Need tip/suggesting:org-mode for note taking

Need tip/suggesting:org-mode for note taking

[包乾]

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Hi emacser!
I have been using debian and emacs for about one year. After I get used to
the command line and basic usage of linux system, I decided to learn more
deeper in linux. During my study, I found it's hard for me to remember
every technical detail about all the things I learned--I need to take
notes.

Evernote is popular but it's not supported on linux(also it's proprietary).

Until I found a youtube video talking about org-mode+github. In this way,
basically one can write notes by org-mode, and push it to github, which is
almost the same thing evernote does.

However I should say, taking note in org-mode is just not comfortable. I
considered why it makes me uncomfortable and here is some of them:
1. I am not familiar with taking notes in plain text file. Usually plain
text file means hard to navigate, hard to read, ugly structure, to me.
Emacs could handle org file quite well, but WITHOUT emacs, on windows pc,
on mobile device, plain txt is just disaster.
2. I don't know how organize all my contents when it become more and more.
With a hand writing notebook, I have physical "pages", in Microsoft Word, I
also have virtual "pages". In org-mode org file, I don't. It's like my org
file is a endless roll of toilet paper(forgive me for being rude)! And I
think it's the main reason makes me feels so uncomfortable to handle org
file.
3. Hard to import pictures, web pages...into org file.(In fact I don't know
how).

Is there any tips or suggestion to overcome these uncomfortable feeling?
Thx in advance!

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Re: Need tip/suggesting:org-mode for note taking

[Giovanni Ridolfi]

Da: 包乾 <houkensjtu@gmail.com>

Inviato: Giovedì 8 Novembre 2012 10:58

Hi, 包乾,

> Hi emacser! 

I'd say orgers.

> Emacs could handle org file quite well, but WITHOUT emacs, on windows pc,
?-)

I have been using Emacs on a Windows PC, without Administator privileges,
   both under XP and Windows 7, since 2005.


>  I don't know how organize all my contents when it become more and more. 

- you can use tags:
   please copy this text in you Emacs:


(info "(org)tags") 

go with the cursor at the end of the line and press C-x C-e; you can read the 

Org manual.


- and also internal links in your file

(info "(org) internal links") 


> With a hand writing notebook, I have physical "pages", in Microsoft Word, 

> I also have virtual "pages". 

> In org-mode org file, I don't. It's like my org file is a endless roll of toilet paper

You can use headlines 

(info "(org) document structure") 

> 3. Hard to import pictures, web pages...into org file.(In fact I don't know how). 
you can't import but you can have links to them:


(info "(org) hyperlinks") 



Hope these useful tips regarding info will help:
But `i' (M-x Info-index) will really make your life easier.
  `l' Info-history-back
  `L' Info-history
  `]' Info-forward-node


cheers,
Giovanni

Re: Need tip/suggesting:org-mode for note taking

[Paul]

Hello 包乾,

Apologies in advance if I tell you something you already know or is
rather elementary.  My best experiences with Emacs often coincide with
someone pointing out something really simple that I had been missing
for years!

> However I should say, taking note in org-mode is just not
> comfortable. I considered why it makes me uncomfortable [ ... ] Is
> there any tips or suggestion to overcome these uncomfortable
> feeling?


> 1. I am not familiar with taking notes in plain text file. Usually
> plain text file means hard to navigate, hard to read, ugly
> structure, to me.  Emacs could handle org file quite well, but
> WITHOUT emacs, on windows pc, on mobile device, plain txt is just
> disaster.

It's OK if you don't like Emacs/org-mode - it seems to be something
that will either appeal to some, but really grate with others.  I've
been using Emacs a long time - it really appeals to me - and the idea
that something /isn't/ a "plain text file" is abhorrent to me!  So
give Emacs a fair shot - but if you find you don't like it (or the
underlying paradigms) - use something else and don't feel guilty about
it!

I occasionally run through the TUTORIAL (C-h t) (which still gives me a
headache after all these years) and always find something new or
something I had forgotten.  This may help if you are finding
navigation problematic.

> but WITHOUT emacs, on windows pc, on mobile device, plain txt is
> just disaster.

Well, yes.  It certainly isn't tidy!  However an Evernote file without
Evernote is going to be even more ugly!  (OK, I haven't used
Evernote, but I'm guessing it's like trying to read a Microsoft Word
document without Microsoft Word.)

So - workarounds.  Install Emacs on the Windows PC.  There's MobileOrg
for iPhones and Android.  And don't forget, whilst it may be ugly to
edit your Orgmode file using another text editor in Windows, at least
it is possible - and it will look great when you put it back in Emacs
or export it to PDF, or ODF, or whatever you like.  (Quick note: don't
use Notepad to edit .org files.  Unless something has changed
recently, it will not cope with "Unix-style" line endings.)  (See C-c
C-e in an Orgmode buffer for some export options.  And read the
manual, of course!)


> 2. I don't know how organize all my contents when it become more and
> more.  With a hand writing notebook, I have physical "pages", in
> Microsoft Word, I also have virtual "pages". In org-mode org file, I
> don't. It's like my org file is a endless roll of toilet
> paper(forgive me for being rude)! And I think it's the main reason
> makes me feels so uncomfortable to handle org file.

Yes, it can be a bit unnerving.  You just have to change the way you
think.

Remember of course, that headlines in orgmode can be "folded" - so you
don't have to see everything at once.  So, let's say you have a large
file, but at the moment you only want to concentrate on your pet cat:

    * TODO...
    * Reasons I Love My Cat
    ** cat is furry
    ** cat helps me type
    * Recipes...

Note how everything under "TODO" and "Recipes" are hidden by the
ellipsis?  Today we concentrate on the cat, but later we can hide the
cat topic (press TAB on its headline), and we can expand (for
instance) the "TODO" topic.

Perhaps you could store subtopics in separate files?  You can link
between them easily enough.  Actually I use one big file where I store
all my little tidbits that I want to remember.  With headline folding
its only ten lines long.  In reality, it's 3250 lines, but it doesn't
matter, because I only have to see the overview - or drill down levels
as required.


I love your "toilet roll" analogy!  Very apt.  I remember reading
about an early word processor that didn't have a concept of file, but
rather stored everything in one big journal (or toilet roll :-) Users
simply found where they wanted to be by searching for the appropriate
text.  I do the same thing with Emacs - zoom to wherever I want to be
using the amazing C-s functionality.  In many ways, I wish this would
map over to real life - I'd much prefer to have /all/ my handwritten
notes in a single binder - especially if weight wasn't a consideration
and I wasn't worried I might lose it.


> 3. Hard to import pictures, web pages...into org file.(In fact I
> don't know how).

Well, you don't really "import".  You "link".  The detail is in the
manual, but here's a quick starter:

Here's what you type:

    [[~/cute-doggy.jpg][Picture of Mr Fluffy]]
    [[http://orgmode.org/org.html#Hyperlinks][Org Mode Hyperlinks]]

And this is what it turns into:

    Picture_of_Mr_Fluffy
    Org_Mode_Hyperlinks

(You have to imagine the above are underlined, and if you click on
them the link is activated - just like in your web browser.)  In fact,
if you export to HTML, they actually become real hyperlinks.  Or
perhaps you'd like the picture of "Mr Fluffy" to be inline - you can
do that too.  (See "Export Options" in the manual for more detail.)


I'd recommend checking out "Capture templates", especially if your
primary interest is keeping track of stuff you learn.  If you want to
remember something, you hit a couple of keys and Emacs prompts you for
information (of course you get to tell it what to prompt for).  This
way, you can quickly jot something down without really having to think
too much about the process.


So, in summary:

  * if you have given it a fair try, but still don't like orgmode -
    stop using it and find something you like

  * do the Emacs Tutorial every so often and discover something
    amazing that somehow you missed last time

  * read about "Capture", and capture templates

  * read the Orgmode manual again and marvel at the possibilities


Have fun!
--
Paul.

Re: Need tip/suggesting:org-mode for note taking

[Jason F. McBrayer]

On 2012-11-08 4:58, 包乾 wrote:

> 1. I am not familiar with taking notes in plain text file. Usually
> plain text file means hard to navigate, hard to read, ugly
> structure, to me.  Emacs could handle org file quite well, but
> WITHOUT emacs, on windows pc, on mobile device, plain txt is just
> disaster.

For mobile devices, you can use MobileOrg on iOS or Android. Also, on
most Android tablets, you can use Emacs[1] itself.

For MS Windows, you can install Emacs normally, or, if you're
concerned about using your Org-Mode notes on other peoples' computers,
you may want to try Portable Emacs[2] on a USB flash drive.

You can also, in a pinch, use any other text editor (that is smart
enough to handle cross-platform line endings), though, of course,
you'll lose the folding and highlighting features that make org-mode
files easy to navigate.

> 2. I don't know how organize all my contents when it become more and
> more. With a hand writing notebook, I have physical "pages", in
> Microsoft Word, I also have virtual "pages". In org-mode org file, I
> don't. It's like my org file is a endless roll of toilet
> paper(forgive me for being rude)! And I think it's the main reason
> makes me feels so uncomfortable to handle org file.

You can use top-level headlines for this, and always fold headlines
that you're not looking at. Some other people have also metioned
tags. The agenda and sparse trees are other ways org-mode offers of
looking at subsets of your data.

> 3. Hard to import pictures, web pages...into org file.(In fact I 
> don't
> know how).

You can use hyperlinks in org-mode to link to things basically
anywhere (on the web, on your hard drive, etc.), but if you want
something like Evernote, you *probably* want to read the org info node
on "Attachments".

Hope this helps!

[1]: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zielm.emacs
[2]: http://esnm.sourceforge.net/EmacsPortable.html

-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| Jason F. McBrayer jmcbray@carcosa.net |
| If someone conquers a thousand times a thousand others in |
| battle, and someone else conquers himself, the latter one |
| is the greatest of all conquerors. --- The Dhammapada |