Your Personal Wikipedia: 9 Free Apps and Services That Help You Remember
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Computers and smartphones can store and sift through reams of data. With a bit of help, you can harness that power to manage the information you need, whether it's something hidden away in an obscure email message, a search engine result, or a tidbit that you haven't written down at all. The nine services and applications below can help you become more productive and make better use of the technology you already own. Each offers a free version, too. Thanks to these knowledge managers, your next project may be easier to finish than you might think.
(For links to all of these downloads and services in one convenient list, see the "Your Personal Wikipedia" collection.)
Catch-All Services
Evernote is probably the best-known service in this category. It has a desktop application, a Web app, and mobile apps that allow you to feed new information and search for existing data. Evernote also offers the Trunk, a hodgepodge of third-party applications, services, and hardware that all play well with the service.
While Evernote has a limited free version, Springpad is entirely free, and displays occasional promotional messages based on the information you save into the service.
Browser-Based Wiki Systems
Just as Google is synonymous with "search," Wikipedia is synonymous with "knowledge." This global online encyclopedia proves that the wiki format works well for managing knowledge. You can make a wiki of your own, too. Of course, your wiki doesn't have to be all-encompassing; it can focus on one particular topic or project, or serve as an interactive journal.
Desktop-Based Wiki Applications
Wikis aren't limited to the Web, either. Desktop wikis are full-fledged applications that offer easy-to-use text formatting and quick linking, but can be fast and nimble, not to mention private.
Tomboy, Zim, and WikidPad are all free and open-source.
Roll Your Own Wiki
Last, but certainly not least, is the geekiest option. MoinMoin is a Python-based open-source wiki for those intrepid users who enjoy installing server-grade software, fiddling with text config files, and watching log lines fly past in a console window.
Deciding which knowledge management system to use is all about personal preference. You may find one you love at first sight, or you might encounter a system that gradually grows on you until you wonder how you ever lived without it. Regardless, having a solid personal database can save you tons of time and frustration.
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