A-notekeeping we will go...

I've been using one of the Miquelrius notebooks as a cross between a diary and a place for keeping work-related notes, and although it's a workable solution to the problem of keeping track of lists, etc., it's also a royal pain to find notes in it. I find myself trying to remember what side of the book and where on the page I wrote things such as URLs to interesting web sites, phone numbers, and so on.

The solution, in theory, is to keep all of one's information on a PDA, but I've found the Zaurus is simply not a convenient platform for keeping notes and if I am to make use of my ols Palm IIIx, I'm going to have to strip it down to the bare metal (datawise) and get rid of bunches of data that's no longer germane to my life.

In any event, without trying to solve the problem all at once (or even defining the problem unambiguously or consistently), here is what I require of any method for keeping notes and records, and some thoughts en passant:

1. it must be portable to the extent that it fits inside a jacket pocket;
   
2. it must allow me to find information rapidly (any information?);
   
3. if must allow me to enter information in freehand (e.g., diagrams, maps, drawings); in other words, not restrict me to words only;
   
4. essential information must easily archived (this raises the issue of how to distinguish essential from non-essential information);
   
5. it should not be subject to the vagaries of battery failure and operating restrictions (e.g., inoperable during aircraft takeoff)
   
6. the "system" should involve the minimum number of components (and labor to use).
   

The Palm satisfies points 1, 2, 4, and 6; fails points 3 and 5.

The SpaceMaker™, a Franklin Quest product that combines a pouch for the Palm with a six-ring binder for some Franklin planner notes satisfies points 2, 3, and 4, and adddresses point 6 by combining the PDA and notepaper into one package, but fails points 1 and 5 (although nothing keeps me from using the paper if the PDA is not usable).

The Miquelrius notebook satisfies points 1, 3, 5, and 6, but fails 2 an 4.

I am going to let this simmer for a while. I must turn to my translation and to some final items in the paper chase, and I must give consideration to the importance of each requirement.

Cheers...

Wiki as PIM...

In removing an accumulation of books from the closet in the spare bedroom, I rediscovered The Wiki Way, which didn't quite pique my curiosity the first time I went through the volume, as the feature set in TWiki pretty much leaves that of the "original" Wiki in the dust. On the other hand, given a decent installation of Perl, the software on the companion CD is - after consulting the appropriate errata - workable.

So workable in fact, that while chasing paper earlier today, I began to formulate the specifics of a plan that I had only entertained as a flight of fancy some time ago: install Perl and Apache on the Zaurus, and run Wiki there, too.

Initially, my intent was to run Wiki locally, so that I could use the Zaurus' own keyboard, etc. to maintain a free-form PIM, but it turns out that the Apache server on the Zaurus is a bit more capable than that. A few minutes ago, the Zaurus was serving three users with data, which gives me the idea that I could store a set of Wiki files on the Zaurus and use them from a normally sized computer, or in standalone mode if push comes to shove.

* * *The was, indeed, an envelope waiting for me at the store, and it did contain the CDs I'd ordered. Part of the Michel Thomas approach to teaching - at least the Spanish course - is to feature two painfully inept students who try to respond to Thomas' direction. In fact, the young man on the sound track takes a terrible beating, review-wise, at the Amazon site. Personally, though, I think the two "students" are there for the purpose of making the (actual) student feel "superior," whatever that means. I listened to the first three tracks of the first CD while cooking earlier in the day, and continue to be impressed with the technique being used to teach Spanish. I've noticed, however, that I tend to unconsciously "respond" in much the same manner as when I interpret simulatneously, which gives me a couple of extra seconds to repeat the phrase in question again.

* * *So, now that I've chased paper, listened to a language CD, and indulged in a craving to force computer hardware and software to my will, maybe I can turn to the translation due Monday and whittle it down somewhat for tomorrow's final thrust.

Cheers...