Summary: the 9 Key Considerations:
1.) Easily editable 2.) multimedia 3.) internal linking 4.) searchability 5.) accessibility | 6.) content sharing 7.) scalability 8.) transferability. and 9.) security |
As a critical component of the personal operating system, note-taking serves as the entry point and organization platform of information. Several note-taking software tools are available such as Microsoft OneNote, Notion, Evernote, Apple Notes for Apple users, Google Keep, Obsidian, Joplin, etc. Each has its own strength and weakness. Which one to use depends on his or her need. The following are general considerations you should take into account when selecting such a software tool.
Easily editable. As note-taking tools, easy content input is fundamentally important. This also includes the easy format, copy-paste, insert, and moving content around on the platform. Input by speech recognition becomes particularly important for mobile device operation.
Multimedia. These include text, video, audio, and images. Whether these can be included as inserts or hyperlinks.
Internal linking. Internal links allow different related content sections in different parts or sections of the note to be aggregated when needed, without reorganizing the note structure.
Searchability. As the volume and complexity of the note content increase, finding specific needed items becomes a challenge. Simple and robust search functionality is a must-have. Searchability also includes built-in filter functions according to predetermined metadata or criteria. Above all, free text search globally or in a specific section or page should be available.
Accessibility. The note content should be easily accessible from any electronic device anywhere with an Internet connection. This means that it is in the Cloud. The content of a good note-taking application should be readable on other platforms without the need for conversion effort. Thus, file format compatibility must also be considered.
Content sharing. Although content sharing is best handled by tools dedicated to collaboration and task management, it is a good handy feature to have in a note-taking application.
Upgradability or scalability. Scalability tells whether the functionality of the software can be expanded. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformational driving force to scale up the power and functionality of note-taking tools. The scalability also indicates the longevity of the software. A major concern of some very good software tools by small companies is that they could be out of business and the tool soon becomes unsupported or obsolete.
Transferability. Transferability offers two advantages. One is back up your note contents easily by transferring them to different platforms. The second is to switch to different software tools or transition to a different platform.
Security. Needless to say that security feature is an important consideration since you may put personal information in the note.
In addition to the above eight, task automation and integration with other software functions can be very useful although not for most ordinary users.
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