Pasteboard is a free 10-page tabbed “scratch pad” type program that provides space to type in or paste any text that you might need, whether it’s pasting coupon codes from the internet, quickly jotting down an email address or a phone number, grabbing some code to embed on your site later, writing down a few thoughts, or holding text while you cut, copy. and paste between programs, etc.
This program is different from many notes programs in that it does not have tags or outlines; and aside from labeling the tabs it does not have any kind of scheme to store or categorize information, and is not designed to display on-screen notes or reminders. It also does not have editing or formatting options; all it offers are 10 tabs on top marked one through ten, and a white page for each to store your transient bits of text.
But here’s the interesting part: it actually is extremely useful. After using it for about 2 weeks now it remains on my taskbar and I find myself using it over and over.
So, you’ve got a computer that you’re using, but look around your desk; chances are there’s a paper pad and pen somewhere, and chances are that that paper pad is full of scribbles, phone numbers, email addresses, random lists, etc.
What Pasteboard does is replicate that “disposable” pad digitally and, strangely, it does a good job.
More notes on this:
- Portable: unzip and run. The text files are stored in the same folder Actually, not portable. See comments below.
- Stores notes in text files: titled page01.txt through page10.txt. You cannot add additional pages or tabs.
- You can label tabs: if you want to (see screenshot above). Just put your mouse on a tab and right-click settings.
- Auto save: all text is saved automatically on exit.
The verdict: very handy little app that performs a very useful function without a lot of complexity. You may be interested in this app even if you have a sophisticated notes program or a clipboard manager, if only because of the “disposable” nature of its uses. Just look around, if you see a lot of random papers with bits and pieces of info on your desk you will probably like it. Reminds me of previously mentioned Flashnote, but is more straightforward.
Version Tested: 2.1
Compatibility: WinAll.
Go to program home page to download the latest version (approx 619K).
I’m thinking of giving thIs a try. Back in the days of Win95 I a small application much like it. A tiny word processor that allowed ten files. The difference was that it offered an option of several fonts and they could be bolded, underlined, and, as I recall, colored. It was indispensable. Time passed and it ceased to work on XP. Good old Microsoft. So many beloved applications go screaming to the sacrificial slab of King OS and are ground to death under the wheels of progress. I’ve never found anything to replace it.
“We have this wonderful new OS for you. Your programs won’t work with it but not to worry. New ones are on the way,” says Microsoft. But the new ones never quite measure up. Remember WordPerfect 6.1? Not a day goes by that I don’t long to have it back.
Every time I try to post here I get this message:
This website is temporarily unavailable. Please check back later.
Unfortunately there were no suitable nodes available to serve this request.
pretty sweet! It took me awhile to figure out that the settings are accessed by right-clicking on the toolbar. I always have a notepad running in the background, especially when I’m posting long entires online, so this will come in really useful
… and apparently this program is 10 years old
Thanks guys for your input.
@ Kell: I know about the ‘no suitable nodes” error. This is actually due to my particular hosting provider that I am using. I am going to change hosts within a couple of weeks and hopefully it will be gone.
http://www.quicknote.de/
Try Quicknote – all this and more!
I use Metapad with a text file with “.LOG” on the first line as a scatchpad. Every time the file is opened the time and date are automatically entered.
It’s not portable.
It creates a Pasteboard.ini in c:\windows and you need this ini file for the label tabs.
Oops. Struck that out of the text of the review.
I dont understand how this is better than notepad…?
I recommend Keynote NF for this purpose. It is not limited to 10 pages. It has the ability to automatically capture the clipboard to a new note every time you copy or cut something to the clipboard. I believe it is portable, though have not verified this. It is open source. It is very scalable to do such minute tasks as mentioned to more complex.