Wednesday, January 14, 2009 6:30 PM
At Google, we're constantly working to innovate and improve our products so people can easily find and manage information. At times though, we have to decide where to focus our efforts and which technologies we expect will yield the most benefit to users in the long run.
Starting next week, we plan to stop active development on Google Notebook. This means we'll no longer be adding features or offer Notebook for new users. But don't fret, we'll continue to maintain service for those of you who've already signed up. As part of this plan, however, we will no longer support the Notebook Extension, but as always users who have already signed up will continue to have access to their data via the web interface at http://www.google.com/notebook.
If you haven't used Notebook in the past, we invite you to explore the other Google products that offer Notebook-like functionality. Here are a few examples, all of which are being actively improved and should meet your needs:
- SearchWiki - We recently launched a feature on Search that will let you re-rank, comment, and personalize your search results. This is useful when you've found some results on Google Search that were really perfect for your query. You can read about how to use SearchWiki in this blog post.
- Google Docs - If you're trying to jot down some quick notes, or create a document that you can share with others, check out Google Docs.
- Tasks in Gmail - For a lightweight way to generate a todo list or keep track of things, we recently launched Tasks in Gmail Labs.
- Google Bookmarks - For a tool that can help you remember web pages that you liked and access them easily, take a look at Google Bookmarks. You can even add labels to your bookmarks to better organize and revisit them.
UPDATE, January 22.
Since this post went up, we've received lots of feedback. In particular, many of you seem concerned about what will happen to the information and data you've already put into Notebook. So we'd like to reiterate and clarify a few things.
First, since we're maintaining the service via http://www.google.com/notebook, every single notebook and all the existing features of the web interface will still be available. Those of you that already use the web interface should see no change in how the product behaves. Second, we guarantee that you will always have access to and control of your notebooks; we completely appreciate the effort and knowledge that your data represents and are committed to making sure you don't lose it. Finally, if you're looking for a way to easily export your information out of the product, the feature already exists. In the upper right corner of the web interface, under the "Tools" menu, there are two export options: "Export to Google Docs", and "Export as HTML".
We hope this addresses some of your concerns. Thanks for all your feedback and suggestions.
1,919 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 401 – 600 of 1919 Newer› Newest»I can't believe it's going... I use it all the time... is any other technology coming along to do the same thing, eg may be an add on to gmail?...
I'm very disappointed about this -- I used Google Notebook from the beginning and have found it a wonderful way to store information quickly, which is what I need to do when I'm researching something. Even though I use google docs extensive, it's not a replacement unless there's some kind of browser extension that'll copy over to it right away... even though, it still wouldn't be the same.
Google -- PLEASE reconsider.
this is sad. notebook is very handfull and power application. i'm using it at home and work.
I'm adding my name to the saddened bunch of Notebook enthusiasts...
This is a real shame. It took me a while to realise how useful Notebook was. As soon as I installed the extension, I started using it loads. It's especially handy to have the same notes on my different machines.
Is there an open source alternative? I thought this being a Google project it was almost guaranteed a future. Now, I'd rather host my own notes.
this is the only notebook not blocked by my corporate firewall.
This really sucks.
Common Guys!! It's Google! How come a giant like Google can't afford to keep such a relatively small product up and running?
I makes me feel worried.
I was always count on Google products as the ones which last, rather than other small Web 2 websites.
Please don't do that...
Google Notebook was the one I used most out of these.
Shame it's not having any further development on it, but in my opinion it's pretty much complete anyway!
Hope they don't actually take it down.
I can't understand why and how you came to this decision. I think Notebook is the most useful Google service after web searching, and now it's stopped! Very pity.
Je suis très déçu par votre décision pour le NOTEBOOK qui était prometteur
I export all my notes to google document but now i am going to use zoho notebook
i am disappointed
Can't believe that ! We aren't the 1st of April !
I am using Notebook every day !
The Firefox plugin is so useful...
I usually agree to Google strategic decisions... but, today, I thonk they are mistaking !!!
Hurry up, guys, WAKE UP !!!
STEP BACK AND CARRY ON DEVELOPPING NOTEBOOK !!!
Sign the Google Notebook petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/gnoteb/petition.html
Spread the word
Don't stop service. Thank you.
Google gave up on us
Google let us down
Google ran around and hurt us
Google made us cry
Google said goodbye
Google told a lie and hurt us
:-(
Google notebook will come back!
I believe.
I hate to see you kill Notebook. I do understand the need to focus on useful, profitable products.
However, it's one thing to cut out the various "social" apps or "shopping" apps that don't pertain to search, and another to cut out a useful and relevant search/analysis tool, like Notebook. Obviously, a lot of the comments noted below express this disappointment.
While they may be moot arguments at this point in time, Google needs to consider the fact that if you wish to treat users' search, aggregation and analysis of data as important and related to the nature of search activity, then you also need to provide some level of support for advanced search activity, agregation and analysis, even if the average user does not take advantage of the supplied tool.
I'd bet the Notebook users out there conduct 'search' much more often, spend more time in search, and in a more sophisticated fashion, than the average user.
You're killing off a very useful search tool. Searchwiki, Docs, Bookmarks, don't replace this functionality.
Sad, very sad... Google is falling apart.
Stop this nonsense of Android and keep up the nice things, like Notebook!
Just adding my name to the list of folks who can't quite grasp how/why this is happening. Second only to Gmail is my use of Notebook (via the firefox extension).
In terms of actually "accomplishing what the tool sets out to do," Google Docs/SearchWiki/and the like are all ridiculous suggestions; they're comparatively immature (and mostly irrelevant, since they don't offer any of the facilities Notebook/Firefox-Extension offered. Notebook just works, to the point that I trusted it with a ton of info -- and Notebook *did* and *continues* to work *great*.
I honestly can't really remember a time when Notebook didn't take care of whatever project/need I had at the time; to be clear, Notebook hasn't/isn't failing me here...Google has.
Can't overemphasize how much trust this has eroded (at least w/ me) in the Google brand. To echo a previous post:
Time to start looking for 'non-beta' alternatives for gmail, because this sucks and I certainly don't want to set myself up for another "migrate-a-thon" in the future by (foolishly) assuming that Google wouldn't just dump its most useful (and sadly, unique) tool without much warning at all.
If the 'beta' moniker Google places on all of its products is essentially to be interpreted as "We reserve the right to just arbitrarily yank this tool, after pushing and pushing and pushing it, convincing you to store lots of data with us, etc, because everything at Google is beta...you wake up tomorrow and you never know what *won't* be there anymore.
Let's hope the companies that offer "stable/non-beta" software alternatives can come close to a decent Notebook clone, not to mention gmail -- because the only Big Name I'd trust less than google with my mail/data right now is/remains Microsoft. (But I digress...lol)
Shame. I can't remember a time when I actually posted to a blog, much less posted to bemone the death of a piece of software or (etc) -- and yet here I am, even knowing that these words (and the rest of the ~500 some odd pleas that came before it) are unlikely to have any sway or effect.
Like I said, just adding my name to the "disappointed, disturbed" list...though perhaps this was a necessary wake-up call not to trust the Cloud with (what has come to be) the data I use most from the most locations.
Meh. Maybe I just should have said: :(
But I'm longwinded. (Obviously.)
i`m very disappointed by this announcement. this is really bad.
I've begun to look around at the alternatives which has only made me rue the slow demise of Notebook all the more. There doesn't seem to be much that can match Notebook's balance of lightweight speed with robust functionality, in no small part due to the Firefox extension like so many have mentioned.
This is a competitive space Google, but you're right there at the lead of the pack. Go the distance, don't feign injury.
I'd love to save Notebook ... or make it open source ... or something. Ideas on how to do this? There is a groundswell of support. To join the "cause" or contribute ideas ... or just to consider alternatives, come over here: http://savenotebook.blogspot.com/
I use Notebook a lot, so please add me in as another vote to keep Notebook going. Either that or give us a way to migrate everything over to Docs, or Evernote.com
I would be happy if the higher-ups at Google could be convinced to the following:
1-Continue to allow new users
2-GPL the Firefox extension
3-Change the development status to 'On hiatus for duration of the recession' from 'stopped'
The first two are ones that really matter to me.
I'm another user who is saddened by Google's decision to stop Development on Notebooks.
Like many others, I use Notebook multiple times a day for both business and personal tasks. I find it invaluable as I use 4-6 computers (both MacOS and PC) daily. It allows me to keep all my notes in one handy, platform-independent place.
I can certainly understand the need to cut back on unsuccessful projects, but it would have been better to ask the user community which services they used most/liked best before making this decision. Like many others, I started using Notebooks when it seemed that Bookmarks was being rolled into it, and now I'm truly disappointed.
To support Google Notebook users, Diigo is working on a Google Notebook importer. Available soon:
http://blog.diigo.com/2009/01/15/diigo-vs-google-notebook-importer/
Google docs are far to cumbersome for light, momentary use, and the task list is not share-able.
My husband and I keep a shared wishlist in google notebooks. Why not put advertisements for the items we are wishing for along the side of the notebook? Then, when we're ready to buy them, we can easily do so!
I've been using google notebooks to empty out the notebooks of ideas and thoughts to myself that I have been building up for years. I love being able to see things separated by page, but all on the same screen. I am extremely disappointed by this. The friends I recommended google notebooks to last week will also be sad, I am certain! Please bring this application back to full development!
I had no idea google notebook even existed until reading this post. It sounds absolutely stellar. Saving tidbits from the web and it will provide the linkback all from a firefox extension. BRILLIANT. Please keep this alive google and maybe promote it a little more.
whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??
whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??
i do not care about google docs or whatever else you have
notebook is easy and fast
it does what it should
Hundreds of comments already registering disappointment, but I must second one commenter's remark that (as an end-user, at least) this is the first time I have ever felt truly let down by Google.
I'd add one other remark, in case anyone at Google is actually reading this feedback which is there is a simplicity and minimalism (What Jobs famously called "taste"?) to Google apps, Notebook in particular I'd argue, that is very valuable. If I were Google, I wouldn't jettison this example of it quite so casually because Notebook as a working example of what Google (and, now, third parties) should do more of. Just look at how Zoho pathetically apes these over-engineered, Microsofty style desktop apps and you see the difference at once.
Notebook goes beyond that in that it really is a different application not a cut-and-paste of known features. It's very clever and has potential as glue across many other Google apps, both existing and future.
Oh well.
Disappointing.
I am not an extensive user of Notebook, but it is something I turn to for clipping web content.
Time to look for alternatives (since none of those Google suggestions come close).
I'm very disappointed too. It's a very useful tool for me, since I like to take notes at work so I can see them once at home.
I suppose I'll have to switch to Zoho ...
no other options are able to match the quickness and lightweight manner gnotebook provides. that's exactly how people take notes. not docs or else.
why google starts making wrong decisions? not a good sign.
I am staggered that Google isn't going to continue to support the Notebook extension. I discovered notebook late last year, and use it lots via the extension. Google - shame on you!
NO!!!!!
For an organizational and todo list tool, I discovered google notebook, after looking at evernote, remember the milk, tadalist, 30 boxes, gcal, ical, just writing stuff down, using email, using docs, etc, etc, etc.
Google Notebook was the BEST product I found for quick todo/organizing lists. This is the thing - to do list tools are not good for general information holding, and general information tools aren't good for todo lists. Notebook somehow let me do both without making me work hard. (though i would have loved to be able to add a checkbox feature to an item)
Please let this stay. Someone suggested that you open source the product - would it really cost THAT much to release it in this way?
The thing about using Google Docs for organization - it requires a couple more steps to do what I could do with notebook. "What's a couple of steps?" one might ask, but honestly, it is those couple of steps that stop me from being organized most of the time.
My brain, as many brains out there, has difficulty managing groups of information, and Google Notebook was the best tool I had for doing this crucial task. Send me your email, Mr. Schmidt, and I'll share my notebook with you so you can see how i use it.
Thanks!
Sad to see it go. I had grown so much reliant on Google Notebook. Google is wrong - the other alternatives mentioned in the blog post (searchWiki, Docs, Bookmarks) do not provide the same functionality as Notebook did at all! It was so easy to use and organize - I just loved it.
Google should reconsider it's decision :-(
I think your should kill bookmark instead of notebook. The latter is a better and more than bookmark.
I agree that the functions of Notebook should be incorporated into Google Docs. I originally tried to use Google Docs as my notebook but found the notebook functionality to work better for my private notes (specifically the ability to collapse and expand notes). Incorporate Notebook into Docs and I will be happy but please do not kill!!!!!
I am a quite sad about notebook being shelved.
This was really the google app that got me to drink the google cool-aid.
I do a fair amount of web research, and the lack of a chrome extension for notebook is the only reason I still install firefox on windows boxes.
None of the other tools I have found are a substitute for google notebook. I use notebook instead of bookmarks, the management of them is much better.
Looking for a replacement to Notebook, I went to Google Docs and found "Items shared between you and writely@danielo.org"
What does that mean?
I'm not putting anything in Google Docs that others can read.
Sadness. It is indispensable for quickly researching topics, from css techniques to pirate birthday party ideas. I love that I can clip the relevant chunk while maintaining the link to the context, all in one click.
I think this is a mistake.
Why? Primarily because dropping products like this makes your users reconsider their investment in your other products. Who says you won't drop gDOCs in the future? Should I continue to invest in these services or go back to Microsoft for the "utility class" applications I use for working w/ spreadsheets, word documents, note take (One Note).
Yahoo! did stuff like this - look where they're at now.
Just saying. You need to be careful about looking at just the P & L for a product like this. I'm sure some VP is getting a short-term pat on the back for this decision but the long-term implications are harder to see.
-- Google Notebook user that's a bit less of a Google fan now.
Oh.
I just heard of the news.
So sad... I'm your heavy user :(
I installed Google Notebook extension in every Firefox I used. Seriously.
:'(
BOO!
Notebook is my second most useful service after Gmail. I consider Doc's less useful!...
8(
Keep Notebook!
Let's hope there are secret plans to re-release, as other posters have suggested, in another form, e.g., as part of Google Docs.
Anyone reading this should add their voice so Google knows how big the reaction is.
I can't believe you guys are shutting this down.
My biggest question is: Why wasn't Google Notebooks publicized more?
I just began using it last Fall. The UI is great and its a wonderful alternative to a wiki for collecting information and taking notes. I also liked the fact it integrated with other Google services.
Have you considered changing Notebook's business model to a paid subscription service? That way you'd be able to pay for development and satisfy those of us who really don't want to see it go. Maybe you'd even have some cash to promote it and increase usage. I would definitely pay a subscription fee for Notebook. Just a thought.
I know I'll now think twice about how much I'll depend on Google's other services. Don't want to get this committed again only to have it cancelled.
Oh well. This really sucks.
I also disappointed by the news, I use notebook every day.
3 days ago, I just install the firefox extension on my girlfriend laptop.
It is an error!!!
I use google notebook everyday!!
I need it.
Please reconsider.
Oh dear - I love Notebook and use it many times a day - a bit of software that just works, in a simple and logical way. Does what's needed, no more no less. It will be missed.
very disappointed!! just started using it last week and thought it was fantastic.
i just created my final note to gather information on other notebook applications.... very sad :(
Alternatives? We don't want no stinkin' alternatives.
Fight to Save Notebook. Don't know how yet ... but want it saved. GPL, Sell, Ideas?
http://savenotebook.blogspot.com/
Oh yeah, some alternatives here too :(
notebook is one of the best Google tools out there - and is buried? oh, no!
Evernote http://www.evernote.com/ Everything Google Notebook did, only more and better.
This if F'ed! I love Notebook and use it everyday. I definitely do agree with some other commenters and say it would be best just leaving it as is and not axing it completely.
Two important comments to make:
1: Include Notebook-like features in Google Documents.
2. Create a plugin/app/whatever that easily transfers all Notebooks into Google Documents.
очень жаль...
Evernote is quite nice! Free version available.
The Google Notebook Extension was an OK application. But then Firefox 3 came around, and then it just got clumsy. I wasn't at all keen about all my tabs reloading when I opened the extension to make a note.
Then there was the menu option ("Add this to Google Notebook"), which I found to be a burden, much like the option in the right click menu to email someone (which I never use).
I want to thank Google for atleast holding on to everything, unlike Excite.com did back in 2000 after the AtHome.com merger killed them.
I think Google is overlooking something. While Searchwiki may allow for annotations and creating breadcrumbs and Docs allows for cutting and pasting, Notebook provided an intermediate step in many users' work flow, allowing them to clip various pieces of websites and then recombine them before exporting to a document.
It's too bad, but I'm sure Zoho, Diigo, or some other service will quickly adapt to fill this gap.
Sign the petition:
"Stop the shutdown of Google Notebook
"
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?gnoteb
p.s. spread the word
Why did i trust in Google??? Can We trust in a Google´s product???
Never expected such a thing from google.....
Its really bad.
This is a huge mistake. Agree with everyone here that said this is Google's best product after Gmail. Google Docs has way too much going on, whereas Notebook is the perfect solution for note takers and GTDers alike. Maybe an outcry from existing users will have an effect.
I just want to echo what others are saying in that this is a great product, and it is a shame that development on Notebooks is ending. I use it extensively. Please don't disable the browser extension, or at least explain to us why disabling it is necessary; it is hard for us to understand why stopping development requires you to block us from using a browser extenstion that has already been developed and already works. Thanks, and keep up the good work on your many other products.
Just have to say "Me Too".
A great service. Use it all the time. Could never understand why Google let it just stagnate when other companies like Evernote and Clipmarks were doing great things in this space.
I have mostly moved to using Evernote, however I still have a lot of notes archived in notebook.
Someone REALLY dropped the ball at Google with notebook.
CRAP!
Add me to the list of disappointed notebook users. I use it very regularly. I'd place it second to Google calendar in importance to my life (not counting search). Maps is great but there's plenty of competition for mapping. Plus, I don't have much personal data saved into maps, some though. I don't use GMail since I have my own domains.
I love how I can save html clippings from web pages including pictures via the firefox plugin. I love how I can access it anywhere, even at work (which blocks google docs).
I love how its organized, how I can see all my notebooks on the left plus an outline of my currently open notebook. I love how you can expand/collapse, reorder sections or move them to another notebook.
For God's sake, put some ads on it or something!!!! I'll still use it! I don't want to lose all my notes! For me, this really hurts my image of Google as a brand I can trust. Yes, I know its been a free tool. You can't expect something for nothing. Still, it IS important to develop a brand people trust. Actions like this only hurt the brand. But then, Microsoft is still kicking after all the times they've screwed their users over.
Why bother storing anything online? Because of the convenience. However, if you cant trust that the company will stick around or respect your data then there is no point.
Crap.
I'll miss you Google Notebook.
I feel betrayed!!! Very sad, indeed.
WHY? This was a great app. All the apps you mentioned have no relationship to the function of notebook.
Though i would love a private wiki on google. Now that's an improvement.
I got very sad for this. I have been using this amazing tool for a long time. Quite a lot of my personal data are on notebook now. Google Extension is always my choice to write my note. It will heavily beat me if this will not work any more...
Also very disappointed about this decision. The other alternatives I've reviewed don't offer the simplicity, the multi-pc (cloud) storage nor the image capture. Notebook for me is number 2 to Firefox on most used apps.
Why is it being cancelled? Perhaps do some MARKETING to make people aware of it. Open source it or perhaps SELL it to someone (me?) else to maintain. But then do we loose the Google cloud storage Gmail and mobile options?
Does Larry and Sergey know about this!?
Please reconsider!
@NickLP-ignorance is bliss hey.
I have yet to find a web app remotely as useful as Notebook.
I can keep track of many different type of items in a consistent way, be it personal & work todo lists, memos, drafts, references & bookmarks ;
edit, enrich, add web clips, move around, collapse at will ;
keep individual notes neatly organised in notebooks and sections, also with tags ;
access and share everything everywhere, easily, simply within a browser. And there's the browser extension which is like the icing on the cake.
Over the time I have naturally come to rely heavily on this invaluable app and use it on a daily basis both personally and professionally.
I suppose I could achieve the same using other products but this lets me get everything sorted out in the same place really easily, in a convenient, clutter-free way, it's such a time saver. It's hard to imagine how using 3 or 4 products instead of one will allow to keep things simple.
Docs is aimed at creating full documents and would become cumbersome for managing a large number of individual notes.
SearchWiki, Gmail Tasks, and Bookmarks are tailored for dealing with search results, todo lists, and bookmarks respectively. You can't always enrich your items with web clips anymore.
So, halting development is one thing, it's already an excellent app that doesn't really need anymore features, but discontinuing this product (i take it that it's the ultimate goal since it won't be opened for new users anymore and you're talking about alternatives) would be a huge loss imho.
Sure, I'm disappointed, though props to you for making a decision. Google Notebook is great and has been really unique wrt the other Goog products.
BUT...
The fact that you can't take the time to suggest another product that fulfills the same user tasks is unfortunate. Suggesting other Google products is fine, but have the confidence to reach outside the Google family if the appropriate products aren't available inside Google.
I think it's pretty clear that they are not, as none of the ones you mention is as effortless as highlighting some text, opening the Notebook extension, and clicking "Clip".
As I'm certain you've been looking at other similar products, I'd guess that you have some strong (and valuable) opinions on these other products. We'd certainly appreciate you sharing them with us.
Best to the whole Notebook team, and thanks for the memories (literally).
I second the final feature: EXPORT IN A USEFUL FORMAT! (like to evernote or to a format that keeps notes and sections separate). PLEASE!
I LOVE Notebook and have used it religiously. I teach teachers to use Notebook. Now what? I hate this! How can I promote products when I'm not sure they are going to be there?
Very sad to see Google Notebook go...
As with everyone else, I am very disappointed to see this service go. I don't use it often, but when I need to, there is nothing else I've found that will quite fill the notebook sized hole in my heart.
Google Notebook is by far the best online notebook/web clipping app out there and I believe Google has made a serious error in judgement by not continuing active development of this tool.
Despite Google's official blog post that there are Google alternatives which offer Notebook like functionality this is far from reality as the tools that do offer genuine alternatives are not from Google. They are Evernote and Zoho Notebook. Whilst there are others such as Snipd, Evernote & Zoho Notebook are the two most viable options but still a long way from the ease of use and capability that Google Notebook offers.
I believe that Google has effectively opened the door for Microsoft to leap in with an online version of their OneNote application which seems to have quite a desktop following despite it being a typically bloated albeit still very good Microsoft app.
Watch for a stripped down OneNote online app when Microsoft does eventually release its online version of its Office range of products later this year or is that next year....Microsoft, can you confirm if you are reading this.
Very disappointing. Time to reevaluate usage of other Google services. I've been using Notebook heavily. Oh well, Google loosing support of the tech savvy.
Let me add a stone to the grave of Google Notebook, my favourite and unique Google application. The Google brand is certainly bruised by this abandonment.
Is there anything we can do about this? Ideas? Alternatives? Wanna take it over. Can we get Google "on the line"?
http://savenotebook.blogspot.com/
Notebook is one of those very important tools, yes TOOLS Google has to offer. I am not so social but I am very information intensive.
Notebook is valuable as a clips, it allows stream of consciousness and a simple tool to organize thoughts. I wish they would have actually allowed us to author in notebook and export out to anything, ANYTHING we want. Also with some limited CSS settings you could really author almost anything.
Maybe if they open sourced it, others could take it further. Or possibly keep it alive for a demographic like team teaching, or nonprofit workers. I dunno, this is a simple app that starts off all my conversations, sometimes to myself.
I just wanted to echo what so many have already said and state my disapointment in hearing this news.
I can't say I'm surprised as Notebook has always been one of your lesser known products but in that sense, I think Google could have done a better job in promoting it as well.
Anyways - Kudos on a well made product. It's a real damn shame that the firefox extension will likely die over the next few months.
Consider it fair warning. Don't put all yer eggs in one basket. (So much for integrated services.)
This post is nearing 500 comments, so I'll add my voice to the crowd -- please bring Notebook back. It was an amazingly useful tool which I recommended to everyone I could. I was so looking forward to seeing how you would further develop it, and I really hope you'll reconsider this decision and keep it around.
I am a big user of many Google tools and Google Notebook is without doubt one of my favorites. I can't understand why Google would want to kill this product. I introduced it to a lot of friends. Google never really did much marketing of Notebook and it wasn't well explained. The firefox extension was a critical part of Notebooks value and ease of use and yet it was very hard for many to find.
Please rethink this decision.
After waiting a year with Vista and no notebook and finally getting excited about you guys becoming compatible again I was tremendously disappointed in your decision to cancel notebook!
This was my favourite app. of yours. You must reconsider!!!!
Or you will lose my patronage and loyalty.
Actually for me it's more than to lose a useful software which I've got used to it,
It's about losing your trust in a company which you trusted most.
And It really hurts!
disappointing..please don't discontinue google notebook dev.i'd like to see more features on notebook.
i have tried other similar products..but found Notebook as the best.now i'll have to rethink about other products.
please reconsider it.
Notebook is the most important service for me ...
I am STUNNED!
This is a GREAT UNIQUE product that I would PAY FOR!!!
Please RECONSIDER and don't be EVIL Google!
please keep the extension alive
Tooo bad the service is closing. Tooo bad.
At the moment when further development for Notebook was expected (like integration with Google Gears), this comes like a strange and difficult to understand decision.
From usability point of view there is no alternative to Google Notebook among the existing web apps.
I liked the way you could write down whatever you wanted, without the need of finding a title and so on. It was so naturally, as it became something like a mind-extension, a very useful tool.
Maybe the feedback given here by user, as well as blogs around the world, will make you, Google, to give a second thought about this decision.
I'm disappointed! It was a good application!
What else tomorrow? I'm wondering!
Is it the beginning of the end of the golden age on the internet ? The end of golden age at Google ?
idem
- I don't normally comment, but i felt compelled to.
- A big loss for an elegant solution.
- It might not be very popular because it has not been promoted.
- Adding adsense to notebook could help !
- Anyways thanks for continuing the web interface for existing users like us.
- As long as I can still use it then I'll be happy.
So much for Google's reliability.
Time to migrate my info away from the Google cloud.
It's too bad you've decided to stop development of Notebook. The ability to have a little app that opened at the bottom of a page and clip content has been invaluable. It is also great for sharing research.
For those of you looking for a replacement, I'm trying Zotero. It's a bibliographic tool but I think it can be used in the same way Notebook is.
I tried concurrent products (zoho, evernote) and I'm not satisfied at all.
It's really sad even if the tasks in Gmail Labs is a very better todo list!
Perhaps that you could make it open source maintained by voluntary people?
I'd like to go down as well a saying that I love this product and hope that google changes their tune.
Thanks for keeping it active though.
wiki, docs and gmail task aren't notebook. Lot of feature missing on suggest products... Google what are you doing???
if the problem is the profit, put ads like gmail in notebook!!
!!! Please Google : change your mind. See all the comments !!!
>>>"... we have to decide where to focus our efforts and which technologies we expect will yield the most benefit to users in the long run"
Where are the benefits? Wiki,Docs,Bookmarks and Tasks are not alternatives. It's impossible to manage small contents with these applications.
Notebook is the service that made me decide to use Google applications like a suite with different levels:
1)Bookmarks: save/create/manage simple urls
2)Notebook: save/create/manage basic content (including web clipping)
3)Docs: save/create/manage big documents.
Each level can't do what the other is capable of.
!!! Please Google : reconsider the question !!!
/* translation made by google.translate/
Awful move. Notebook is the most useful of all Google projects since search. Almost everything else - mail, calendar, bookmarks, search, certainly the pointless Chrome - has easy, often preferable equivalents within Yahoo, Microsoft, etc. But Notebook is, or was, unique. I will try Zoho, and hope people will keep posting Notebook alternative ideas.
Booo! This is a sad surprise. None of the alternatives listed (or any permutation thereof) fit the bill as a replacement. SearchWiki? Ha ha.
Perhaps development may continue again post-crisis?
Moralité : travailler avec des applications en interne sur le disque dur et ne pas confier son travail au Web2
I add a comment:
I believe that we are all disappointed because we use all many google applications and we log once to use all of them. Now we are forced to leave the Google circle and we don't want to.
Notebook IS a fabulous app !
I always enjoyed this way to clip web info, including graphics.
And it is not barred by my customer's firewall, while G.Docs is.
Baaaad news.
There is starting to be a bad smell around Google. Encourage people to use your services then switch them off. I will never trust you again. First you switched off Google Browser Sync which I used extensively and now Google Notebook which I have trained myself to use loads. I am gutted. Back to Microsoft with Onenote. I guess you get what you pay for!
Can we stop this injustice? Let's fight for this product! Come join me and give me ideas on how to keep Notebook alive and how we can make it happen.
http://savenotebook.blogspot.com/
If nothing else, I've got the World's Most Comprehensive List of Notebook alternatives.
Lot of comments. I thought I was the only one who was upset. Google should remember that it wants to collect the worlds information. Note book is a way for users to save that information that is pertinent to the user. Looks like a win win. Note book is not always easy to use; this can be simply fixed with the right effort. Despite some difficulty with ease of intuitive usage the fact that people rely on it speaks volumes to notebooks potential advantage. Keep the product and develop it and keep a loyal following of googlers please.
Oh no. Hey Google, Don't stop it!
It is a great application. You simply need to market it more & better.
A lot of pople don't know about it. All those college students will be amazed how useful it is. Sharing notes, drag & drop, export, search, highlights, tags, and so on.
Can you offer a premium membership. I'm willing to pay for it. I would love to use with CNAME with my own domain.
Thanks.
Gio
I use notebook constantly!!
Notebook is "up there" with the best google apps - if google wants to stop projects - there are much better candidates to shutdown than this. Half the stuff in labs or the "more...list" - I don't use nor have I investigated.
This is a scary development - that sort of corporate decision making is going on here? What essential service is next to go? Why is getting rid of Notebook "the right decision for our users in the long run" - Google is starting to deliver corporate doublespeak which is the first sign of "evil" - for any company - especially one that explicitly wants to "do no evil". Hope I'm wrong.
Sad to hear this as well.
However, if you use Google Notebook for investment information please check out ImpactOven (www.impactoven.com) as a potential replacement. Its focused on investment organization of your notes.
Best, John
Founder - ImpactOven
Well, as long as you promise you will not terminate the service, I am OK.
It really does not need that much further development - it does everything it is supposed to do. And does it very well.
Kudos to the team behind and to Google management for making it available free of charge. The Google cloud truly delivers unparalleled response times all over the world.
This was a very successful project - you should be very proud.
Kind regards
Torben Brams
As it appears that my previous comment was lost in the ether, I'll summarise:
a) Notebook is simple, clean and absolutely works
b) There is NO Google alternative
c) An alternative forces us to surface from the Googleverse
d) I *want* to buy in to the Google experience, Chrome, Android, the lot, but now trust has been severed
e) Power users are being penalised for Google's own inability to market a powerful application
Are you kidding?
please keep notebook until the sun burns out.
:)
I am extremely saddened by the loss of Google Notebook, and had hoped it would migrate into Google Apps.
I am trying to migrate to ubernote but am having difficulties exporting to an atom file.
I get an error:
This feed is not available for public viewing.
Google. If you think Google Notebook has too little users, let us know the number. Then we will let you move on.
I really took a liking to Notebook. It was ahead of its time - before G.Bookmarks could be annontated, before G.Docs, etc. I use the Browser extension almost exclusively for good reasons.
Thank you for a wonderful feature and not removing our data for those existing users.
Please consider making whipping up a utility that will to a one-way migration to other Google servers (bookmarks, docs, etc) leveraging your own APIs and Protocol buffers.
Thanks, Retro.
Don't do it its best web app from google, only one that i use everyday
Seems a concurrent theme here - trust or lack thereof. I think what we're all saying is "Google you broke our heart" how can we trust you again. Are my docs safe? Is my mail safe? How about my bookmarks.. are they safe.. or should I constantly worry that today may be the day Google pulls the plug.
Can't believe that. Google Notebook was one of the really useful Google products for me.
Google Docs? Doesn't have tags. Documents are not suitable when you work with little clips.
Google Bookmarks is for bookmarks.
Tasks in Gmail is for tasks.
SearchWiki is for searches.
Google Notebook is 4 in 1, in fact. I don't understand you, Google.
Please don't shut Notebook down. I have found it invaluable and students can use it for their research. I was intending to launch into full scale sign up for my students but will now have to explore other options. Think about it Google and reconsider.
Yes that's a real pity!
I will problably go for other knowledge management tool if Google does not offer a serious alternaive ...
Very frustrated by the news. I'm a heavy user and I have 20 notebooks (each have more then one sections) in google notebook. It's gonna be half a day's work to switch to other products. Really shame that I resisted zoho for so long, and now I have to start exploring it because of this news.
I'm feel terrible with the amount of data I put in notebook...
I still want keep that data saved. The export tool to Document is not really what I need.
So I'll not use Google Docs for my notes I have to save across different computers. I'll search for same services somewhere else.
My data saved in notebook were notes, not documents!
I'm really sad with this decision. This is a shock for me: this the first time Google disappoint me !
i love google notebook and all google products so. we love you google
Google Notebook rocks.
I love the features and whilst I'm sad that nothing new is being developed, I'm just glad I can keep using it for the foreseeable future.
Maybe it will be resurrected in the future.
The article says that those who have already registered for Google Notebook will continue to have it. Google just isn't going to allow new people to start using it. I agree with the comment above that suggested open-sourcing it.
Google Notebook was perfect for me as a middle school teacher. It was so simple to use that students didn't waste time learning an app instead of learning the skills of critical reading, research, and organization. It was versatile enough to accomplish our purposes yet simple enough not to be distracting in and of itself. Since over 3/4ths of our students DON'T have computer access at home, this was very important since the only practice they get is during class (60 minute period).
Hope you don't mind me using Google Notebook to find a replacement.
Is that the result of this new guy Google recently enrolled, who will focus on making money rather than beeing usefull?
Is that the end of Google as we knew it?
Is the the beginning of a Micro$oft clone I will love to hate ?
Hopefully not.
Don't forget, Google guys, that until now you have accumulated a HUGE capital of sympathy from the users. So many people LOVE Google because its delivering great service without really asking for money ! Even as an advertiser, Adwords costs close to nothing in term of cost/audience.
At least Google does not close Notebook, just stop further evolution...until that guy is fired.
I am VERY happy with Notebook as it is now.
Don't forget, Google, you reached THAT level of capitalization being tech lovers and nice to users.
Do not get the S.Balmer syndrom !!!
this is the worst decision by google so far. instead of integrating notebook into gmail and docs, it is denied progress.
search, maps, mail and notes - these make up my google world (not counting youtube). usenet/groups were killed by google. now this.
what a short-sighted decision this is.
Oh no. What a wake up call. I was so happy using notebook ... damn it.
Over the last six months or so I've started to see google as a company that has turned a corner is a negative way. The more use google offerings the more I'm reminded of Microsoft...a company that started out providing useful services but which has evolved itself into stupidity. Google's usenet search is awful now; new products like chrome are not innovative in ways that should have been obvious to a company promoting web apps; suggestions re google services fall on deaf ears; tech support for products is terrible. Chopping off a project like notebook is rude and shortsighted. How is anyone supposed to trust you guys with their data?
Google you're blowing it.
Well, there are no shortage of comments, but here's my four cents...
I am fond of ALL thing Google. The integration is "where it's at" for me... Love it. I just really started trying Notebook out and have been really curious to see where I could go with it. The thing I like most, and something you don't get from docs, is that you don't have to hit save... Just paste and go, and everything stays. Also, really cool to be able to add notes from my blackberry... I was hoping to see MORE development on this, NOT less... I agree with another comment that says, basically, why not leave it as an open source project and let someone else move forward with it... The platform is already there.
I suppose this is one of the scary things about going to all web apps - that, at any time, the rug could be pulled-out... I don't think a discontinue like this does a lot for building consumer confidence in what you are trying to achieve there. I have been nudging my employer to do more with Google Apps, and something like this does not help my case much.
Anyway, I guess us Googlicans, Googlepeans, and Googlites will just have to trust that you know what you are doing and where you are going.
Blessings.
"I guess us Googlicans, Googlepeans, and Googlites will just have to trust that you know what you are doing and where you are going."
Quite the opposite, they just proved they can't be trusted at all.
Stopping development is one thing (because Notebook is PERFECT) - discontinue??? No please! It's too awesome a tool!
Disappointed...
I use Notebook just about every day. I can understand the decision to stop active development, by why bother keeping the service going at all if Google's just going to cripple it by eliminating the Firefox extension? Please reconsider this terrible, terrible decision. I've been a solid Google booster from day one, and this is the first time I've had second thoughts. I've had to move my Notebooks over to Evernote (which I absolutely loathe, by the way). Nothing else out there does what Notebook does. I am now considering pulling all of my documents off of Google Docs in case another wrongheaded business decision comes down the pike. Google, you're shooting yourselves in the foot here. Please rethink this.
OMG!!!
Why Google is doing these??
VERY disappointed!!!
very sad about this. I hope I'll be able to continue using this tool for a long time as in its current state, it is already very usefull.
Combined with the bookmarking feature this app is killer.
Notebook is the best app I've found to organize and store bookmarks and notes. This is very disappointing and makes me wonder if its worth trading the convenience of an online app for an offline app that I know won't be pulled out from under me.
Just found UberNote which seems to be a very nice replacement:
http://www.ubernote.com
Woow, this is really sad news. The problem is that i do not know of any similar product from Google i can use.
I use notebook intensively at home and at work. It's really simple because you can throw in some text and it autosaves it, and making it available everywhere.
Really... really sad...
Please keep it!
For what its worth i am goin to say "meee tooo" for most of the above sentiment about being sad at this announcement.
Nothing else is as simple and workable as notebook/extension :(
Please reconsider
Another user of google notebook here!
Very useful for sketching down (and filing) ideas, bits of manuals and webpages, interesting commands, etc... this cannot be easily replicated with any of the other google tools mentioned.
People have asked whether integrating notebook into google docs could be an option to keep development alive. I'm wondering about that too!
the thing i don't like about dropping development is that soon or later they will effectively kill the service, so the clock is thiking now.. what a shame :(
Wow, I am so disappointed, in several ways. I just gave an interview to a reporter for our college newspaper. He was asking about "web 2.0" and I was trying to explain what that was. Of course, I rattled off Google's biggest accomplishments, and Notes figured prominently in this. Notes is, or was, one of Google's best products. Notes is, in my opinion, a must-have application for students. It is amazing and I am heavily dependent on it.
However, what alarms me about this is not only that Notes is going away, but that GOOGLE is taking it away. What happened to Google? They are taking away a service? Yes, I understand that Notes must consume huge quantities of storage for very little in return, but this is Google we're talking about. Google is special, they are "not evil" like the rest. I've sold my soul to Google and they know more about me than I do. They have this information because I trusted them, and because they paid for it with apps like Notebook. Now, I'm more than a little concerned that Google is changing into, gasp, just another company, concerned with profit margins and all that other corporate stuff.
Google's unstoppable expansion has stopped. They are retreating to corporation-hood. So, when does "do no evil" get pulled from Google's offerings? This is a lot bigger than just loosing Notebook, even though Notebook is a really big deal to me. I'm thinking, maybe it's time to reclaim my soul and move back to the desktop. Web 2.0 is dead.
David...
I'm very disappointed that Google have decided to drop Notebook. Aside from Search and Gmail this is the App I use most.
I concur with virtually all of the preceding comments, this is some kind of madness.
Now I'm worried because Gmail is only a Beta too.
Sad, Sad ....
At the very end Google is like Microsoft, when there is no dough in sight you flush it away.
Very very very bad news. I use Notebook a lot, and the other products Google offer us don't substitute the easy way of working with Notebook. It's a pity; we'll have to move to other competitor's offerings.
Google Notebook is a very very useful service I use it very extensively, to share book markes with multiple PCs that I use including mobile phones. Please do continue the service.
Please do not let Google Notebook die! It's a great product with many passionate users including me. I hope you will reconsider and keep it alive and thriving!
I think Fixer summed up a lot of my feelings about this very well. The withdrawal of Notebook doesn't only represent the loss of a great application but it also represents something I never thought I'd see from Google: a stupid and divisive decision.
Over the years, Google has gained our respect by making good and balanced decisions. Products like gmail and Google reader have almost embarassed the competition - few people I know who have moved over to gmail have returned to their previous web clients because of its clear advantages. Gradually, iGoogle and Chrome and what have you began to form an incredibly comprehensive environment for those who the internet is an absolutely integral part of their lives. The existence of Notebook came as a kind of 'ah, yes!' moment - once again, the folk at Google have recognised the brilliance of a certain application and have provided it in good faith, knowing that the altruism involved will pay off a million-fold in our ever-deeper adoption of the Google way.
Now though, I sit and wonder: that Android phone I was going to buy into... well, who's to say Google Reader won't be next, or Google Tasks? OK, some initiatives are bound to fail, but Notebook was out of the labs and is demonstrably better than any alternative Google has to offer.
After all this response, would any of the Google team like to comment, particularly those controlling the purse-strings to us your customers?
Very well put Citizenframe. I couldn't have said it better myself. I too await comment or discussion from Google on this decision. http://savenotebook.blogspot.com
I am completely shocked that Google is turning off notebook. It is one of their best products, right next to gmail and google calendar. Google doc does not even come close to the simplicity and usability of notebook. This a decision that a pure mistake on googles part. I use it heavily and there is no product that parallels it. Shame that this is happening. I am REALLY hoping that google will reverse their decision to turn off notebook.
Wishing and hoping that google will reverse this decision!
oh Yep,I am so sorry to hear the news .guys don't worry about that..they said
"But don't fret, we'll continue to maintain service for those of you who've already signed up."
I'm actually really angry about this. I have invested time in using the tool, have many notebooks, and have recommended it to others. Now my reputation suffers along with Google's.
o' oooo
What an incredibly disappointing and IMHO foolish decision by Google! Notebook and its companion Firefox extension provide an unparalleled interface to a simple, very useful, very necessary service! Notebook shouldn't be shut down; it should be relaunched! As I've said for years in feature requests, it has immense potential if only Google would put a few employees to work on it! As it is now, nothing else comes close to its combination of simplicity and power; if only they'd keep going with it! This is a tragedy, a waste of years of wonderful work, throwing it down the toilet for no good reason. What SHOULD be done is this: It should be heavily integrated into Gmail, Gcal, Greader, and Gdocs. No, Gdocs is NOT a replacement for Notebook! If you think it is, then you have never used one or the other. What a shame, Google, what a shame! It's not like Google couldn't afford to have a few employees work on it for a few hours a week. This is the first time I've ever been truly disappointed in Google, and I fear that this is only the beginning.
I didn't believed. Google notebook is one of the best services. Pls don't kill it...
lmt
Boooo! Please bring it back. I'm a teacher who uses notebook to gather material for lesson plans. If this decision is final, it looks like I'm off to evernote for my notetaking needs. Or maybe zoho office.
Makes me wonder what this means for the several other google products in beta like calendar, docs, and gmail?
I love Google Notebook, please don't kill it...
This is the very first bad news I hear from Google. Google Notebook is much more useful for me than Google Docs. Fortunately it won't be disconnected.
Should we -g.notebook users- back up our information stored in google notebooks?
Please look at the Notebook user base here and reconsider.
Notebook is great and everyone I introduce it too picks it up.
There is no good google replacement (docs is not a good alternative for taking quick NOTES).
No one here wants to have to go create yet another account with one of google's competitors.
Let us stick with Google Notebook...
Discovered Google Notepad a month ago and have been using it daily ever since. This is a big disappointment for me. Please reconsider Big G.
Notebook was an awesome service. Hate to see it go.
In my organization I have been a champion of Google cloud services, but I will be 'discontinuing' that practice as a result of this decision.
Thanks for the great work on Notebook, and regrets for the death of Notebook.
What!!!! I had just decided to abandon MS Onenote and migrate completely to Notebook. I love the app. I was patiently waiting for a Chrome update too.
Say it ain't so.
Greg in HFX
Very disappointing
Very disappointed in the termination of google notebook. I don't quite understand whether we will continue to be able to use for the foreseeable future or not. Notebook is an important part of my everyday life.
As a researcher of current ongoings I cannot tell you how helpful google notebook has been for webpages and blog postings which no longer exist, yet I still have the documentation I need to utilize, search, etc... for formal publications. This is very unfortunate.
The notebook team was to receive a thank you in the acknowledgments section of my thesis & dissertation. Since the product will no longer be available I will thank you here, publicly, instead.
Thank you.
Please do keep us updated on how we can effectively preserve our saved data for future use.
Cheers,
KYLE
I like google notebook and i want to keep using it.
I will keep using it.
the amusing thing is that google recommend using google bookmarks and the top of the google bookmarks page recommends google notebook
"Check out a better way to organize your bookmarks using Google Notebook"
I'm sure I'm repeating the sentiment of many of the posters here, as I simply can't read them all, but I'm truly saddened to see that we might lose a truly great tool. There is nothing else quite like Google Notebook. It's the sort of tool I had often thought about building myself, so I was delighted to discover Google had already built it! When I need to do research, and pull together clips and links from the web with my own comments, there is nothing faster or more convenient than Google Notebook.
I really want to offer a heartfelt "thank you" to the individual developers of this product. Even if Google doesn't relent on their decision, you've created a unique, useful product that will certainly shape the efforts of those who will attempt to duplicate it.
that sucks. I was a heavy user. The problem was that Notebook was buried and hard to find for new users. Someone in their infinite wisdom decided that this great product was not worth putting in a more visible place for new users to try and adopt. Thus it had little chance for building a strong user base. Very poor product management.
I HAD confidence that contrary to other WEB 2.0 apps that are born and killed everyday, Notebook would live a long and prosperous life. When using private apps, I always fear that they will disappear with my data one day or another.
Never thought The G would do that.
Please reconsider and turn this into a better integrated product with the rest of your suite.
Just another devote Notebook fan/user. The FireFox integration was sweet.
Like many others, I will be looking at some other options - like Evernote.
RIP Notebook.... ;-(
~ Brian
Nothing quite like Notebook. There must be some way of keeping it alive.
What strikes me when I read all the comments here is how much more than I have done that can be done with notebook. I have been using it as a tool for keeping info easily available from several computers and to (can you believe it) make notes of web pages and general info, both copied from the web and entered directly. And not until the day of doom for my beloved applet, I realize there is so much more I can do with it.
It's a shame that Google will do the evil and starve it to death slowly. I will continue using it until it goes away, but with sadness in my heart.
Gmail is "just a" mail client, albeit with a great way to keep track of conversations. Calendar is nothing I use much, but at least I keep my family's b'days there. Reader is a feed reader, and I guess I could replace it with lots of alternatives. Documents is me looking for features that I use in the local applications, that still haven't showed up online. And search is search, many more to be found. But notebook is the only app that I truly adore from google.
If you discontinue or suspend a service, then you have to find another way of performing that task, but take away an applet where you let users store content, it's a different thing. Take the app and you take the user's trust with it.
Why, oh why, did it have to be notebook?
Oh, just one more thing. I would totally not mind notebook revived as a new document type in docs, and current data migrated into there. And of course still with the ff plugin working. But that's me, I don't use the full page view much yet.
A sad notebook user here too. I was wondering why the FF plugin no longer worked. Does anyone know of an easy way to migrate data off of notebook into another service like Evernote?
sad to say this, but I'm willing to pay money for the continuation of notebook especially if they give me more storage space.
I'm very, very sad and disappointed. One of the best Google tools ever.
Everyday I do a lot of web-based work, a lot of planning, a lot of coordination with other teammates, and I write a lot of "to-do"s. I was looking for a tool that'll suit me well for at least a couple of years.
And I finally found it - Google Notebook. It was all I needed. Quick, portable, accessible everywhere. Streamlined, simple, and yet so powerful!
And now... the end is near...
Is there a possibility to rethink your decision?
Well, this is post number 593, I think. You have lots of posts indicating the public displeasure with ending Notebook and these were gathered in a very short period of time. There are also multiple posts on Twitter of the great sadness/sorrow at losing this great application.
What would it take for you to give Notebook another shot? It does seem to be in Google's best (public) interest to keep this fabulous tool.
Well, you have lots of posts indicating displeasure with the ending Notebook and these were gathered in a very short period of time. There are also multiple posts on Twitter and Plurk (and others, I'm sure) of the wide-spread sadness/sorrow at losing this great application.
What would it take for you to give Notebook another shot? It does seem to be in Google's best (public) interest to keep this fabulous tool.
I really love Notebook and use it regularly. None of the other apps can really replace it.
I use the Notebook gadget in iGoogle everyday to record snippets of interesting info, as temp storage of transient data, and most importantly, as To-Do list.
I'm surprised to see Google give this up. It has potential.
Nonetheless, thanks. :)
Stupidest thing Google has ever done.
If they lose a stack of users and money because of this then so be it.
Google Notebook is great. Please reconsider.
Why for the love of mike don't you just start CHARGING for it? Postini-like rates seem reasonable, I'll ante up $10 ARC.
Your resulting users & fanbase are pretty good considering there has NEVER been anything even remotely resembling a reasonable g2m effort.
C'mon, you guys are supposed to be among the sharper tools in the shed.
tell you what, i'll product manage the global go 2 market launch for $1 recurring salary plus 1 option of GOOG, strike at tomorrow's closing price x every paying user on the books at the end of FY 2009 close.
Deal?
graywilliams1@gmail.com
I loved Google Notebook's easy clipping and sharing feature. I use it to create my online shopping list and great for comparing prices. Me and my wife even used Notebook to organise and plan our wedding.
I hope that Notebook will live on in some form, maybe as added features in Docs or Tasks?
despair
NO!NO!NO!SAVE IT!
This tool was really very elegant, simple, and incredibly useful. I'd say that I wasn't really shocked, because I noticed that more attention was being paid to the other mentioned applications in recent time. However, I do hope to see Google resurrect this little thing.
OMG this is horrible. What if Google decides to shutdown Gmail or something like that -- what to do now. :((
Help us figure out how to save Notebook (or baby is being taken from us). http://savenotebook.blogspot.com
Just to echo the numerous comments. This is really sad/bad news. This tool is extremely useful. Notebook and the Firefox extension rock when doing web research.
If it were not for Notebook I would never have thought to use Google Docs.
Does Google Docs have an extension similar to Notebook?
Long Live G Notebook!
Let me add my voice to the chorus. I am saddened at the axing of Google Notebook. I did not use it every day, but when I did use it, I found it immensely useful. The alternatives mentioned in the blog post -- WikiSearch, Gmail and Google Docs -- are no real alterantive. Serious Notebook users will have to look outside of Google to meet their needs -- by Evernote, the Scrapbook Firefox extension and Zotero.
I would really like to know about the internal politics behind this decision, because, for an external observer, the decision is somewhat puzzling. Notebook was aimed right at the heart of Google's stated aim to help us access and organise knowledge. Notebook was being explicitly pushed by Google as an alternative to Google Bookmarks. And Notebook was a mature and frugal application - it did not involve copyright wars, high bandwidth or storage requirements, or any extensive development. Moreover, if the problem was the inability to monetise the service, you really have to wonder about Google's marketing nous. I am bombarded with sponsored links next to my Gmail messages that I will never click. Yet, I regularly used Notebook to research products and hotels. Notebook was the perfect application for that. Then I would actually have welcomed some helpful sponsored links.
Serious bummer G....
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