Hey no-cheating

If you can write a notetaking app yourself, do it. That might be the only way to get it to fit your needs. I imagine these things need lots of options so people can fit it to themselves.

As for your question:

I'm a huge notetaker. I'm not in school, but I often go to lectures and seminars. If I don't take notes, it would be like a long dream. When I wake up, I know I had a long dream and I might remember the emotions, but after a few minutes the details are gone.

I even take notes while I'm having lunch/coffee/dinner with someone. I put at the top of the page something like My Dinner with Andre and the date. With certain people, words and topics emerge that I record for later use. With new people, I might interview them. Seriously. I may turn those lunches into a story or blog later on.

To keep my answer short: longhand in notebooks.

Is my system organized, searchable, structured, effective: No

Do I go back to my notes: Yes often

What's the best part of my system: I try to keep a teeny tiny notebook with me always. I ask for teeny tiny notebooks for birthday presents and recently got 6 Moleskins. My notebook collection is not unlike the ones posted here: In case you missed it - a recent post called "Show Us Your Notebooks."

You have found, in hubski, a notebook-loving community.

A few more things about notes, before I go on and write some:

1. Writing the note is more important than going back and typing them out or reading them over.

2. Writing the note fixes it in memory - so even if you don't remember the note, you might remember that you wrote it and you might remember the day or event and can find it.

3. Of course, hard copy notes take up space, digital notes not so much.

Were humans meant to take notes? Absolutely. That's what cave drawings are. (Maybe)