Welcome to Idea Keeper

Stickies for the Power User

This text provides a brief overview describing some of Idea Keeper's features along with preliminary instructions for how to get up and running with Idea Keeper.

The Basic Idea
Idea Keeper allows you to create, store, and easily access "ideas" which are individual windows (like this one) which can contain pictures, stylized text, links to files, links to other ideas, sounds, checkboxes (double-click here -> ), and more.  Ideas are stored in Topics, which are equivalent to "folders".  You can view all available Topics and Ideas using the Organizer Window.

Idea Keeper... 

... provides tools for auto-indenting and formatting text.

... provides simple outlining tools.

... can recognize and launch URLs (mailto:, http://, ftp://).

... Scrapbook for storing clips of text, pictures, sounds, etc.

... provides support for Applescript for remote control.

... supports MacInTalk so you can literally hear your ideas.

... can be automatically launched from the background using a key stroke you define.

... can define Hot Keys for opening any idea with a single keystroke, regardless of whether Idea Keeper is the frontmost application.

... can be password protected (both the entire program and individual Topics) to prevent unauthorized access.

... provides dynamic links to files, folders, and applications.

... provides dynamic links between ideas.

... supports drag and drop.

... can recognize and dial phone numbers in idea windows.

... supports Intelligent cut and paste.

... the size of idea windows can be automatically linked to the amount of text in windows.

... Supports Balloon Help, Contextual menus, and the Appearance Manager.

... And More!

Getting Help
Idea Keeper has two methods for providing help to users.  First, Idea Keeper supports Balloon Help.  Just turn it on using the Help menu and point at any item for a description of what the item does and special key strokes for activating special features.  Second, documentation for Idea Keeper is available which you can import into Idea Keeper as two Topics of Ideas (or just read as text files).  These topics are entitled "Idea Keeper Docs" and "Idea Keeper Reference".  To open these files as topics in Idea Keeper you can either (1) double-click on the files in the finder or (2) select "Archived Topic..." from the "Import" sub-menu in the "File" menu and then select the Topic file.

These files are available at the Idea Keeper Web Site - just follow links to Idea keeper from the Software from Plum Island Web Site...

 (With Internet Config installed, double-click on globe to open SPI Web Site, otherwise, click once on the globe to select it and then click on it again while holding down the command-key).

• Shareware •
Idea Keeper is $15 shareware.  It is released is released as fully-functional software.  Only a few of its features (non-essential but very convenient ones) are disabled.  These features are listed in the full Documentation in the idea named "Why Register?".  Until you have paid the shareware fee, a message is displayed whenever Idea Keeper starts up and quits, reminding you that Idea Keeper is shareware.  Information on how to register Idea Keeper (via email, FAX, post, or on-line) is available at the above Web site.