> Seriously, good question. Computerised notes have the advantage of being > grep'able (if plain text, personally I wouldn't consider anything else; > latex is plain text), but, and it's a big but, no computer, no access. > Good backup though. Hardcover notebook can't be automatically searched, > but it's anywhere you go and ready to use at an instant. No power > required. No security against accidental loss though. Combining the two > methods is theoretically possible, but the synchronisation between > computer and paper (transcribing changes, printing again) adds a lot of > dead overhead.
Thanks Volker (and thanks Chris for the other reply). I have installed KTexMaker2 and tetex and had a quick play. I am fully aware of the differences (and comcomitant disadvantages) between word processors and text processors, but it's only recently that I have decided to do something about it and force myself to at least look at LaTeX. The separation of style and content is becoming more important to me from doing web pages with CSS and writing code which makes HPGL (more code) which is then made visible with another program. It takes a while for it to click and then suddenly: Bang! Why *wouldn't* you do it this way? I won't be deleting AbiWord or OO immediately though... I would like to say, Volker, that where you describe the synchronisation process as "dead overhead" I see it as a chance to both review what you have collected, and commit the worthwhile stuff to a file which is then searchable and archivable. The other ephemeral notes (shopping list, etc.) can be scrunched up and discarded. Actually, I have started carrying around a stack of 3x5 cards in a metal clip *and* a Palm Pilot. I think it's time to print out what's in the Pilot and just carry paper around. Andy
