While clearing out my desk recently I found a USB thumb drive with a whole heap of old note-taking apps on it. This drive dates from 2017, not even seven years ago, but it seems like ancient history.

These note-taking apps come and go and the only ones worthwhile IMHO are the ones with a format you can keep using, or at least access. Several, I’m happy to say, had easily re-usable plain text files in a ‘data’ folder or similar.

So why am I mentioning this?

It’s a reminder that a lot can change in just seven years, that so many of the apps with locked-in features will shut down before too long and if your data isn’t easily retrievable, it will be lost.

In particular, I’d recommend keeping as much as possibly in simple plain text files (markdown would be fine) that will probably be readable for a very long time to come. Apps like Obsidian use plain text files, so it’s quite possible to enjoy a combination of up-to-date features and data longevity.

But Obsidian is probably the exception rather than the rule. The temptation is to imagine that the useful features the fancy apps offer are worth the price they charge: not cash but the requirement to use a data format that isn’t easily accessible or convertible. It’s fun to use these apps, right up to the day they shut down and you can’t get your information out of them. I noticed Evernote, once very popular, seems to have locked down its service so you can’t now access your notes unless you pay them a fairly high subscription fee. However, it’s under active development again, so the fee might be worth it. As least they had a format (ENEX) you could straightforwardly convert. Some apps don’t.

For the record, here’s a run-down of the apps I found on my long-lost USB stick, and the level of file-readability they offered. I’d be interested to know what old note-taking apps you have lying around, and which ones you still use.

Plain text files

files that are readable, but not easily by my eyes

file formats that are only realistically accessible via the original app

Text editors

  • Sublime Text
    • Plain text files - supports Markdown and many programming languages
    • Sublime Text is one of my all-time favourites, and it’s made right here in Sydney!
  • Q10 - text editor
    • Last updated 2011. RIP 🪦
  • WriteMonkey 3
    • plain text files - supports Markdown
    • apparently still going, last updated January 2024
  • Bonsai5U3
    • What even is this?

Update:

If you’re looking for newer apps to try, you could try these enhanced markdown apps you can use for free to make effective notes.