An upgrade to Journal (e.g. "Journal Plus" that

[Aussie Blue Boy]

An upgrade to Journal (e.g. "Journal Plus" that is sold separately whilst still keeping the original Journal free for new Tablet buyers would, I think be a reasonable approach for Microsoft to take and still keep the integrity of its OneNote project.

Quite simply Bill, there is still a big need for a flexible product that sits outside the OneNote metaphor.

I use Journal everyday and I believe always will.

But I (and most likely many others) feel deserving of being given the respect of our reasoned (and dare I say, seasoned) thoughts and experiences on what we want to work for us.

I work with documents. Journal creates documents (like Word does).
I now use Journal far more than I do or ever did use Word.

If Microsoft doesn't hear us, not only will a strong competitor to OneNote arise but also the possibility that with a better alternative to Journal even Word will be threatened in the long term.

Does this seem to have some emotional import? You bet!

We all used Journal before anything else on a tablet; it was the natural paper-pad metaphor that made so much sense in a digital version so it was easy to get used to.

The bulk of my sales/business model is based on Journal.

• I present with it
• take notes with it
• do quotes with it
• make sales with it

But we now need new tools.
I prefer to "think in ink" but I just want the same tools that you have in your other applications.
Please listen to us, develop for us, charge us. You won't lose.

Here's some of my wish list. Please all, without trying to turn it into a copy of OneNote add comments that serve to strengthen the general advantages and flexibility of this handy and underestimated little app. as well as comments that simply support this thread.

[u]Drawing tools</u>
The same ones in Word will do nicely e.g. (but not limited to) rotate, align, shapes etc.

[u]Toolbar at page-bottom option</u>
When you are drawing for someone else's benefit it's annoying to have to keep reaching over the page to the top toolbar

[u]Multiple page Cut 'n Paste</u>
I can only copy or cut one Journal page into another Journal file at a time. Painful if you need to merge two documents with several pages.

[u]Full page Text-boxes</u>
I haven't counted the actual characters but there's obviously a limit as to how big a text box will be i.e. how much text can be entered or pasted

[u]Page-bar Titles</u>
I absolutely love using page-bars to quickly navigate through my Journal documents, but the ability to add a title to them would be tremendous

[u]New Page with Title-frame option</u>
I know you can insert a new page and get this but it would be easier to have it automatically (selectable option) for pages added in the normal 'scroll-down' way.

[u]Table of Contents</u>
Perhaps generated from page-bar titles or from title-frames (where they exist)

[u]Insert ClipArt option</u>
plus perhaps enhance the 'insert' menu options

[u]Forward-back buttons on toolbar</u>
To enable easy/quick navigation whilst presenting

[u]Thumbnail View Page Sorter/Organiser</u>
to facilitate reorganisation of document structure

That'll do from me for now.

[Jehtris]

With InfiNotes, it should all be doable. That's the developer add-in for notetaking ability. If you pay the $1k license for the pro edition, you could do a real nice notetaking app!

[KenMagel]

Most of what you list should actually be added to OneNote since it is a part of Office. It should be the product that uses the tools that other parts of Office use.

I think if they made the ink behavior in OneNote much more compatible with that in Journal, OneNote could be improved to serve all of these needs.

[rbushway]

I don't see Microsoft improving Journal at all. I think they will concentrate on improving OS issues (recognition, UI, etc), and leave it up to the ISV's and their own Office team to develop better notetaking applications.

[alienrat]

I don't see that they will update journal in any significant way. I see it as something like notepad for windows. It comes free and lets you write as a basic and lightweight application. Any additional functionality they tend to leave to other ISVs or the office suite.

[Aussie Blue Boy]

Guys, I don't see it either - that's why I laid out the case 'FOR' as above.

Any supporters?

[rbushway]

I actually wouldn't be in favor of an improved Journal as made by Microsoft. I'd rather see ISV's take up the mantle and develop it.

[arebelspy]

quote:Originally posted by rbushway

I actually wouldn't be in favor of an improved Journal as made by Microsoft. I'd rather see ISV's take up the mantle and develop it.

They all make it way too overcomplex. I love the simplicity of Journal, it's just missing a few things. I'd rather pay for an Service Pack 1 for Journal than pay for a whole new overcomplex program..

-arebelspy

[bhelzer]

I don't believe Microsoft is planning on any improvements in Journal.
That is why they released the Journal Reader components, to help people migrate from Journal. It contains only read functionality, because they do not want more Journal files.
Check out the Scribbler application that is part of InfiNotes (www.InfiNotes.com). The source code for Scribbler is included as part of the SDK.

[Aussie Blue Boy]

THANKYOU AREBELSPY.

Folks, I REALIZE Microsoft have no future plans for this product, that's WHY I started this thread - to garner/guage support for an alternative approach for them.

Arebelspy is right- other vendors would only stuff it up by making it some kind of halfway step to ON or GB.

We just want some enhancements and we're happy to pay for them.

Why wouldn't Microsoft recognise that it's better to get $50 or $100 or whatever off me than have me spend that money with another company?
I'm all for supporting ISVs but this is a MS originated thing.

Not supporting and maintaining Journal is to Tablet PCs as
not supporting and maintaining Word would be to Office.

So please, may we have some posts from people who...
a) want a better Journal
b) would be prepared to pay for it
c) don't want it to be made into another kind of app