Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 10:52:23 -0500 (EST)
From: Judith Tabron <tabron-AT-BINAH.CC.BRANDEIS.EDU>
Subject: Re: info glut


What a good question. I'm very happy with the system I have, though
perhaps I will look at your suggestions as well...

My notes on everything I read go into a FileMaker database, a template I
made myself and so it would fail any serious bookkeeping test, I'm sure.
My primary index for organization is the project I was working on at the
time I read it, which may be too rigid but at least with a real database
you can always fall back on other methods of searching (author, notes,
full text.)

Lots of people don't use FileMaker to its full capacity because they don't
realize they can store tens of pages of text in one field (called "notes",
for instance) and then do full-text searches.

Any other text I get -- notes from the internet, downloads from databases,
etc. -- I just fling into folders, on the theory that if I ever need to
pick through it, I can, or I can use one of the computer tools that does a
full text search. BBEdit can do this, among other things, with all kinds
of files.

Judith
can't-resist-a-computer-question

p.s. BTW, a plug for my favorite program of all time (after FileMaker): if
you want a graphical idea manager to help you organize your thoughts,
including placing notes, etc., you can't beat Inspiration.

On Fri, 11 Sep 1998, Bram Dov Abramson wrote:

> What I'm looking for is something of a hybrid between a word processor and
> a data base.  I'd like to be able to enter notes, either on a specific
> source (journal article, book article, book, etc) or on whatever comes to
> my head (my own title for the note), and then search them in two ways:
> - full text search
> - a hierarchy I've constructed.  Ideally, I'd be able to create project
> folders, and enter the different notes into those.  Each note could go in
> as many places as was appropriate.
> 
> I've spent some time on the internet and querying friends about how to go
> about all of this.  So far, I've installed AltaVista's Discovery search
> software (full text search of all word processor, html, etc files on my
> hard drive), but am also looking for a more complete package to do the
> above.  The ones I've been looking at are:
> 
> - askSam (a free-form text database - http://www.asksam.com);
> - Nota Bene Scholars' Workstation (a word processor with bibliography and
> database software - http://www.notabene.com);
> - Zoot (an info manager type program - http://www.zootsoftware.com).
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with the above, or have cleverer ways of
> getting a handle on sources, references, notes, etc.?
> 
> cheers
> Bram
> ---
>    Bram Dov Abramson                   bram-AT-tao.ca
>    C.P. 48099 - Montreal Quebec - H2V 4S8 - Canada
> 
> 
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