot of time, and I don't have to watch out for typos.

------
awake
[Typora]([https://www.typora.io/](https://www.typora.io/)) is cross platform
for mac, windows and linux. It's a markdown editor which has live preview
except on the line you are currently typing on. It's by far the most seamless
markdown experience I've had to date, and I'd love to see a non-electron
solution with a similar UI. For storing notes you can just use a DropBox
folder or a GoogleDrive folder.

------
rffn
I use Joplin ([https://joplin.cozic.net/](https://joplin.cozic.net/)). Allows
me to have Markdown notes and a few embedded pictures synced across multiple
platforms. Notes are encrypted and I can self-host them on a Webdav server.
Fits my needs perfectly.

I tried a few others before and I think git and Typora or TiddlyWiki would do
the job as well. Both solutions lack a bit on mobile platforms though.

------
7952
OneNote. I like how it can support multiple users by just saving data in
normal files on a network folder. No special server setup or cloud needed.

------
lcall
After trying many things including org-mode, I wrote the tool at
[http://onemodel.org](http://onemodel.org) (AGPL). Keyboard-oriented, very
efficient, fast & flexible. Details at the web site and feedback appreciated.

------
404FoundU
OneNote: Mobile/pc/one note online

-Better organization with notebooks->pages->sub-pages->sub-sub-pages

-paste screenshots and search text inside images

-paste entire website contents with images and hyperlinks

-colorful source formatting for text/code snippets like Ms Word

-custom template styles for pages like todo, meeting list

-attach any file ( like pdf, word, conf) within page or paste the whole file as a page with source formatting

-share notebooks online with team for editing

------
oneplane
Apple Notes, Sublime Text, Pen & Paper (and all in that order depending on
context).

Taking notes digitally without syncing, I'd say stick to your current favored
plain text editor. For syncing, there isn't a lot of good stuff out there.
You'll be stuck with closed source (like Apple Notes) or using a generic
syncing or versioning system like Git, Dropbox, GDrive, S3 etc.

------
nikivi
I use Sublime Text to take all my notes. I then publish the markdown files I
edit with GitBook as an online wiki.

wiki: [https://wiki.nikitavoloboev.xyz](https://wiki.nikitavoloboev.xyz)

files:
[https://github.com/nikitavoloboev/knowledge](https://github.com/nikitavoloboev/knowledge)

------
na85
I find I retain information better if I hand-write it on paper. I carry a
little Leuchtterm1917 notebook around, and I use the bullet journal method
which, if you remove all the washi-taping, watercoloring pinterest/livejournal
hype, is actually a good system for productivity.

That said, orgzly is org-mode for android and works pretty well. It's FLOSS.

------
maelito
notion.so is perfect for me, like a more complete Workflowy. They just
released an android app, and a better free plan.

------
iliaznk
I've been searching for a note-taking solution for years, and I was really
going to start using Notion, especially after they lowered the price for
personal use, but what still stops me is the inability to control where the
notes are stored.

That's why I'm using nVALT, I just wish it had some better formatting options.

------
Rjevski
Bear Writer. Native app for macOS and iOS with seamless sync. Not open source
but very cheap and worth every penny.

------
bobbydreamer
Well it depends on kind of notes you take. At first I was using Evernote,
later in Lumia 920 I was using onenote( still do in my new android ).
Currently I wrote a webapp and I am using that now.
[https://stash.bobbydreamer.com](https://stash.bobbydreamer.com)

------
stephengillie
With laptop or at home: Notepad++ with Auto Save plugin. Whenever you change
windows, it saves all open tabs. Also makes it a good IDE - when you click on
the terminal, it saves your code, so you can just reload the module.

Mobile: Dropbox text files. Also they interoperate well with the above.

------
ready2operate
Notability on iPad with Apple Pencil.

~~~
notimetorelax
I usually add to the mix OneNote, especially when I’m on the go and have only
the iPhone.

------
mxschumacher
For many years I have been taking notes in
[https://workflowy.com/](https://workflowy.com/) . The extreme simplicity of
the tool coupled with the way that nesting brings structure to my thoughts is
ideal for me.

~~~
dailymorn
I used to be a long-time user of Workflowy (since 2012), but I've recently
switched to Dynalist ([https://dynalist.io](https://dynalist.io)).

It's more actively developed and deviates a bit from the extreme simplicity of
Workflowy. I haven't looked back though. :)

~~~
mxschumacher
I've tried Dynalist and had numerous performance issues. Talked to developers
a bit and switched back to Workflowy.

------
shivamyadav2512
Keep. It has no ads and you can access it from phone or laptop. It's not open
source though.

------
albertgoeswoof
WorkFlowy is incredible

But it’s not open source

~~~
NickBusey
Shameless plug for my open source alternative:
[https://BulletNotes.io/](https://BulletNotes.io/)

~~~
ovi256
This kind of thread is the perfect place for these plugs. If not here, where ?
So thanks, and good luck with the project.

------
konraditurbe
Simplenote. I have the app on my phone and this vim plugin:
[https://github.com/mrtazz/simplenote.vim](https://github.com/mrtazz/simplenote.vim)

------
GlenTheMachine
Trunk Notes on an iPad. Self-hosted iOS wiki that supports markdown. My major
wish is that it had support for mathematical notation.

You might check out TiddlyWiki. Open source, and will run almost anywhere.

------
reitanqild
Computer: Boostnote - it is open source and nice.

I also use paper to draw things, preferably: whitelines (seriously nice, easy
to scan, not expensive IMO)

------
baby
I’ve tried a lot of things and I still don’t have the perfect solution, but
markdown in sublime text works well enough

------
antonis82
Plain Old Text (I use atom) + your favorite cloud for backup and sync between
devices (I prefer Dropbox).

------
twblalock
Apple Notes. OneNote before that, but it started being very buggy about
synchronizing.

I need something that syncs with my phone.

------
FahadUddin92
Write it down on paper and Google Drive.

------
kazinator
Determine the Wikipedia pages where the presenter cribbed all the information,
and write down their names.

------
fenesiistvan
The "Simplenote" app. Simple as notepad and it does the syncs between my
Android phone and PC.

------
some_account
Bear is great on a Mac. Paste screenshots and create lists is super easy and
post tagging works great.

------
blattimwind
Neat paper and a good fountain pen.

------
sabarasaba
vim-wiki has been my go to tool for the past 5 years, cant recommend enough
[https://github.com/vimwiki/vimwiki](https://github.com/vimwiki/vimwiki)

------
hprotagonist
i keep my lab/research notebook in org-mode.

i take class notes and pdf markup in Notability.

during meetings i use paper.

