Personal Journal (Encrypted)

While there are probably journal programs that can handle this type of encryption, using a pair of programs may be a better answer. TrueCrypt is a free and open solution to the encryption issue, providing the ability to encrypt individual files, folders/directories, or even full volumes. You can also hide the encrypted folder so the casual user doesn't even realize it is there! Then, you can use whatever journaling application you find works the way YOU are comfortable. If you use a portable app, like Notepad++, you can even keep the program in the encrypted folder so no one seeing the journal app, looks for the data file. In addition, if you need to have other encrypted files, like pictures or recordings, they can either be in the same encrypted folder or in a different one with its own key.

I read this post last night, when all messages posted to this board were shot down by that spam filter, and tried out WoaS. Liked it so much I wrote a wikiHow article about it, even mentioned using it with Portable Firefox and putting it (the WoaS .html file) in the Data directory and bookmarking it.

I have a few ideas for what to do with mine, but its main purpose will be to help me write a story I've been working on for a while. It's just an adaptation of a game, nothing I expect to publish, but a couple authors have said they wish they could make every copy of their first few books disappear forever, so I figure I'll get my experience with a couple adaptations, stuff I can't sell for profit anyway. A wiki is really good for this because I can link terms (e.g. character names, organizations, etc.) and keep notes. I mean, I know the game, but I'm trying to expand on everything a little, fill in the blanks, color it in, give it a third dimension. Make it something the reader can feel and believe. Can't do that so well with Notepad++, heh heh.

A wiki's strongest selling point over other formats is that multiple people can edit it. Take that away and it's really no more than a website, just a really intelligent one.

After looking at the apps this seems the way to go. It does the basic journal function and it does it well. Some of the other apps are very good but they either do things un-required or wrong language etc.

Anyway this lloks like a good go. It's written in Python and says its OS independent which, I pray, means it can be ported without further adue. What kind soul out there is willing to port this cute little RedNoteBook in the window

Cheers

I'd suggest the comparison to OpenOffice + Toucan misses a couple of things.

• the encrypted text pads are each one single application, with no need to run a second
• OOo has the ability to encrypt the contents of a document directly
• Even with Toucan, there is still a question of whether there are any non-encrypted portions of the document saved as temporary files somewhere on the computer
• theoretically, there is no need with the encrypted text pads to worry about those temporary files

If you know what to look for, and how to change some settings, you can probably assure yourself that temporary files are either encrypted or removed so someone can't recover them. But it is a whole lot more complicated to be sure you have taken care of all the little details with either encrypted OOo docs or some journal application plus an external encryption program. I'd say it's about an order of magnitude more complicated than one of the simple text pads. It's not overwhelming, just some additional things to learn and additional steps to remember.