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.
1,923 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 601 – 800 of 1923 Newer› Newest»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....
No way. Google notebook goes and I have to look elsewhere ALL my stuff goes elsewhere. Even if its somewhere I have to pay.
This is disappointing. It makes it hard to rely on Google for everything as I have grown accustomed. Even if there were a pay model, it would be better to have peace of mind. Anyone tried Zoho's suite?
Very sorry to see this product go, I use it a lot, and love it! I sure hope its loss will be another product's gain.
Please do not abandon this. I use it and I'm dependant on it.
I do agree that it was not publicized enough.
My wife an I use notes to document the logins for the various financial sites like Credit Cards and school loans, etc. The firefox extension made it super-easy to just pop up a window, find the login info and move on. And though we use Google Docs quite heavily already, it just can't compare to Notebook's ease-of-use and small footprint.
I hope you reconsider after looking at all these comments. (And it would have been nice to get an email about this as a user of notebook. I found out about this notice a week after it was posted, and only by shear luck.)
Notebook is a great app it's simple and I use the firefox extension as well as the iPhone app. I hope google read all these comments and reconsider the shutdown what is a gear simple to use and one of the best google apps.
I am distraught! I love Google Notebook and use it ALL the time! It saves me so much time in gathering info for my blog postings, articles and general research. It is probably the most used Firefox add-on I have. You get me addicted to your products and services only to dump them?
I think you should re-think this decision. Change your marketing approach not kill the app.
Blessings,
Wendy
I'm totally bummed. I didn't actually use notebooks as a note clipping device, but as an organization tool when writing. I make each scene or piece of information a note, and each chapter a section, then I can move the plot points around drag-and-drop style until I get a nice order of events. Then when something changes because of the writing process, I can easily go back in and rethink things, dragging stuff around willy-nilly until the puzzle comes back into focus.
I just tried that zoho thing people were talking about, just in case (I realise they're letting us oldbies keep using it for however long), and it doesn't suit my needs at all. If we lose our access down the road, I'll have to go back to spreading out notecards on my bedspread and tacking stuff to my walls (which my landlord /really/ hates). Curse you google, for making me lose my security deposit.
Guess I'll have to edit out that bit about Notebooks in my "Why I use Google for everything and how" spiel. :-(
600+ comments and counting, almost completely positive.
I only dream I'll have a product so successful in the future.
Google! Raj Krishnan! Please, are you listening?
Email the decision makers now, tell them a mistake was made, and the notebook app needs to avoid the axe.
It's not like you erased the software.
Regards
Just adding my vote for Google Notebook - it's my third most used Google product after search & mail.
Sure, GDocs allows you to write stuff, but GDocs is way over what is needed for a small *QUICK* notepad with collapsable sections.
I'm glad that we can continue using GNotebook (for now), but really *REALLY* hope that it gets the recognition it deserves and gets to live on!
Gary.
Why not actually migrate the functionality to Google Docs? Google Docs as it is is not a suitable replacement whatsoever. But having an extension that could then store your notes in a "Notes" section in Google Docs seems like a very practical solution. An online repository of all sorts of ideas and memos is obviously very useful - especially for doing research, etc. relating to work in Google Docs. I don't understand the motion to drop it entirely.
Here comes comment #621.
So, let's imagine that one Notebook user out of 100 posts a comment, and we have a user base of ~62.000 users...
Is this your thinking, Google? "In some years we got 62.000 users, it's not worth to spend anymore on a product which simply does not sell?"
But... What did you do to market it? What did you do to teach it? And what will you use for note-taking and bookmarking in your always connected, cloudish Android? A "normal" notepad and Google Bookmarks? What an incredible loss of opportunity...
GNotebook is not perfect, I find it a bit cumbersome and in need of some improvement to make it even more faster to use, but... being not perfect is not important, when you are the ***best*** anyway!!! And GNotebook does not have comparison at the moment, i tried Zoho and Evernote and they are light years away...
Reason: GNotebook was thought to be ***used***, other products are thought to be seen and contemplated... Maybe visually nicer, but a pain in the... when it comes to getting things done quickly and efficiently.
Add ads, ask a subscription for it, but please, don't kill USABLE software, which is so rare and important to us.
Advice for other users:
- signing the petition won't hurt :-) http://www.petitiononline.com/gnoteb/petition.html
- as long as it's available, save the bookmarklet for future use ( http://www.google.com/googlenotebook/bookmarklet.html )
- as long as it's available, use IExplorer to download the Firefox extension, in case you need to reinstall Firefox ( http://dl.google.com/firefox/google-notebook.xpi )
¡Es un drama de la vida!
I love Notebook, more so than any other web based bookmarking, organization, note taking tool / website out there.
I started using because a GTD (Getting Things Done) website recommended it, but its so much more than a tool for productivity, it's... storage of thoughts, ideas, amendments to my writings.
I used Notebooks as a part of my daily schedule until about November 08 when I started hearing the rumblings of downsizing, and decreasing some of the less popular applications, since then I haven't used it so much.
The news now, I guess it comes with that silver lining, I know where Google stands, and that I won't lose the data already saved... but it also means that I cannot recommend the app to another person, and that I'm working on what seems, is borrowed time.
too bad :((( . it is a geat product and one that cannot be substituted by any other single product.
It is a wonderful product. It will be a huge loss to us if google does not support it anymore.
I'd rather see the demise of Orkut and other boondoggles (Why Picasa when Flickr works so much better? Why Google Bookmarks when del.cio.us works far, far better?). Notebook is actually very functional and worthy of development and funding.
Wish I had a voice at the table of that boardroom.
You've got to be kidding me. I have been searching for all kinds of notebook software.
Tonight I discover it, and it does everything I want and no more.
And now you tell me you're dropping it?
Cruel. Very cruel.
Don't do that!
I love this product!!
Well all those other things might be good but notebooks was the only thing that really unified everything together. Tasks, bookmarks, quick notes etc. I don't think its a good idea to stop development on something so useful.
Sad,
I find the notebook essential.
This is not the most intelligent thing Google could do. You should think it twice.
Google Bookmarks has a link to Notebook at the top. If you're stopping development, you might want to remove it or somehow note it (pardon the expression).
How horribly unfortunate! I'd only discovered Notebook a few days ago and I am becoming somewhat dependent upon it to help me remember things on my jaunts across cyberspace. I hope it at least stays operational until I can find a suitable replacement.
Another vote to keep google notebook. I've been using it for months and just began a bare-bones blog from one of my notebooks to keep people informed on something of interest to them. Will pray that notebook sticks around in some form and gets better than ever, if that's part of God's plan.
Just adding my own whiney comment. Google Notebook will be missed, and has long been one of my absolute favorite Google products due to is structure and the usefulness of the Firefox and IE extensions. Say it isn't so! :(
What a shame.
This was completely unexpected. I am now afraid that the data I collected in my notebook is at risk. Did not expect this from Google.
This is very distressing. I just started using Notebook & found it to be very useful. The fact that I could get the browser extension for Windows, Linux & Mac was particularly important. I had not yet gotten around to getting the Linux extension and now the download page has disappeared so I'm stuck. Google is not truly living up to their statement to continue to let existing accounts use the service when they take away the existing browser extensions.
Tell me again - why should I trust my enterprise to Google Apps?
Please, sign the petition and spread the word:
http://www.petitiononline.com/gnoteb/petition.html
p.s. 943 signatures and counting
dude. i would've kept using it, but it didn't work with chrome. don't stop the notebook! it was like reader, but more specific. why not work it into reader? ah? ah?
Another option not sure how much it's been mentioned as I couldn't read all the posts, but the google reader performs some of these functions, has a bit of a different functionality, but can be used in a similar way as far as I can see.
Why ? My stay in google domains was primarily due to fact that i have so much in google Notebook. travel diaries , to dos , quick references , web clippings etc.
Is the recommendation to move off google notebook or will it be around for use in the forseeable future ??
GOOGLE!!!!! here's an idea: take notebook and extend it and make it part of the built-in functionality of Chrome. not just an extension like the firefox one (which i love) but make it part of the framework. do the same for bookmarks, etc. chrome should be connected in that way, look at mozilla weave and think hard about the future browser and dont kill notebook which IS heavily used!
If you are looking for Google Notebook alternatives, I recommend you check out WebNotes, Diigo, and i-Lighter. I won't speak for i-Lighter or Diigo, but at WebNotes, websites and their respective annotations can be organized for future reference and shared with others via email or permalink. We also offer a tool for aggregating all of your annotations onto an html or PDF document which can be shared with colleagues. If you'd like to see how WebNotes stacks up as a Notebook replacement check out our demos at www.webnotes.net.
Regards,
Alex
Guys, stop crying or search elsewhere !
1) Google bookmarks stay live
2) the clipping and note taking features are 100% transfered into Google Reader
That's it !
Sorry to hear this. I have not been a huge fan of Google Notebook, but I know that it is widely used in the educational communities... I wanted to offer an additional option. Zoho Notebook is a great alternative, and they have created a how to for migrating GNB information to a Zoho Notebook. Might help those who feel a bit lost. They have a plugin as well and more robust features than GNB provided. Hope this helps, and again I am sorry to see google pulling back from NB.
Hello Raj Krishnan - is it possible to run a public survey and decide the demise of Google Notebook - We all loved Google Notebook - Please vote for this comment.
I don't think I can say any better what many have already said about how useful Google Notebook is. I'm just adding my voice to the crowd so you know there's another disappointed fan out there.
But to recap, Notebook is great because:
1) It's integrated into Firefox
2) You can CLIP sections from webpages into it without having to open another window. To open Google Docs is just gonna take a lot more time.
3) It's part of the Google suite! I love how all Google products are integrated. I love how all my stuff can be stored online so I never have to worry about my hard disk crashing. And I access all my online stuff easily from one Google portal (either iGoogle or Gmail).
Google Notebook as a concept is great - there is definitely a need out there for something like that. Even if you decide to discontinue it, please consider how your other products can take over its features somehow.
Oh, and can you please make one thing clear? Even if you've stopped developing it, will Notebook still be around/accessible?
Thanks - it's been a good ride.
what is really important?
google says they want to reach as much people as possible with their services, but this a non-sense, I mean this is a sheer excuse for shutting down services which are not enormously profitable... but if a small service can self-sustain its self why not leaving it alive?
here a pic on how google notebook can be monetized without intrusive adds
I'm very sad to see Notebook go.
I can understand ceasing development to save costs, but surely the cost of continuing support for the Firefox addon is negligible?
It would at least leave a usable system for existing users....
Very disappointed about this. I'm afraid I'll be looking to replace, or at least not depend on any other Google services, of which I currently use most.
The concept of cloud computing falls over somewhat when providers decide to axe services. I will certainly be halting and reconsidering my move into the cloud...
Can I add yet another expression of disappointment.
I find it difficult to believe that supporting and maintaining notebook in its current version ate up many Google resources.
So whats the real issue - not enough room in the little firefox extension box to run ads?
One reason I've used it extensively was that I had a lot of confidence that being Google it would not just disappear at teh stroke of some management accountants pen.
How wrong can you get?
Please sign the online petition "Stop the shutdown of Google Notebook" if you have not already done so.
I think the greatest loss to Google with the shutdown of Google Notebook is the loss of consumer confidence. Few expected Google to pull the plug on one of its services just like that.
Many users have become accustomed to rely on Google's services on the presupposition that Google is unlikely to take such actions, when compared to their competitors.
By the shutdown of Google Notebook, Google has severely dented consumer confidence in its services across the board, as users struggled to come to terms with an action which they have thus far believed "do no evil" Google would never have done.
What price can we put on such loss of consumer confidence? Is it measurable in monetary terms at all?
Dang, I really like Notebook. Nice they're not just cutting it off. Gives hope that the Goog's could change their minds. It's just less fuss than using Google Docs and I think it has its place. Long live Notebook!
I use Google Notebook constantly. It is probably my favourite google app. I was actually VERY dissapointed when it wasn't included in Google Apps because I wanted to use Google Apps for my new business and I needed a place outside of my personal Google Notebook that I could simultaneously log into alongside my personal notebook account to record all sorts of notes and research for the business. Unfortunately, that is not to be I guess.
Please don't cancel it. Please bring it back!
I never expected this from Google, I organize all my important information on Google Notebook and it is my primary source for notetaking on internet. Please continue this.........
To whom it may concern:
I embraced Google Notebook when it was first made available. I found it a reasonable notebook application, and since it offered a certain amount of integration with other Google applications -- either through Google directly or through add-ons -- it met my need to push my work off my PC and into the clouds.
Then, as more add-ons were created, making it my application-of-choice for cutting pieces of information out of articles needed as research for my blogging (or whatever), I became rather dependent upon it.
And finally, once I began to embrace the sharing functionality, it became an important part of my household organization, whereas my wife and I could use it to maintain important lists of information to which one or both of us needed to attend.
I have always hoped, yes, and even expected Google to continue to develop and, more importantly, integrate it into all of its offerings. Although a bit messy at times, the integration between it and Google docs made it easy to take my collected notes, migrate them to a Google doc, and with some tweaking, post them to my / a blog.
If I have to re-engineer my process using another application suite -- say, like Zoho or EverNote -- then why not just use their suite of products and abandon Google altogether? This is the question with which I and many other Notebook users are now faced.
I've been a loyal Google follower, and have heralded the excellent applications that those of you at Google have made available to us all. And [essentially] free, no less!
I guess I knew in the back of my mind that all things change, and some day we might find ourselves faced with having to pay for your applications -- in one way or another -- but I never figured it would be taken away altogether. I think if the clipping function was replicated in Google Docs, then this wouldn't be as large an issue for me. Perhaps I haven't looked that closely, but based upon the outrage this has generated, I probably haven't missed anything.
I'm still hoping the ground-swell reaction to this will make you at least reconsider your decision.
Still a #1 Google fan,
Michael
NO! NO! NO! A great research tool, I've been using it for years and have switched over my kids to using it for school work.
I agree with the earlier post: put it on the back burner! You don't need to kill it!
ALTERNATIVES
I have searched a dozen or so alternatives. At first I thought it would be EverNote, but it's geared to web camera phones. Zotero looks good but I would need to go back to Firefox from Crome.
I've decided on UberNote. It's is the closest yet to Google Notebooks. You can add a bookmarklet to add clips. And if you go to settings menu at the top there is a clear description of how to add each of you notebooks from Google. Made my day.
It is a shame that there is no reaction from Google on any of the many hundreds of comments that criticize Google Notebook discontinuation here and elsewhere around the web. They should explain what is going on.
Me, I think they are not really killing the functionality...
1) Note that notebook is already built into bookmarks (unless they are going to simplify bookmarks to plain Web 1.0 interface, which would be a disgrace).
2) The note-taking bookmarklet in Google Reader does pretty much what Notebook does - select a text somewhere and click it, and it will take the URL, title of the article, and your selection, plus you can add tags. But it does not have the sweet drag and drop functionality of Notebook, it is generally ugly, and it is not in any way related to Bookmarks (as Notebook is/was).
So here we are with 3 similar products -- bookmarks and notebook (already apparently half fused: seems like someone did not finish their job there!) and reader notes... all three of them a bit different, and the best one of them being killed. Really, really weird.
Again, Google Notebook staff, what happens here -- you owe it to your loyal users!
Google, you are always talking of working in the interest of your partners -- well, note (pun intended!) that all these researchers, students, etc. in need of taking notes online, they also are your partners and assets, don't you see it?!
Wow, Google! Whose idiotic idea is this anyways? Fire them and keep Notebook in development. It is a very useful tool and a lot of people have a put a lot of time into creating their notes. This does put a bit of a MS-style stink onto Google.
Please don't stop development! Notebook is an excellent product and by all the comments so many other people find it useful too. Evernote just doesn't cut it!
it is so easy to use with firefox... fabro
Why are you doing this? I just started using Notebook for my classes and I had some suggestions (like adding a pencil to make lines like a real notebook and folders).
Yeah Docs is good (I also use it) but it is not as good at writing and organizing like Notebook.
Please don't do this, or at least come out with something similar but better (like you did with Writely) or maybe even add it to the Google Docs suite.
Come on Google, don't lose your splendor, people love you for a reason, don't let us down.
"As part of this plan, however, we will no longer support the Notebook Extension..."
Dudes, the extension is what makes this product so useful, you don't have to toggle between pages (ok I don't gave dual mons!) Select, clip and annotate, bookmarks is just a big stupid list of URLS, ok I know you can label them but I like the container paradigm of notbook better. what now I have to use delicous?!?!
my comment was #666 :|
Nothing beats Google Notebook for ease of use for those quick notes, bits of web sites, followups, bookmarks, etc. Please don't give up on this service, I think many of us would be more than willing to pay for the privilege of using it.
Once you shutdown Notebook, I'll be looking for a Gmail, Gcal replacement as I lose my trust for all things Google.
Signed, Total Google Fanatic
Even though Google says that Notebook will continue to be available to current users, I feel compelled to find a replacement -- who wants to invest more work and information in a product that is no longer being developed? I also found it extremely useful, the integration into other Google products and my account being a key element, and it makes me want to find another place where I can get an integrated suite of online apps. Will this trigger a small exodus from Google Apps? Google, any chance you might reconsider?
Guys, stop crying or search elsewhere !
1) Google bookmarks stay live
2) the clipping and note taking features are 100% transfered into Google Reader
Well, no. Although its true to say that Reader replicates Notebook's clipping feature, its purpose is somewhat different: 'share to' is a clumsy and crude method of assembling notes/links by comparison to Notebook's far more elegant and dedicated solution. Notebook also offers a very intuitive method for organising notes by category and has the option of a floating 'widget' interface that tremendously enhances workflow.
For the light user, Reader might suffice but it's absolutely unsuitable for anything beyond that. As has been discussed at length above, clearly there are various other software options but this is all about Google and their relationship to our trust.
I am very sad... What a great product you developed and now killing means... I don't know what type focusing you are giving to other products. It's very simple and easiest tool i found in net..
Please please please keep Notebook. I have had a look at the alternatives and they don't even come close to the functionality and userfriendly interface of Google Notebook.
Thanks to the Google Notebook team for adding the January 22 update to the blog post.
From my reading of the update, the Google Notebook team is aware that in the update, they are really only dealing with the less major concerns of the Google Notebook community (availability of the web interface, and ability to export notebook data).
The usefulness of Google Notebook is substantially undermined by the removal of the browser add-on support. Removing the add-on will leave Google Notebook's functionality at 20% to 30%, maybe even less for users who rely heavily on the add-on.
Can we liken this to cutting the umbilical cord that feeds a baby?
I started using Notebook yesterday and was asking myself how I could live so long without it -- until I saw that blog entry... Well, as someone mentioned already, Firefox plugin is a very important feature that really does half of the job, so if Google stops updating it, the whole usefullness of Notebook will be lost.
Now, since I did not really have time to get used to the Notebook feature, I thought I would check out the alternatives suggested, but none of them really offered the same functionality.
Focussing efforts is a very good idea, but keeping what is already there does not require that much work.
In any case, thanks to Google for providing this service in the first place. Hopefully a better solution can be found...
The notebook is such a great tool and while I am glad I will be able to keep my functionality, I am a little befuddled. Google Bookmarks has had a teaser reminding me that Notebooks is a better way to organize my bookmarks online for some months now. Notebook is going away? And BookMarks is being suggested as an alternative?
I sincerely hope that you make this available for new users again in the future because it is a fabulous tool made even better by the fact that it is attached to my google account something I am beginning to prize as much as my computer itself.
Dark Side Taketh Over --
Shutting Google Notebook is just the first signs that the Dark Side of Corporate Greed is getting over Google. Beware, Google is already seeing slowdown in its Ad stream revenue and would surely see some more cuts in jobs,products and services..
Google Notebook was first and foremost a web-clipping tool and a mobile note tool for me. Obviously, no other Google tool can fill out the empty space and it's strange that Google doesn't simply admit this. Luckily, Evernote is now superior to Google Notebook in almost every way, so it would be an very admirable gesture of Google to setup an option for export of notes to Evernote
For those who are considering alternatives and are into web-clipping, I suggest them to test it on frame-based pages.
I've tried to web-clip a selection in a frame with various solutions, and I must say that GNotebook scored higher then GReader, Zoho, Ubernote and Evernote. Also, pages with complicated layouts based on CSS should be tested.
Sharing is another functionality to test: if you are looking for "ad personam" shares, go straight and verify that in the feature list, that could save you a registration for a product you won't use... BTW, I could live with GReader using tags instead of notebooks/folders to classify things, but its "Share to" (the world) is ridicolous when compared to GNotebook's sharing options...
It's a matter of taste and needs, ofc, but I've decided to stay with GNotebook...
I think Google Notebook is one of the most useful features you have offered us. It's demise I think is a mistake.
An invaluable research tool that you are sadly depriving new students from enjoying.
I beseech you to reconsider your policy.
Guys, unless you have something amazing around the corner that is way better than notebook, this is a big mistake.
Note book is a great tool for filtering info quickly down and getting back to the key info you want. isn't that a part of what google is about?
seems its time for google to think again.
"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."
That statement has to seem particularly ironic in the wake of the Great Google Notebook Exodus that tech sites like CNET, Wired and Lifehacker are fostering, with their recommendations of where else to take your clipping/note-taking needs and who best supports Notebook exports. And they're certainly not suggesting any of the four Google products that you suggested in this blog entry, or any other Google product for that matter.
So are you reeeaally sure that this was the best way to focus your efforts on technologies that would yield the most benefit to users, or are you just that altruistic to your competition? ;-)
Whilst Google has said that "every single notebook and all the existing features of the web interface will still be available" this does not apparently extend to the Firefox extension which so greatly enhances Notebook's already excellent functionality.
Would it not be possible for Google to release the source code for the extension so that some enterprising developer could carry on development of the extension at least should it be broken by a future FF update.
A lot has been said, I'll just add my hopeless and (maybe) dead ideas:
* Gmail (and Contacts and Tasks) + Calendar + Notebook = Outlook outright replacement.
They just lack integration and better sync options. If you add Gtalk and Blogger to the list, there you go: Bye, bye, windows live.
That said, I'm kinda worried 'cause Google, apart from Gmail, has been seen as enthusiasts-only in Brazil (a lot of almost basictech-illiteracy here). I had a rough time trying to invite people over Google services, so that they could have the option of continuing or not using MS's softs.
But the outcome is being more like the Mac x PC ad "outta the box"'s: People (here at least), in general, like out of the box experience (aka MS integration services).
Functionality and soft quality go a long way a the first impression, but at long term people around here just want to settle down and watch thing getting added to their products (not more products isolated. Ex. gtalk on gmail, gtalk and gtalk on igoogle).
I'll miss Google Notebook and, maybe, a lot of google services.
Hope I'm wrong 'cause I fret to the idea of migrating everything back to MS's.
I'm disgusted, Google, and I never thought I'd say that.
I use Notebook all the time, I love it, and so does everyone else who uses it.
Feels like an old friend has just punched me in the mouth - I'm going to use a different search engine for a month in protest.
I'm extremely dissapointed by this news. There is nothing out there like Google Notebook.
This is especially true for those of us who need access to this type of thing from any computer (regardless of OS).
I use Google Notebook from several computers running either Linux or Windows.
At least I'll still be able to use it, but not having the Google Notebook extension (yeah it works now, but what about Firefox 3.1 +) will be a real PITA.
Anyone have any better ideas?
A very unfortunate (and maybe unwise) decision.
Many thanks to the Notebook team for having developed such a useful and easy to use service. I will miss it.
What a shame, this was by far my favorite google product, which I would be more then willing to pay for were to continue to be developed. -Mike
I've been a google notebook user since the moment I found it. It wasn't something I used then moved on from. I used it and used it and used it and used it. I used bookmarklets, I used it from my mobile.
I'll miss it terribly.
I must say I had a bad feeling it was leaving. It just seemed to get ignored.
I love it still, will love it when its gone. Hyperbole or not.
It's pretty clear that Google needs come up with a solution for this and continuing to support current users without the extension is not one. I've launched a successful web product and I have the ability to identify a good product that fills a need. The alternatives (Evernote, etc) won't work.
I've been looking for a product that I could use as a 'personal knowledge building tool'. I used Notebook when it first came out but, it wasn't ready - I've recently circled back to it and I'm very impressed with the tool and just started using it heavily. I'd rather use an existing product - but, if there's a gap in the market I may have to create a product which everyone on this blog post would be willing to pay for.
I'm sure other people like me didn't know that all of these enhancement have been made to make it useful. I'd be willing to pay $3/mo to use it. If you're going to cut projects cut 'tasks'. Nobody's going to use it (at least in it's current state) over a superior product like Todoist's with an accessible firefox plug in.
I've been a huge advocate of Google at my company and feel Google could easily excel past Facebook in the social networking space by tying it all together. This action raises serious concerns about the management team.
After reading this post and others like it, I'm confident that Google will reverse their decision.
After reversing the decision, please add more levels to notebooks file structure 'sections' - it supports 2 but, 3 or 4 would be really helpful:) Again, I'm ready to pay $3/mo.
After reading this post and others like it, I'm confident that Google will reverse their decision.
I really wish I could share your confidence. Doubtless the team who this very blog most applies to would love Notebook to continue too - after all, they are/were its developers - but the very lack of a genuine response (aside from the re-iterative 22/01 'update') points toward a group of people labouring under the omniscient corporate thumb. The suspension of Notebook smacks of remote, bean-counter 'strategy' that simply has no understanding at all of its wider effect. Doubtless, many of the near 700 of us who have commented on this board will (by the very fact we have commented) hold some sway with our friends/colleagues over their computing decisions and none of us right now are quite as starry-eyed about Google as we were say two weeks ago. It's the kind of ripple effect that spreads, but would the bean-counters even begin to understand that kind of process?
I just introduced my whole organization to Google Notebook, which I use heavily as a reporter and producer. I'm shocked that Google would abandon a product that is just starting to catch on and offers such great mobile functionality in this increasingly interconnected world of ours. A real shame.
690 care enough to comment. The vast majority saddened to enraged. Many, I imagine, trusted Google over other online apps for data security and continuity: It's not likely that Google would be sold, go out of business or muck up it's storage is it?
And Notebook works and works well. It is hardly a failed experiment!
I used it in 2007 and was planning to use it again soon.
Was there any communication with users about this or is it an example of corporate autism.
The 'Don't be Evil' halo has slipped a bit.
Uh ... guys, ladies ... have you noticed this is a free product? I think it's terrific, myself. But this is a recession we're in here. How many companies would continue to pour money into what is, as far as I can see, a non-revenue product? They've made their point and they are not taking the product away from you. They're just not putting time and money into it now.
I can't blame 'em. Google has provided me some great stuff through a kind of corporate largesse that I have seen from few other organizations. Actually, I've never seen a company provide so much value for free. I'm just going to say "thanks, Google, for not taking it away under the current economic circumstances."
Making it profitable: I guess this might be related to the global crisis. :-/
I always wondered why they didn't put Adsense blogs in on top or right of the notebook pages to make it profitable (as they do in gmail).
I think this would make notebooks profitable for google and preserve it.
I'm upset too. I also have zotero which can be used for academic research but is also great for web clips.
Richard Posey,
Most of Google's consumer products are free. Notebook being free is little or no distinction in explaining why they'd cease active development on the product, without having made *any* discernible effort to inject a profit model into its use in the first place. If they wanted Notebook development to pay for itself, they made no indication that was important to them by pairing it with Google Ads or offering a "premium" version of the service, for example. Both of those options have been exercised with other free Google services.
So people are naturally wary that the other shoe will drop here. Stopping development has already created an opportunistic atmosphere for Notebook competitors and has many looking to jump ship. It's not hard to see Google waiting for a good chunk of existing Notebook users to leave in order to justify discontinuing the service altogether because of, surprise, "very low interest".
It's just one of several approaches to planned obsolescence.
Does anyone ever read "terms of service"? You guys act like you've got some "right" to these services. Yes, free products create an environment of expectation, however, virtually every one of them gives the product provider the right to cease at any time or at least with some notice. I am equally unhappy when things I am happy with change, but ...
No company is obligated to provide or maintain products forever. Again, all Google has done (for now) is stop development. They've always got the right to move on. Care to go looking for support for Windows 3.11? Want to see the 2009 version of Windows 98 Millenium Edition? Argh. It's "just business." That's a cold-blooded phrase I hate, but it's an acknowledgment of Reality.
And as far as "planned obsolescence," without it we'd all be driving automobiles originally manufactured almost a century ago. I have no sentiment for my 1977 Honda Accord that would have it replace my far superior 2009 Civic.
I love Notebook, myself. I really do. And I would hate to see it go. I hope they keep it out there and someday go back to improving it.
I use Docs, Blogspot, Knols, Picasa
and gmail but I find Notebook your
best product. It's so awesome that
I figure it's complex software.
You can be sure I'll "never" upgrade
from Firefox 3 ;-)
I don't see anyone trying to argue against Google's or any company's fundamental right to discontinue a product or service. I see very little expression of entitlement here. I simply see a large number of people expressing disappointment and perplexity over this decision. Google is free to discontinue Notebook development and we are free to question the wisdom of that decision.
Notebook is not an OS that has the accountability to thousands upon thousands of dependent executables, drivers, file formats etc, where planned obsolescence is required for an orderly migration to an updated OS. Notebook is cloud software without a client-side implementation to worry about. Google controls the implementation end-to-end. Planned obsolescence as is occurring here only serves the complete termination of the product, not the orderly migration to an updated, better product. No combination of Search Wiki, Google Docs, GMail Tasks and Google Bookmarks - the Google-suggested is the upgrade path - can play 2009 Civic to Notebook's 77 Accord.
i'm planning my entire wedding using notebook!! it's THE easiest way to clip photos and links from around the web and keep it organized by category. i've spent months convincing friends and colleagues that notebook will change their lives, and now they're getting rid of it! i'm so sad.
searchwiki, docs, tasks and bookmarks can't replace notebook. they just can't.
PLEASE KEEP GOOGLE NOTEBOOKS!
I worry about google docs.
I worry about gmail.
I think I will have to switch to services I can depend on.
I have loved google and think you are making a huge mistake.
ps this is my second post but have not seen my first. Was it too long? or are you not posting everybody's comments?
I really don't think this is a rational movement. Notebook is such a great and convenience tool to me.
I totally opposed the shutdown decision.
Guys - something's brewing with regards to bookmarks at Google ... it might be related to Google Notetab as well. See http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2009/01/dev-update-bug-fixes-and-scrolling.html ... there they say: "Removed the option to import bookmarks from Google bookmarks. We think we can improve this feature, so we're pulling it out until we come up with something better." I am still hoping they will integrate Bookmarks and Notebook using all of Notebooks capabilities, and more!
Oh, my god! This is extremely useful tool. There are no alternative. No one have clean and usable interface same as Google Notebook.
Please don't kill Notebook by stopping development! It's a great product already and could have been made even better. I have been using it a lot lately for collating research and would miss the integration with Google Docs were I move to another service. It may be that it hasn't been too popular but that's because the vast majority of people havn't heard of it; it wasn't promoted all that well.
I'm very sorry. First time I read the news I couldn't believe it. I've been a hard user of Google Notebook. And I intend to go on using it in my every day life.
For me, the strongest point of Google Notebook is the tagging option and the easyness to create simple notes.
It'd be amazing Google reconsider its decision.
I used Notebook all the time. I thought it was a fantastic service that would only improve as offline access was offered via Google Gears as promised. I also understand Google needing to make these judgment calls. But I sincerely wish it had been a different decision in this case. Just giving my humble opinion...
Just very sad. Google Notebooks is one of the most useful tools in the entire Google "tool box".
Please reconsider this decision. None of the alternatives work in the same way.
Bummer. I use Notebook for research on my dissertation and its great; I just highlight and right-click on an abstract and zap a link into my notebook where I can then post my own comments. I've also found that I can stick the RSS feed in the sidebar of my blog to quick-update with interesting links. I've even been thinking about my old job as a market research analyst and all the ways that this tool would be incredibly useful for the sales team in tracking leads; I was going to send my old boss an email explaining it. You should most definitely reconsider. Notebook is a very nice tool and will catch on given time for people to find ways to use it.
Well, seems to me that Google want a "We can change" for their fans. Some thoughts about it:
http://blog.rainer.eschen.name/2009/01/27/this-is-the-end-my-friend-for-the-google-notebook-trend/
Google, in one fell swoop, eroded trust. The posts to this blog (though, it appears, not as many as Google would have liked) are testimony. Google was core to "the cloud" movement; can we trust "the cloud"?
Underlying the myriad ways people were using Notebook one central notion is highlighted -- people liked Notebooks ability to easily collect *random* notes.
Having collected, people then organized these notes whichever way suited them (again with ease). Which other single tool gives you this basic capability with the simple to use interface?
Sure, Notebook is not for everyone. Some like definite applications: list making with Remember The Milk, etc, word processing with MS Word (or GDocs), etc. These have one purpose in life. For people who prefer less formality, Notebook fit the bill perfectly. Yes, there are always improvements to be made, but the underlying core was in place.
But trust. We are now being reassured that our notes will not disappear. Why should I trust Google any longer?
Jack.
Please sign the online petition "Stop the shutdown of Google Notebook" if you have not already done so.
http://www.petitiononline.com/gnoteb/petition.html
Please don't do this! It was useful, easy to work with and was incredibly convenient!!
Read all the comments here, Google , and please reconsider. I have information on G Notebook that is very valuable to me and I didn't want to have to export it off. I loved Notebook.
I do not understand why Google is thinking about shutting down a really useful feature!!
I use Google Notebook every day to jot down huge amount of notes. I would certainly appreciate if Google would reconsider their decision and stop shutting down Google Notebook.
As a HEAVY google user! everything from the obvious gmail, docs, tasks, to health, notebook, cal, almost every service they have i have given a try and/or use daily. And now the fear has set in... which feature will be gone next. It gives me pause to continue to rely so much on a service that i can't trust will be here in a 5 years...
Simply shocking and bad news, Google notebook was my most favourite service on the net. It made me to use google services which I was not using too much before. I was reccommending it to all my friends. No other google services can even compare with notebook.
I was absolutely shocked to hear it's being discontinued. I've seen some pretty silly things in and out of the labs, but they chose to discontinue Notebook?? I can only imagine what they might do next. Even if it was left exactly where it is, it would be an excellent app for newcomers to explore.
I could be wrong guys but as i read it they (Google) will not be removed the Notebook feature are just stopping active development. So for all of us that use it on a daily basis will continue to enjoy it's glory. But those late adopters it's going to elude them.
Simply, I'm a little shocked...I think GNotebook is a beautyful tool for my everyday work and hobby. I can't believe you are gonna stop this service. Please, think about all the feedback people leaved here and everywhere on the web: don't close Notebook service, not only the web service, but even the extension's. Please.
Marco, Italy.
My name is Peter and I work for a company called drop.io
I just wrote up a blog post about how you can use our site plus our Firefox Add-on, the Drag & Drop.io, to do a lot of same things that you can do with Notebook.
I liked Notebook a lot. Before I came to drop.io I messed around with it and thought it was pretty cool which makes their decision a little confusing to me. It seemed like a legit product.
Anyway, take a look and see if it's a good substitute/alternative/etc.
Peter F.
drop.io
Great to hear that it will stick around in its current incarnation.
It has got all the features I will ever need.
Thanks!
I have only just discovered that Google NoteBook has gone into cold storage, at least. Fortunately all the important research material I stored on it is still there - thank goodness for that! However, clearly one has to think of other options; I have been using Helipad for some bits and pieces, but NoteBook seemed a 'larger' service somehow. The whole question of keeping valuable material on line becomes a matter of concern, and the current economic crisis raises the fear of many more services closing down. I shall have to think out the best options, which presumably have to include one's own computer, and multiple external drives, though this of course is not really at all the same thing. Although I use and depend on a variety of Google services, the closing off of Page Creator (I'm still not too sure of Sites) and now NoteBook I find, is unsettling. I will have to come back tomorrow to check out other things I use a lot. I suppose that by my age, 75, I should have learned to accept ongoing change and the disappearance of things one had come to depend on. My great fear is that all of you coming along younger than me, are going to face changes of a magnitude I cannot even imagine, and likely not for the better.
Just one word ... Evernote.
It's the greatest Google product for me (with the Firefox extension). It's the best way to get a copy of what I read on the web and categorize it instantly. I've been using it by the Firefox extension hundreds of times each day since it started. I understand why you'd stop Google Catalog Search, Dodgeball, Jaiku or Google Mashup Editor, since I've never used any of these. But Google Notebook is way ahead. It almost revolutionized my web experience. I'm truly sad.
So sad to see notebooks go i think the main thing i will miss will be the one click menu option in Firefox to save a new note.
I was using Evernote but it just did not seem to integrate as well for me and the programe was a bit bloated in my eyes.
I was really thinking of moving everything i do over to Google because i love the integration between all the apps, now im not to sure as i feel the carpet has just been pulled away.
I do understand Googles position on this and i hope they continue to make really good apps.
Maybe they can spend a bit more time on chrome and get it out of beta and at lest let me install google toolbar !!!
It could be worst i suppose i could be using vista :)
I just started using Google Notebook a few weeks ago and I'm pretty sad to see it go. It perfectly provides just the basic functionality which I need without the bloat of opening up Google Docs every time I want to make a quick simple note, or the inconvenience/clutter of all the bells and whistles of another service such as Evernote. I know we can still use notebook as we currently are, except without the Firefox extension for the next Firefox update but I can live with that and Notebook already allows us to export our notes into the universal HTML format or into Google Docs, giving us great integration with other, maintained services without requiring any more work from Google. If Google wants to use their resources on other Google products instead of Notebook they can but still keep it up for new users since the notes probably don't require too much space on your servers and won't require much maintenance since they are already keeping it up for present users.
There seems to be two major confusions regarding Evernote. A little clarification seems appropriate:
You do *not* have to install the Evernote software in order to be able to use Evernote exactly the same way you were using Google Notebook. All you have to do is to either install the Evernote Firefox extension or the Web clipper bookmarklet.
The software just adds additional features such as clipping material from any open application on your computer and more powerful manegement of your notes.
One might add a little discussed feature of the Evernote web interface: using your mobile phone, it is actually possible to *edit* already written notes. This was never possible with Google Notebook (please read again what I just wrote, if you think I am saying something that's not true).
Estou realmente desapontado e triste com a notícia.
Eu sou um fã do google notebook, pelo menos irei usá-lo já que sou um assinante do serviço.
Espero que um dia o google notebook esteja aberto para o público novamente, para que outras pessoas possam conhecer esse brilhante serviço.
Adeus google notebook.
This is terrible news. I use Notebook all the time. Nothing else out there (Evernote, Zoho, even Google Documents) comes even close in functionality and utility and ease of use. Notebook is a killer app.
I'm sad to hear this. I loved using it, & I regularly promoted its use to my students.
This is the first time I am soooo disappointed with Google. Google Notebook is such an easy to use tool for me to keep track of my web clips. I am now switching to Evernote .... but its not the same.
This is veering on absurdity. I have relied on Google Notebook for clipping everything from Linux to Calculus; I really hope this means that the Google Notebook *bookmarklet* will still work, as that is what I rely heavily on. I know that no other web clipping software can replace Google Notebook, for the simple reason that with almost all of the services I rely on consolidated in my one Google account, I'm less likely to lose data because I forgot a password, for instance. I want to have my Google Notebook for forever, and will be severely disappointed if Google will no longer provide this service to its upmost capacity.
I wish to add that I've always though Google Notebook was an application that made "cloud computing" more realistic. Without it, I'm back to relying on something installed on my computer, the way backwards (for I'm not interested, for the aforesaid reasons, of making an account with another company). I thought Google was trying to be ahead of the curve, but now I do not know what to expect.
There is a freeware named Canaware NetNotes with the same functionalities.
Regarding all of the suggestions to use Evernote or the like:
It isn't that other programs have or don't have the same functionality: it's that we've been relying on Google for a service, and now, it's like they've taken the carpet from under our feet. I also agree that it should be open-sourced, if Google can, somehow, no longer provide the service. Isn't that another thing Google stood for, open source?
"Actually, I've never seen a company provide so much value for free"
I have--I've seen it in the brilliant people who work to provide the Linux OS (as for an official company, just look at Canonical). I use only *free applications* on my computer, thanks to their tireless work. It would, I hope, not be expensive for Google to maintain the service for new users. As for stopping new development, that isn't really a killer, and, more than that, any stop to active development should only be temporary as they can't possibly be expecting the recession to last for forever.
well, on the off chance that it might make a difference (doubtful), I will add my vote to the pile:
I am extremely angered by the decision concerning Notebook. I use the FF extension all the time.
Google wants people to use its tools and services but then rips them out from under them when they do. I will be wary of using Google's tools in the future.
Please, let people study and copy GNotebook, put it in the public domain.
Good products are fine, but the ideas behind them are much better!
I can't think of any other application that makes one live the cloud experience in such a smooth way. The firefox integration is the key: one "small" app inside the browser, that seamleassy merge data from the cloud into your personal environment, at the point that you don't care where the data is, as long as it's where you need it and when you need it, without changing context.
Make your ideas public and let people learn from them. If you (astoundingly) don't think your product is worth enough, let people who love it make it even better.
This is such a shame. It's an excellent tool and Docs doesn't provide the same functionality. When I first started using it when it first appeared and admittedly it was rough, but it has really matured well. Now I have come back to it and got my team and some clients using it, it's really sad to see it go. Please keep it active at least then come back to it when times are better.
Won't you please reconsider this decision? I've looked at all the options (Evernote, Zoho, etc.) and not one of them combines all the features that Notebook has.
When I first saw Notebook, I wondered, "How would I ever use this?" But once I started, it rapidly became a part of my life. I think many people might not get past that initial question, but those of us who have will swear by this application.
Make it a subscription service if you must. Just please don't discontinue work on it. You've got something unique here, really. As I said, nothing else does that Notebook does.
I am not sure why this is a prudent deprecation. It fits nicely in with the other apps. So now you say use docs? What are you guys smoking? On my workstation, I spend 98% of my day in a text editor, not MS Word. I rarely use Word. See the comparison? You have taken away my online text editor and have basically said go use docs (word) instead. o k a y.
I never except it from my Google.
Notebook is very handy product, that I love as much Google Calendar. A great application for scholars, students & researchers now going to die. I never forget that one-click feature to take notes from the search result page itself. Bye-bye notebook. Long live Google Notebook.
Tried Ubernote, EndNote, EverNote, etc.. none as simple and as attractive as Google Notebook for quick notes and stuffs :{
---
http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs
All those posting about alternatives Evernote, Zoho and all the other services like notebook. You're missing the point! Google Notebook as superior not only in service but consolidation. Under one login one site i could get my Mail, Documents, Calendar, Health Info, Purchasing, Social Network, Bookmarks, Stock Portfolio Info, ect.. ect... ect.... And these suggesting defeat that purpose I'm trying to simply my life not jump to and from 15 different sites. Google Notebook was just another great extension powered by google that filled a very important role. In my data tracking and keeping. And another site like it is a waste of time.... Google should see the signs figure out a way to make GOOGLE notebook profitable and keep expanding it.. Example have a small text ad switching out at the top like gmail. Small revenue but enough to pay a small team to continue to develop it and some day generate a larger sum of income. Please google continue release mobile editing and/or a mobile app
I love Google notebook (esp. the firefox extension) and I loved the way the icon was attached to my browser window ready to be used. I will hate to see it go. I don't understand why it can't be incorporated into Google docs (as in part of Google docs)? I mean, part of the reason why I loved it was that It stayed closed and away from prying eyes until I decided to share it with someone. I am a true fan of Google Notebook.
If you're interested in notetaking and filing with sync you should try eNoteFile.
It has unique search functionality to not only find keywords but also where you've annotated or marked on a page.
It also has an eMemo feature which time and date stamps notes which can be assigned to a folder later.
www.enotefile.com
Please sign the online petition "Stop the shutdown of Google Notebook" if you have not already done so.
http://www.petitiononline.com/gnoteb/petition.html
Sad to see it go. Hope you change your mind, or come up with something very similar.
I already posted one comment, but I'm posting another. PLEASE keep this product. I can't stop using it. It is so easy to use. I don't even think about it.
Zoho et al are too complicated.
Thanks.
I wonder why I had to find out about this from my regular Evernote newsletter just two days ago. It was their link that directed me to this blog. It wasn't even their headline story, they just mentioned they had added an export tool dedicated to Google Notebook.
My behavior today surprised me. I thought I would stick with Notebook because Google will continue to support current users. But last night I exported my notebooks over to Evernote. Eliminating new users is a way toward oblivion, like the Shakers.
I so much liked my iGoogle homepage, with Notebook in the top center and the center-section-widest option chosen. Calendar, Docs, Gmail, and Notebook on my iGoogle homepage, with the Google whitespace permeating all! It elevated my mood, made me ready to face the world each day. Notebook was not on the side, it was the centerpiece in that group of heavyweights.
I'm number 1255 in the petition. I'd go back to Notebook in a minute. Please restore it.
this is a pity
it is damn good
and it is hard to export it in a bulk way which is efficient...
this is the first bad news of Google i ever heard.
stopping a good product
isn't this evil ( see how many users are commenting that they really need notebook)
make sure the actual users need notebook and use it is much much more bigger.
so it is evil to stop developing such a thing
Very sad news, this is an essential Google App as far as I am concerned. Just needed more promotion/education probably.
Maybe after the recession is over(?) Google could look at reinstating development or integrate it into Google Docs.
A warning to Google, don't become like Microsoft and constantly churn products for the sake of it. Your current business model of building a product and improving it over time is the way to go.
I like Google Notebook.
I feel you are not actually focused on the benefit to the users in the long run if you feel that SearchWiki+Google Docs+GmailTasks+Bookmarks is a equivalent experience to Notebook.
I need a tool that can quickly grab fragments of web pages and save them with formatting, along with the reference they came from.
I could do this in one click with Notebook. Why should I waste my time cobbling together a workflow with the mishmash of tools you mention?
I have lost faith in Google Apps in general because of this and will be very careful before counting on any of your tools, including Gmail.
Google, how can we trust that you won't just drop Gmail next? Our entire organizational staff relied upon using Notebook. We regularly get new staff up to speed in Notebook. Now, we can't. Is Gmail going to be canned next? What about Google Docs? See, we can no longer place our faith in any Google products now. We have to switch ALL our tools away from Google because Google can not be depended upon any more.
okay peoples, a little melodramatic "Google, how can we trust that you won't just drop Gmail next?" and "Why not just put it on the back burner for now instead of just killing it?"
THEY AREN"T KILLING IT!, read the official post before you read into all these posts about it getting abolished. They are just stoping "active" development of Google Notebook... ie when the econ picks up and they can afford to direct programs at products that don't directly generate revenue they will... and heck even if they don't they'v also said "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. "
get off your "jump to conclusions mat" and read what the OFFICIAL Google Release.
I will agree it puts pause in my step about some of their other great services that aren't supported by ads but. i think gmail is a pretty safe bet especially because they are really pushing it's development with the new interfaces, task, themes, SMS and Video chat to name a few that have released in the last 6months.
and if you want to be concerned Microsoft isn't so bullet proof... there following and revenue isn't as strong i could see them going the way of the dodo bird long before Google.
So long story short, thank you google for what you've done. Google Notebook is awesome and i wish it was still being developed.
I know that active development has ended, but it would be nice if you could export separate pieces of each notebook. That is, instead of combining every individual entry in each notebook into one document when I export to Docs, allow me to go per entry. This way, I can separate the individual entries by tags.
Thanks for a great product...
EVERNOTE!! is the best solution for those of us that want to keep those notes we took. Evernote has tools to help you export and import your notes from gNotebook to Evernote. Evernote syncs with your desktop. Google Doesnt!
EVERNOTE!! is the best solution for those of us that want to keep those notes we took. Evernote has tools to help you export and import your notes from gNotebook to Evernote. Evernote syncs with your desktop. Google Doesnt!
despair
Seriously, of all the services and applications you could have thrown in the recycle bin - Notebook? Notebook is one of 5 applications i use daily. Firefox, Reader, Notebook, Delicious and Gmail. This has forced me to find an alternative. I of course tried Z0h0, but it's simply doesn't have the rapid scrape and store efficiency that G Notebook has - but ONLY with the Firefox extension. I finally ended up back on Microsoft. I haven't used Microsoft in years, but OneNote is the closest thing I can find, and even THAT is cumbersome. I hate installed software, I hate having to figure out ways of synching up my notebooks between my home and work PC. Google notebook was the perfect tool for me. Well, I guess now you can go spend more time developing your 'social network widgets platform' or whatever bandwagon you decide to jump into tomorrow.
I just looked down the list of all your applications and services and many of them I not only have never used, but I have no idea what they even are.
What the heck, dude? Poor decision, unless you're going to roll it into your google sites or something like that. But I guess tossing the Firefox extension is indicative of Notebook's final true resting place. I can't believe I have installed Microsoft BECAUSE of Google.
It's upsetting to me that Google is going against their "data hijacking" philosophy on this one, even if unintentionally. When I try to export to Google Docs, it gives me an error. When I try to export to an Atom file, it gives me an error. Essentially, my data is stuck in a service that appears to be wheezing when it was once roaring. Even though it isn't going away, how can I be sure that it eventually won't? If I can't move my data out, then what?
On a side note, to those saying that this is clearly "evil" because it upset a lot of people, you are using the term "evil" way too loosely. Doing "no evil" isn't about "making people happy." In fact, often, evil acts will make people happy.
So, by discontinuing support for Google Notebook, Google isn't being "evil"... they're just upsetting a bunch of people. Hijacking my data, however, with error messages... IS evil. It may be unintentional, but this doesn't change the reality.
Oh, and to the guy who said you can clip and organize using Reader? Yeah - you can - and it comes attached with a public website listing not only everything you bookmarked and shared, but the notes you wrote along with it. Is there a way to turn that 'feature' off in Reader? I'd gladly use it in place of notebook if everything i share in reader isn't immediately made public.
I wonder if the stop on GNoteBook development is somehow linked to the current upsurge in chatter about the possible imminent launch of the oft-rumoured GDrive.
If they were going to roll it into something else like gDrive, why wouldn't they just do THAT instead of killing it first.
Did they do the same thing to Writely before launching as Google Docs? I honestly don't remember. Did they support Writely users through the rebranding and integration with docs?
Come to think of it, that's a very likely scenario. Not necessarily integration with GDrive, because the two really are different things. But, perhaps there is a Google Docs alternative coming soon, like perhaps a plugin that allows you to easily capture information into a Google Document.
Also, this would be similar to the transition from Writely to Google Docs. When Google took over, suddenly nobody new could sign up for Writely. Existing users of Writely could keep using it, but new people were kept out. Then, when Google Docs went live, they had an option in Google Docs to import your Writely documents... and it's possible this option still exists to this day.
So, maybe they stopped allowing new people into Google Notebook and are not making any further enhancements to Google Notebook with the intention of eventually releasing a replacement, following an option to migrate your data over to the replacement.
Here's to HOPE.
Wow, this development makes me sad. I have organized my life around Google notebook.
Very sad news, please don't kill notebook.
I have been promoting the use of this to all my friends/colleagues, especially as an alternative to having all sorts of information stored on mobile devices all of which have their own proprietary programs to retrieve and archive and everything gets lost if one does not back it up OR when the unit malfunctions OR it's all terrible when you have lost the mobile device!!
My life was better organised with Notebook and it saved me many times!!
Hi all notebook folks!
I just discovered a new site called uhuroo (http://www.uhuroo.com) it works just like GNotebook. I found it extremely convenient. It even lets you do multimedia notes. :)
Plz google try to reconsider this painful dicission as lots of users loved to use the notebook and also I do use it very frequently as Its been a powerful tool to save common and useful info from all over the web and even from normal life.
I hope to take a new look on how people was using the notebook and try to give it a small push from time to time, so you can easily focus on other products.
Google Fan
I've been using notebook for a while for quick notes and other information I want accessible from any other machine, there aren't any other products that cover the same functionality. It's one my favorite and most used Google Apps (after Search,Gmail,youtube).
I'll keep using the 'unsupported' version as long as I can....and in the meantime start searching for alternatives -- but I do hope you reconsider dropping support for this service.
This whole situation is causing me to go back through my Notebook and clean it out. There are a lot of things I was over-utilizing the Notebook and underutilizing Docs. Transferring some of the older, longer notes into Google Docs was needed. I'm still utilizing Gnotebook but more as a temporary note-gathering program.
I had a similar situation. When I wanted to jot down quick notes, I could have done so using Google Docs instead. The only thing that is keeping me from using Google Docs for quick notes is I need super speed. Even with the uber-fast Google Chrome, creating a new Google Doc is still a little too slow. I need something that loads as fast as Notepad, not something that loads as slow as Word.
In any case, I am writing my own app to be a Chrome-based Notepad replacement for quick notes. So, this shouldn't be a problem.
As for the majority of the stuff in my Google Notebook... it turned out to be clipped info from pages. And it isn't always stuff I would want to share with others. It is often personal information (receipts, "save this for your records" type pages, etc...) I have found that these types of scenarios can be handled using the Google Reader Note bookmarklet. It will capture the highlighted stuff just like Google Notebook... it will allow you to add some extra comments and labels, just like Google Notebook... and there is an option to NOT publish it. It then appears within Google Reader (under Notes) and, as far as I can tell, is not accessible by anyone else.
It's a decent alternative for clipping pages, but there is no way to edit these after-the-fact... not even the comments which were typed. I never found myself doing this too often, except for personal notes I typed out myself, so this shouldn't be too much of an issue.
The other thing I used Google Notebook for was a "to do" list, but this has already been provided using the Tasks feature within Gmail.
So, all in all, I think the slow deprecation of Google Notebook won't be such a nightmare after all... I just wish it could have stuck around as an alternative front-end to some common background information. For instance, why can't the plug-in hang around and just store the captured stuff in Google Reader under notes... and the typed-in stuff in Google Notebooks? Or perhaps it could just be a mini-plugin to be able to access either Google Reader or Google Docs. If there were a fast-loading little app like the Google Notebook plugin that let me jot down notes and capture stuff as quickly as the Google Notebook plugin worked... and just store this information in alternative Google services, I would still be happy. I was never so addicted to the larger Google Notebook application... it was always about the plugin, and the ability to capture information quickly.
I hope development resumes sometime in the future.
Don't kill the notebook, please?
Peoples lets bring this back on point. They ARE NOT!!! KILLING Google Notebook. Read the "Official Post" they are only stopping "ACTIVE" development it means its on the back burner and they are turning their efforts to other things. Google Notebook is well enough right now. it can simmer a bit, i like the fact they are moving more programmers and engineers to other bigger and better things. More tools means an easier hassle free life style. Sure Google Notebook could stand to use a few more amenities like a mobile app, fancier more robust interface but what they have works pretty darn flawlessly. but again they are not getting rid of GNotes
What a shame! I'm a web programmer and have a tool box of snippets that I'm constantly using. I like how I can color code the syntax and Google Notebook records it. I hope Evernote can do this too.
Sad news, I love Google Notebook and use it every day... all day every day.
@cmisak,
That's all well and good, but Notebook was already simmering for quite a while. When was the last time there was a significant update to Notebook? (and "integrating" with bookmarks or changing the way the Google Toolbar button works doesn't count.)
So, for it to be stagnant for so long and then finally be announced that they will stop further development on it and will be discontinuing the browser add-on is not just a sign that it will only continue to simmer a bit more.
It basically means that Chrome users shouldn't expect a Google Notebook add-on any time in their lifetime, which is rather unfortunate. Sure, the bookmarklet works, but I like only favicons showing in my bookmark bar and bookmarklets can't do this.
When you store tons of information in a service that doesn't allow you to export your information because it generates an error, it's not a good sign to hear that support is stopping. What to do with all of the data now? Let it "simmer" as well? Add more to just compound the problem? Sit around waiting for the next round of "bad news"?
cmisak, they're not just stopping active development, they're also stopping support of the Firefox extension and not accepting any new users. Stopping development by itself wouldn't necessarily be an issue but they're not allowing growth which threatens a self-fulfilling prophecy of stagnation (beaten by Bob!).
And it's ironic in the light some incredibly buggy releases that Google seems to have decided to put their development focus on instead. Latitude, Sync and Gmail multiple inboxes needed more time in the oven before the got rushed out to the public. If that's how Google wants to refocus their development priorities, it's hardly encouraging.
bob, & ersouza,
Valid points, we obviously use Google notebook differently. I never found the Firefox extension that terribly valuable. I would only use it as a short cut to my notebook. I felt it lack the user experience that the primary page did.
that (your comments) is type of incite is what Google needs to hear, not the panic mob mentality of people freaking out. We all have played or heard of the game where you sit in a circle and start something and as it goes around it gets modified. I just want people to stop yelling about "Don't Kill the Notebook, Please" (cuz thats not what is happening) and explain why! they need this to be an active tool in the Google arsenal. People saying "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and "You Suck" is... well, not very productive in getting the heat turned on/back up on this project. The Ultimate goal of this blog and it's 4000 readers.
On a side note* Latitude i haven't had any troubles with but Sync, Multiple InBoxes, and Location Signature. only crashes my Browser..... Save and BOOM Firefox crashes without warning or a dialog box its just gone!
How long did they give this product before throwing in the towel? Give it some more time paleeze!! This product was a good recipe. I was going to move my firm to this and off of OneNote...what is Google's OneNote solution now?? Will I be stuck with MS the rest of my life? Help! (I've tried Zoho products...unfortunately they are So-so.)
OMG! One of my most used Google App is going down? :(((
I use notebook for online research. Have been a reaaly helpfull tool in every paper
Why ? Why are killing the best thing ever happened to internet?! I cannot believe! Killing Google Notebook is simply a crime - equivalent to a mass murder. God, help us...I cannot believe !!! PLEASE, BRING BACK GOOGLE NOTEBOOK, PLEASE, PLEASE...
Google documents is nothing in comparison...Google Mail is nothing...The only things that rules the universe is Google Notebook...And now, it's sentenced to death. I am afraid, this lack of judgment could cost Google dearly in a long run. Google, wake up !!!
Google notebook is awesome! I wish it was still being developed. The current features are great, and with a little extra tweaking, it would be even greater! The interface is simple and fast, which is what I like better than Google docs.
Please bring back development on it! And for sure, don't delete it!
Please, why you doing it?
edvin put it perfectly. Quoted again for truth
"This is very sad news and poorly thought out. Notebook is an amazing tool that has few equals. With the addition of the Firefox extension, the ability to grab a section of a page and effortlessly preserve it with my own added notes is incredible and not mimicked by an of the other recommended Google services.
Notebook is a tool my entire organization uses everyday to note ideas, share clipped examples from the web, collaborate and learn. I really hope that all the comments posted here will at least get Google to reconsider abandoning this wonderful tool."
Why stopping development?
Google make's a good app and now bring it away???
There's a lot of app's stopping development, why Google does this?
I'm very sad.
Google is losing respect to users.
Sorry for the bad english.
It is very bad decision taken by google. sure, there should be some politics behind this announcement. I love google notebook.
Hey Google...
Larry Page, Sergey Brin, open up your eyes...
Notebook is a great app, why stop development???
Hire me and I continue to develop by myself!
We want Google take the development of Notebook again...
Can Google do it for us?
A very very good app. Really bad to stop it. :(
why can't you roll some of Notebooks functionality into google docs?
Five Reasons to Bring Google Notebook back into active development.
1. The "Clip" * feature is killer.
2. Hierarchical organization.
3. Concentrates the knowledge that is most relevant to you.
4. Persists / archives valuable knowledge, and won't grow stale. Easy to update when needed.
5. Portable -- you hardly notice what browser or computer you are on, the info is always with you.
Google Notebook is a product offering that solves a pain felt by the masses: Information Overload. It empowers individuals to master and organize a highly valuable body of knowledge.
If you have ever had the following experiences, ask for Google Notebook back.
* "I can no longer find that critical Webpage."
* "The content I need was removed."
* "Relevant information is buried in search results."
Bookmarks are practically a write-only product. Gmail tagging and GTD are buggy and not terribly useful.
Bring back Google Notebook! Rename it if people are not excited about the studious-sounding word "notebook".
Google Notebook, will you be my valentine? : )
Okay... I understand that Notebook will continue to be available to those who sign up for it. And I understand that those of us who want to export our notes can.
But Google, please reconsider your decision to stop development of Notebook.
Google Notebook is hands down one of the most useful free aps out there. I've tried other web clipping services and none of them are as easy to use and organize. And you offer it for free.
Seriously, I would bet people would be willing to pay for this service. It is flat out awesome. I love it and have used it for so many processes in my life - from house hunting to planning a wedding to Thanksgiving meals to Superbowl snack recipes. All in my Google Notebook.
Just one last plea to keep developing this product. Thank you for your work!
My late lamented favorites:
Symantec's Q&A database
Lotus Magellan
Lotus Agenda.
And now Notebook is neither here nor there. I am very grateful that I can access my Notebaook and save to it. Thank you for introducing it and for not abandoning this user.
My Notebook, completely disappeared from my Google toolbar in Firefox, I can still access them by going to the site but not the pop up application, I still can access the pop up in internet explorer. Anyone else have this happen to them? I use Notebook for my business daily, please Google someone come up with a solution for this big mistake in giving up on notebook
Let's hope you are just fishing for compliments for Notebook! ;-) I gladly join the choir to sing its praise! Notebook has become my dear tool for handling information and tasks; to collect, order, organize, plan, think. There is no substitute in your arsenal. Thank you truly for offering this magnificent web tool and for keeping it available. It's fine for me the way it is.
This just doesn't seem to make sense! There's nothing that does the same things as Google Notebook - both the Firefox extension, and the abiltiy to write notes using mobiles (like the G1) are indispensable. Google Docs doesn't even work fully with the Google G1 phone - Notebook does.
Please, reconsider it. It's very difficult to find another application such useful as Google Notebook!
Its very sad to see Notebook go away. I have been a regular user of notebook. The sharing feature was amazing, I shared it with my friends. I have all handy commands, tasks, activities, and much more in my notebook. With Firefox plug-in its even more amazing. Just a right click and save it.
Very very sad to see it go. As a backup now I have to think about the Zoho as others mentioned.
-Ram
As a heavy user of google notebook, I am pretty saddened of losing the product. I was looking forward to getting a Firefox-type extension on Chrome sometime soon.
However, I appreciate that Google is keeping functionality available for existing users. I don't see myself discontinuing my use of Notebook.
Please reconsider this decision. I have found notebook to be extremely useful and would certainly be disappointed if no further work was done on it,
I totally disagree with the decision. I hope you reconsider.
I think that notebook is a great tool, and I is very useful.
Notebook, please return!!!
Estoy en total desacuerdo con la decisión tomada. Espero que lo reconsideren.
Creo que notebook es una gran herramienta, y a mi me es MUY util.
Notebook, por favor volvé!
I think Google has not done enough to publicise and monetise Google Notebook.
Then one day, when Google had to axe some services, Google Notebook was seen as not having enough users, or making enough money.
Please sign the petition if you haven't done so.
http://www.petitiononline.com/gnoteb/petition.html
I wonder how much saving there will be after shutdown.
Notebook is a simple service and I don't believe that it requires too much resource both in terms of financial or human resources.
Or, Google is in such a desperate crisis that even a simple feature like Notebook seems financially important.
Well, I think it's fair to say, that it's a big person (and a big company) that can reverse a decision realised not to be the correct one on later reflection.
I personally consider Google Notes to be one of Googles premier apps. Not just for web clippings, but for collecting and organising various thoughts, comments, observations, and jobs on... well everything. I have it open all day long - and use it all day long. I find it completely invaluable. I guess, probably most Google account holders just don't realise how useful it is.
Even so, if the development decision is final, I am really really grateful to you [Google] for keeping it open and fully operational for existing Notebook accounts. Its perfect as it is - so I guess it doesn't make any difference to existing users.
Regards,
SJK
This is really unfortunate -- When I search for real-estate or apartments, I find that the easiest way to keep track of everything I find is to "notebook" the ones I like, and then export them to my phone or to a physical print-out.
A bit pissed off, frankly, to see a good idea die.
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