OneNote should start with simple features & allow user to expand

[Steve1242]

I'm brand new to OneNote. Frankly, I'm overwhellmed by all the features. I
started out by merely wanting to take simple class notes and, in short order,
I'm dealing with files, sections, pages, sub-pages, flags, etc. etc. I'd
suggest allowing a user to start out with simple features and then allow a
user to pick other features to add. You could have it set by the user to
review, say, every week about adding new features. Or, have a wizard that
would popup saying, for example, "You know, what you are doing right now can
be handled easier if you'd allow the use of the XYZ feature. Do you want to
have that feature available now?"

It might also be helpful (for new users) to allow the user to right-click on
something and ask, "What's this?" There are some feature of OneNote that I
haven't used in manual note-taking. Being able to get an explanation might
show me that there's a method in your madness in providing the feature. (Of
course, for regular users, the feature could be turned off.)

I'd also like it if there were more choices for stationery and/or a way to
create a stationary form for a particular course.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...9b1b-6aa9f09ac0ec&dg=microsoft.public.onenote

 

[Chris H.]

Since you're just starting with OneNote, if you haven't seen it, I would
recommend taking a look at the demo/tutorial here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011423061033.aspx It has
many, many good ideas and methods explained.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

I think you may be the first user to ask for *fewer* features in OneNote
<g>.

That type of beginner interface doesn't seem to have worked well in the
past. How much grief has MS gotten for Clippy? "You seem to be writing
a letter!"

There is a great set of beginner videos on MS' website. Take the time to
watch these and you may not need to have explanations available:
http://www.microsoft.com/Office/onenote/prodinfo/demo.mspx (In addition
to the other link Chris provided).

Stationery can be created and applied on the Stationery Task Pane (Format
menu | Stationery). The basic idea is that you create a "template" page
anywhere in OneNote, then use that task pane to Save the current page as
stationery, then set that newly created stationery as the default for all
new pages in a given section. So if you have a single section containing
notes for a particular course, applying a default stationery will apply
that to all new pages in that section.