I'm looking for some suggestions on basic housekeeping programs that you have used, and like. I'm using Vista Ultimate 32 bit edition (Because they messed up when I ordered and I'm stuck with it. Ah well, I doubt 64 bit would get me much more)

I'm looking for a date book with alarm clock. I don't want it to take over my computer when an event pops up, and pop me out of a game or whatever, but I want some kind of a tone to sound even if I'm in a game. I need the date book to be streamline and easy to access and navigate. If it's open source and can work with my palm pilot, I'll give you midget love.

I also need some kind of address book that isn't *** backwards. I want to be able to print up labels, store names and numbers, and be able to save and back up those names and numbers. I also need custom fields that can be automatically added for every name.

I could also use a timesheet keeping program of some kind. I constantly lose track of how much time I've worked on a job so I end up undercharging to avoid a guilty conscience. I'm also doing intern work and my timesheets are the most generalized batch of lies I've ever tried to sell off as truth. If I had a convenient program, I'd do it better.

A note-taking program that works well in vista, but isn't graphically trendy with stickies and stupid **** like that. I just need something that will save my notes even if I shut down the computer. I thought Vista had a means of saving notes on the backs of windows, but I can't figure out how to do that.

Lastly, I want a project management program of some kind. I'd be willing to pay, but open source is better. I've got a good system right now, but there are a few things I'd like to streamline. It'd be nice to be able to break things into identifiable steps, and not have to reread or go to a different folder to find the information I need. I'm very inexperienced with what a project management system actually does or accomplishes, but I'm willing to try some stuff. It'd be even nicer if it web interfaces, as my associates, customers, and coders could access and modify projects as we move along.

If anyone can suggest more house keeping/business related programs, I'm up for anything.

And I realize I could just google, but I'd rather not go through the trial and error of different free programs. I'm willing to drop a few bucks if you've got a REALLY good program. But yeah, I'm just looking for informed opinions.

Thanks.

Uh.... Notepad? It's what I use. That or Excel. Seriously, you don't need a program for this, you need to not be lazy and form a habit of marking when you start and stop working and then calculate hours. Notepad and Excel do that just fine. My Notepad timesheet is retardedly bad looking, and has the worst formatting in the world, but it doesn't matter, because the only person that sees it is me, and all I need it for is a reference when typing up an invoice.

You make me giggle.

I'm interested too. My own timesheets are a pack of lies, and I underestimate as well.

sounds like you need to go get Office.


outlook


excel


onenote


visual studio?

onenote?

And yeah, excel would work, but I'm not really sure how to format it, or anything like that. Outlook his horrifying, and I'll never go back.

Make sure not to confuse Outlook with Outlook Express.

And um, yeah, go get Office 2007.

Formatting in Excel is like formatting in anything else...it's easy.

No, I mean proper timesheet formatting.

And what about project management? You're the guru on programs.

What is "proper timesheet formatting"? Excel is very powerful, chances are it can do what you want.

Project management sounds like a job for Office 2007 Project.

Your place should really have like, Office 2007 Enterprise licensed anyway, but from what I've heard they are way too cheap.

onenote

Exactly. Mine is just columns for the day of the week (since I don't work every day), the date, hours worked, and what I did. There's not really any "proper" format, unless you're given something by an employer to fill out.