Google Notebook Desertion

Behind every web-based app that no one thinks is used are at least a hundred avid users that sink their teeth into it every day. Case in point, Google Notebook, which Google announced two days ago it will no longer support.

Avid users, don't hyperventilate just yet. The app, and its content, will remain at http://notebook.google.com ... at least for now. Will they reach a point that they'll decide they could use that Google Notebook server over there in the corner for something else?

The post on the Google Notebook Blog, within two days, has ramped up over 400 comments. The responses range from "noooo!" to "what the heck is Google Notebook?"

And, more pertinently, why the heck do I care personally?

Well... do you have a blog? Have you ever been in that Wordpress "write a post" page, gotten 500 words into an incredible story, then had your computer lock up... or your Internet connection crash... or your web browser freeze? ARGH! Well, Google Notebook saves what you've typed every few seconds... so if you lock up, just visit your Google Notebook a few minutes later, and "taa-daa" (insert Wall-E sequence here) all your typed text, save maybe the last word or two, are still there.

Oh sure, other tools out there do this. But Google Notebook is pretty. It also allows you to easily grab onto the handle of an entry of text and drag it into a different order, into another notebook, or whatever makes sense. Another point to make is that Google is telling people to use Google Docs--sorry, but Google Docs doesn't have the same level of shuffle-stuff-around-edness that Google Notes does. It's like... well, comparing a Granny Smith apple to a Macintosh apple. And no, I still don't own a Mac.

I'm going to continue to use Google Notebook until it falls over dead. I don't store any overly important information in there--just use it for editing, upcoming story ideas, and my peace of mind. It's my favorite, idiot-proof text editor.

Oh--one last note--before I posted this article, I wrote and edited it within Google Notebook.

Tags: editing, editor, google, notebook, text, webapp

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Comment by Cananito on January 17, 2009 at 11:12am: I did use it a bit, at first I had a couple of links I needed, then I just used it to list my to-do's on school, but I never depended on it 100% so I don't feel like I'm losing much.

Comment by csmcclendon on January 17, 2009 at 9:38am: I usegoogle notebook -everyday-. Not as a text editor like you seem to however, but as a sort of live bookmarks tool. notebook keeps my bookmarks organized no matter what browser I'm running (though at the moment firefox is my default) and more importantly no matter what computer I'm on. I'd like to know how google docs is supposed to replace that? And while we are on the topic, why in the h*ll have they decided to get rid of it? is there any information on that score?

Comment by Ken Matthews on January 17, 2009 at 9:13am: Thank you for the disertation. I am disapointed because of I am an avid user of many google aps. I will continue to use as you until it completly drops, but when and if it does I am certain I will find something to replace it. Technology is amazing and when something falls something better is just waiting to emerge, it is just a matter locating and getting conected.

Comment by SphereCat1 on January 17, 2009 at 7:02am: It's does indeed live down in the corner of my Firefox, but I've been moving everything over to Evernote anyway. Honestly, I never remember to use either, so my heart isn't too broken.

It was a neat little app, though.

Comment by Geoffrey Bernardo van Wyk on January 17, 2009 at 6:38am: I have used google notebook for some time, but not in the last three months since I have reinstalled windows. I will give it a go again. It might be better than using favourites in IE.