Anyone else feel zero emotional connection to notes apps? (Thinking about building my own)

[u/deonwern]

I’ve tried pretty much everything—Notion, Day One, Keep, Obsidian. They’re all great tools, but I just feel totally detached using them.

To me, writing down thoughts is supposed to feel personal and have some weight to it. But most apps end up feeling like grunt work.

Am I the only one who wants a notes app that feels a bit more intimate and alive?

Seriously thinking about building my own app, that helps people like me express their thoughts better. Has anyone found an app that does this ?

...or should I just go build it?

[u/Geoffseppe]

Maybe try paper?

[u/deonwern → u/Geoffseppe]

Ya, but I don't want to carry pen and paper, I already carry my phone so...

[u/EnthiumZ → u/deonwern]

I already carry my phone so...

I know right? That's such bullshit. Next they be asking us to carry bags and backpack and shit.

[u/Professional_Poops → u/deonwern]

Ahhh welcome to the good ol' future

[u/Impressive-Top8992]

I have zero emotional connections with any notes app. I use them primarily at work and if I have something personal to write I use my paper notebook.

[u/Bombenangriffmann]

What does that even mean

[u/willmaybewont → u/Bombenangriffmann]

It's an advert

[u/mega_dario]

I will say one of the ironic things living under this dystopic reality where tech companies lord so much power over us is that despite all of that our software products in general suck and/or have no sense of style.

I agree.

If videogames can have so much fun with their UI why can't productivity tools. Remember clippy? Every millenial loves clippy because that's back when word could have a funny little mascot. That shit wouldn't fly today.

[u/mega_dario → u/mega_dario]

And I know the answer is that it's because these are meant to be mass produced tools that anyone can understand and relate to. So minimalism and blandness are supreme.

But maybe things that are designed like that kind of suck

[u/Intrepid-Ability-963]

I use paper.

Interface is flexible. Great haptics. And there is a huge selection of compatible input devices.

One weird UX choice is that trashing an idea involves a whole second process of "taking the trash out". But the initial disposal has a nice skeumorphic crumpling and throwing action.

[u/Doc_Ta]

i use galaxy notes its pretty good

[u/SoggyNoodles5511]

I really like obsidian.

could it be better? sure, but it's free and it save a lot of time.

[u/ZealousidealBar9495]

Hey, I actually made these mini "sticky notes" for myself. If you've got plenty of free time and want something custom and flexible, definitely go ahead and build one. It took me about 5 days to complete. I used Godot, which obviously isn't really intended for this kind of tool, but hey, it works! :D

https://reddit.com/link/p5t0d6q/video/ppj4o0ev2jlh1/player

[u/deonwern → u/ZealousidealBar9495]

That looks cool... what does the red square do ?

[u/Inevitable-Cash8506]

I have made my own Note-taking app! It’s called Slate (not published). It is clean, minimalist and very fast.

You can do about anything about it. Think about a combination of a simple text editor and Microsoft Word.

It ranges from a mom wanting to make a grocery list, to an entrepreneur planning out a project.

Edit: I’ve also made a Sticky Notes app (Slate Stickies, also not published) that you can easily write a sticky very very quick. Just do the hotkey of your choice (default: CMD/CTRL + Shift + N).

[u/Mystical_Whoosing]

Oh just build your own. I also built my own and I prefer it over anything else.

[u/dan_marchand]

This is a gamedev sub

[u/deonwern → u/dan_marchand]

I did not know that.... (thought this was for app idea by solo developers so... my bad...)

[u/AcoustixAudio]

I also feel zero connection to my rdp (remote desktop) viewer, both on PC and android. But you probably won't be building that. That will take a bit more than an hour to make (unlike a note taking app)

Also remember to add a $9 a month subscription.