ISU Bengal

Issue date: 4/20/05 Section: News

KINGSTON, R.I. - Microsoft is attempting to keep up with the increasing presence of computers around the college campus by offering a new program for taking notes.

MicrosoftOffice OneNote 2003, the new program from Microsoft, appears to be very similar to their Word program. However, OneNote has a slightly different format and several new buttons and features that are not available in Word.

One key element in the new program that Microsoft boasts about is the ability to stay organized within one's notes. Organization is achieved through a format that allows the note taker to tab and file notes in the same format as a five-subject notebook.

Tabs at the top of the screen divide subjects, while tabs along the side of the screen divided each subject into its respective sections. The tabs are relatively easy to use and are helpful in organization of sections and subjects.

Other features that help with note taking and organization is the ability to highlight and flag sections within the notes that are important. Those indicators are then compiled into a side bar for easy access to that information.

OneNote provides users with the option to transfer their documents in and out of the program to and from other Microsoft programs such as Word and Excel. According to the online demonstration program, the feature could be used to start full essays.

Items that are imported into the Internet, such as a written paragraph or a picture, are automatically cited with the website within the document. Other Internet features include the ability to send an entire set of notes over e-mail.

Although OneNote is advertised as a program that is desirable to students with laptop computers, many features would be more practical for tablet computers. There are a few options that would allow a person writing free hand on a tablet to change handwriting into computer fonts.

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