What Users of The Journal Say…
Thanks so much for designing a TRUE journal program that’s both aesthetically pleasing and very efficient. I’ve experimented with various “diary”-like programs, but have somehow never been satisfied completely. All I can say is….Fantastic!
–CHOAM
Dear DavidRM Software,
I just had to drop you a line to tell you how MUCH I really like The Journal!
I use The Journal every day now and it’s one of my favorite programs. The more things I discover I can do with The Journal, the more I like it. I have categories for the various writing projects: Story ideas, Poetry ideas, Article ideas, etc, and each main page takes advantage of the Links function to create a table of contents.
A Notebook category for a novel I’m working on has 3 sub-categories: one for a daily journal of my thoughts and progress, a notebook for capturing snippets and research, and an image journal for photos of my ‘cast’ of characters.
I export the parts I need to a USB flashdrive and then sync my laptop with my desktop. Besides The Journal’s backup function, I also create an RTF backup on floppy disks. (Losing creative work is a nightmare. It’s almost impossible to replicate once it’s gone.)
In a nutshell, things I love about The Journal are:
* Portability – being able to take my current work with me on a laptop
* Flexibility – Being able to manipulate categories and entries to match my work style and my writing process
* Security – having RTF backups for use in Word in an ’emergency’ (As for other security issues, I don’t use, need or even want a password and the Journal is one of the few programs that gives me the option of not having one.)
This is the best journaling product anywhere. I used to use LifeJournal, but it requires a password, is very inflexible when it comes to keeping multiple ‘notebooks’, and can’t sync up with a laptop. (All deal breakers for me.)
I’ve tried two other products (My Personal Diary and another whose name escapes me now) but have found nothing to equal the power and flexibility of the Journal.
Great product!
–Kathy Bright
I use DavidRM Software’s The Journal on my slate tabletPC, and prefer it to both Microsoft’s Journal, which is included in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, or Microsoft’s OneNote, which has just been released for beta testing.
Used in conjunction with the handwriting recognition features of the tablet PC, DavidRM Software’s The Journal is a powerful organizer that allows me to keep records by customer, by day, or by subject, and it has rapidly become an indispensable tool.
–Paul Thomas Hallett
The Journal is, in my opinion, the best writing tool on the market, and I’ve tried every piece of writing software I could get my hands on. There are many that cost a lot more, feature all kinds of graphic enhancements, but none of these, in my opinion, provides the focussed environment that is truly helpful to the process of writing that The Journal does.
–Steve Zeoli, Freelance Writer
Who Uses The Journal?
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I LOVE THE JOURNAL. It is such an effective way to organize the multiple parts of my life and a one-stop resource for the things I need to access. And, it makes journaling so much easier since I am at my computer most of the time, and I think best typing.
Thank you for creating The Journal.
–Phyllis (Klees) Moore
The Journal is the best app I never knew I needed!
–Davis Sickmon, Jr.
How They Use The Journal
Users of The Journal (including the developer) share how they use The Journal for everything from daily journaling to coupon clipping to writing novels and organizing work notes.
- Alan Brooks, Historian/Researcher
- David Michael, Developer of The Journal
- John Leach, Journalist
- Brian Ford, Consulting Engineer, Office of the Chief Strategy Officer, Cisco Systems
- Jerry Hayden, Maintenance/Engineering group, Carlex Glass Company
- Allen Johnson, Hobbyist Writer
- Dawn in Jersey
- Kent Eaton, Alternative Learning Advocate
- Susan Michael, Homeschooler
- Veronica Armstrong, Writer
- Linda Harrell
- Bernard V. Beam
- Julie Garman
- Toni McConnel, Technical Writer
- Luceele P. Smith-Huff
- John Hawkins, Using Intensive Journaling
- Tracye Gano
- Matt Morgan
- Nancy Custer
- Diana L. Little
- Meg McCrea
- Denise Alsop-Rhoades
- Bernard J. Armada
- Rich Hill
- Walt Podushko
- Pastor Dan S. Baty
There is no “Right Way” to use The Journal =)
In the monthly newsletter, and in the user email discussion list, you’ll read about a lot of features of The Journal. And, yes, there are a lot of features.
The Journal has been around since 1996, and in the years since, I’ve inserted/extended/wedged-in a *lot* of functionality, much of it suggested by users just like yourself. Hopefully, I’ve managed to include those new features and extensions in an unobtrusive way, rather than cluttering things up and making the software harder to use or more intimidating.
*BUT* just because all those features are there, does *NOT* mean you have to use them. You don’t even have to experiment with them. I won’t be insulted and the software won’t go into “sulk mode”. Promise.
I’ve tried to make The Journal flexible enough that you can do what you want, how you want. (That said, if The Journal does get in your way, let me know. There’s always room for improvement.)
In short: Do your own thing. Feel free to ignore any features or functionalities that aren’t useful to you.
However you use The Journal, that is *YOUR* Right Way.
More User Comments
What a great program! I have been journaling on my computer for several years now, but have never been happy with the program I was using. Once I found yours I immediately moved all of my data over…and registered. Thanks!
–Craig Miller, GIS Applications Developer, Pacific Northwest Geographics
I’m an independent programmer, and I’ve used The Journal for almost three years now to keep up with my projects on a day-by-day basis. My clients are consistently amazed when I can quickly tell them the exact date we made a particular decision or software change, and all the factors we were considering at the time. The Journal has greatly increased my professional effectiveness and is second-to-none!
–Bill D. Pirkle
I am a note-taker by profession (University teacher and literary critic) as well as compulsion, and routinely use several free-form databases in order to keep track of references, quotations, and (when they come) ideas. These programs are very useful for their purpose, but do not encourage one to enter random thoughts or log personal and domestic events on a daily basis. The Journal enables one to do just that, and you are to be congratulated for having made the program so straightforward, transparent, and at the same time elegant in its operation. It is the kind of program that nobody knows they need until they’ve tried it, whereupon it becomes indispensable.
–David Lucking
I just wanted to thank you for writing such a useful program. I use it daily to record my thoughts, which I later review as I write my poetry. The easy reviewing of my previous thoughts from other days has alleviated much of the writers block I experienced in the past. Thanks again for the great software!
–Gregory Allan Clark
Your program is truly one of the more useful shareware programs. If someone asks what I do that is useful on my computer, yours is one of the programs I show or tell about. So much of computing is for the sake of computing or entertainment that it is sometimes hard to justify having one to someone who does not understand what they could possibly be good for. Journal is one good reason all by itself to get a computer!
–Chuck Longfellow
Just taken a look at [the Journal] and have now decided to start up my diary again after a few years lay-off.
–Andy Williams
Wonderful! I’m moving all my programming notes into the Journal…
–Steve Kellock
Start today!
If you have ever wanted to keep a personal journal, start a diary, or simply organize your many notes, now is the time. The Journal offers a Free 45-day Trial! So Download The Journal today!