Personal organizer. Free organizing programs. Pocket personal computers

In accordance with our official duties, we have to carry out a certain list of tasks every day, not forget about scheduled meetings and events, make the necessary calls in a timely manner, quickly find the necessary telephone numbers and other contact information, etc. Successfully plan upcoming tasks, complete them as quickly as possible and at the same time not forget anything - few people can do this. And therefore, since time immemorial, people have used improvised means to plan things, store contact information and remind themselves about upcoming affairs: desk calendars, completely covered with phone numbers and memos, notebooks and all kinds of “memorial” notebooks.

Everything changed with the advent of computers, when electronic organizers appeared among the first programs running under DOS, which in their initial form only made it possible to more conveniently organize the storage of documents and take notes. Subsequently, computer organizer programs learned not only to store information, organize and quickly find telephone numbers, but also to remind of upcoming events, plan the work day, manage the priorities of planned work, and even interact with other components of the computer office, such as an e-mail client. Moreover, online organizers appeared, in particular the well-known Beep.ru (http://www.beep.ru/), access to which was possible at any time and from anywhere using a cell phone with a WAP browser.

Today, email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook, are also equipped with standard organizer functions, which, as a result of their development, have turned into full-featured information managers and are intended for the systematic management of the activities of the entire company as a whole and each of its divisions and each individual employee. They are focused primarily on working in a local corporate network and allow you not only to create your own schedule, but also to coordinate it with other employees of the organization, and, if necessary, to make appropriate reminder entries in the electronic “calendars” of colleagues.

However, Microsoft Outlook, with all its undeniable advantages, is not always suitable for personal use. There are two main reasons for this: the program requires a lot of “living space”, and its capabilities often significantly exceed the needs of most users and remain unclaimed: even not the majority of users choose Microsoft Outlook as an email client; many prefer, for example, The Bat!. In such a situation, it is better to choose an alternative version of the organizer program, which will require fewer resources, while implementing all the necessary functions for organizing information storage and planning.

Distribution size: 4.4 MB

Distribution method: ftp://inklineglobal.net/win32/rbo50.zip, ftp://listsoft.ru/pub/1473/rbo50.zip)

Price:$39.99

Work under control: Windows 95/98/Me/NT 4.0/2000/XP

RedBox Organizer is probably the most popular organizer in the world, having received many prestigious and well-deserved awards (ZDNet 5-Star Top Pick, AOL Application Top Pick, PC World’s Hot Shareware Pick, etc.). This multifunctional application includes an event planner, a calendar-diary with the ability to create a daily routine, a task list, contacts with the ability to store graphic images and organize individual contacts into sections, a detailed address book, a notepad and other classic organizer modules. The program provides quick and convenient access to personal and business information, will always warn you in advance about any planned activities and events, will make sure that there are no conflicts in your schedule, will allow you to instantly find the necessary data, as well as send emails and publish information on the Internet.

The Reports generator will help you create a clear picture of all planned activities for any period of time, and the Links manager will clearly reflect all information chains, combining data from different sections of the organizer. The built-in import and export wizard will allow you to import information into the system in *.txt and *.csv formats. If necessary, the program can run in the background; then only an icon in the system tray will indicate that it is loaded.

In addition, unlike other organizers, RedBox Organizer has several original functions. For example, thanks to the Globe module, the program is able to measure the distance between different cities and determine the difference in time zones, as well as find out how long a flight along the route of interest will take. The Expenses module will help you maintain your home accounting, scrupulously taking into account all expenses.

In addition, one cannot help but note the extremely simple interface of the program, which allows you to instantly understand the purpose of its functions. That is why RedBox Organizer, despite the lack of a Russian version of the program, can be recommended to a very wide range of users.

Developer: Chaos software Group, Inc. (http://www.chaossoftware.com/)

Distribution size: 4 MB

Distribution method: http://www.chaossoftware.com/programs/chaos/chaossetup.exe)

Price:$45

Work under control: Windows 98/2000/XP

Time & Chaos is a full-featured personal organizer that also has the ability to work online, as evidenced by the immediately obvious Network tab, as a result of which there is a convenient opportunity to plan the daily routine of employees. This program can be a good solution for small offices.

The main purpose of Time & Chaos is effective access and management of personal information, since all the classic capabilities of organizers are implemented here: a calendar, which can be published on the Internet, if desired, a phone book, contacts and tasks, etc.

The program provides color coding for scheduled meetings and calls and provides a more complete option for storing information than in other similar programs. So, for example, usually there are about 4-5 information tabs for each contact record, but in Time & Chaos there are as many as 9, and up to 20 additional custom fields can be entered. In addition, contacts, meetings and tasks can be accompanied by custom formatted explanations, for which you can choose typefaces and font sizes. Other contact features include integration with an email client (clicking on a contact's address launches the email client and composes a message for the contact) and linking to a map of the contact's location from the MapQuest Web site.

Time & Chaos has a simple and user-friendly interface that allows you to perform many operations faster. For example, due to the fact that by default, appointments and calls, a to-do list and contact information are displayed on one screen, you can quickly move between individual program modules. A toolbar associated with each object allows you to access the object at any time. Widespread use of drag-and-drop capabilities (you can drag almost everything here with the mouse) speeds up the execution of a variety of actions: for example, when making an appointment, you can simply drag the desired contact into the calendar, etc.

The query mechanism implemented in Time & Chaos is also convenient, allowing you to quickly find the necessary information by searching both the entire database and its individual components and using logical operations if desired. Any data in the program can be divided into different groups, and if necessary, they can be protected with a password. In addition, it is easy to import the necessary information from other organizers.

Distribution size: C-Organizer Pro 4.1 MB, C-Organizer Std 3.4 MB

Distribution method: shareware (trial version: C-Organizer Pro http://www.csoftlab.com/Download/C-OrgPro.exe ; C-Organizer Std http://www.csoftlab.com/Download/C-OrgStd.exe )

Price: C-Organizer Pro $35, C-Organizer Std $19.95

Work under control: Win98/Me/NT/2000/XP

The personal information manager with a convenient and intuitive interface of the tree structure adopted for organizers is available in two versions: professional (C-Organizer Pro) and standard (C-Organizer Std.). The professional version includes all the features of the standard version and is supplemented with tasks, events, integration with an email client, and the ability to protect information with a password.

In general, C-Organizer Pro combines the functions of a task scheduler, address book, calendar, alarm clock and notepad and can be minimized to the system tray. The program promptly reminds you of scheduled meetings, upcoming holidays and payments, and the built-in planner allows you to create daily to-do lists, which makes it much easier to distribute your workload and track the completion of daily tasks. In addition, it is possible to create “global” task lists (ToDo lists) and combine these entries into groups. The address book has all the generally accepted fields for entering contact information with the ability to add new fields to the record structure and allows you to accompany each record with an image. Notes in C-Organizer support text formatting, inserting pictures, tables and hyperlinks. The program has a flexible system for sorting information, and features the ability to import and export records, as well as restore them.

Distribution size: 6.6 MB

Distribution method: shareware (trial version http://www.amfsoftware.com/wsetup.exe)

Price:$39.95

Work under control: Win95/98/NT/2000/XP

A very convenient, full-featured organizer with a traditional, friendly interface, which makes it very simple and easy to plan your work. The program reminds you of upcoming events and activities, organizes tasks and stores contacts. Advanced search allows you to instantly find the information you need, and the presence of a tree in the program window simplifies orientation in the mass of information, speeds up the transition from one program module to another and makes it possible to place information (reminders, calendars, contacts and tasks) in separate subfolders. A variety of options for displaying information allows you to display data in the calendar for any period of time (day, week, month, year or other time interval) in various forms, and when working with specific objects (tasks, contacts, etc.) you can choose different options for presenting data . Information can be presented beautifully using a variety of fonts and colors.

The ability to work with assigning tasks or sending messages is very well implemented: you just need to drag the desired contact onto the task or message with the mouse, and they will be sent to the appropriate employee.

The list of program features includes automatic dialing, integration with an email client and a Web browser, thanks to which, for example, you can very quickly, by selecting the desired command from the context menu on a contact, create a message or go to the contact’s Web page. It is possible to export and import contacts from files with *.csv and *.txt extensions, as well as data from Outlook and Access: you can also export the calendar to HTML for further placement on the company's corporate network or on the Internet. Full network support allows you to view your own contacts and calendars from the Internet and get acquainted with the calendar plans of colleagues, provided they are posted online. In this case, you can establish a list of users who can have access to your personal data, and indicate among them those who can make changes there.

Developer: The Golden Section labs (http://www.tgslabs.com/ru/)

Distribution size: 4.2 MB

Distribution method: shareware (trial version http://www.tgslabs.com/download/files/WinOrgRu.exe)

Price: one version for individuals 450 rub., for legal entities and commercial use 900 rub.

Work under control: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP

WinOrganizer (formerly known as GoldenSection Organizer) is the best Russian-language personal organizer that combines a scheduler, password manager, notebook and address book and can provide effective planning. The program is multifunctional and at the same time easy to use. There are 27 language versions, including Russian, English, German and French.

WinOrganizer has an intuitive interface with a standard tree form, as a result of which any information can be placed in different thematic groups, which is very convenient for large volumes of data. The program is easy to configure to solve specific problems, and six types of documents are available when working: notes, events, tasks, contacts, passwords and folders. WinOrganizer supports text formatting: changing font style, color and size, paragraph alignment, introducing bulleted lists, inserting illustrations, separators, etc. The planner can set an alert for any entry, has powerful search capabilities and supports importing and exporting files with *.rtf extensions , *.csv, *.txt and *1ext1l.

In a notebook, you can search and replace, format, and work with tables and lists; It is possible to import and export *.rtf files to Word and WordPad. The calendar records not only absolute dates, but also relative ones, for example the fourth Friday of the month. Contacts is an address book that allows you to store business and personal addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and Web pages; if desired, this information can be supplemented with a graphic image. Among other features when working with contacts, it is worth noting the ability to automatically dial numbers and integration with an email client and a Web browser. Events here mean holidays, and when an event occurs, the program can not only remind you of it, but also launch an external application if necessary. Tasks are also organized as events, and along with this, the user has the ability to organize them by priority, status, and executor. Any data files can be protected with a password.

AVS-Organizer (latest version 6.37)

Distribution size: 3 MB

Distribution method: shareware (trial version http://www.avs-soft.ru/progs/avsorg637_demo.exe)

Price: 250 rub.

Work under control: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP

AVS-Organizer is a multifunctional organizer with an unusual graphical interface in the form of a notebook, which can be easily changed using skins. The program can be minimized to the tray.

The organizer includes an address book with the ability to divide contacts entered into it into categories and store graphic files; a notebook where you can store any necessary information; a calendar that will not let you forget about upcoming dates and, when a reminder is triggered, can launch an application or turn on the sound; diary with a list of tasks.

Price: for free

Work under control: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP

The WireNote organizer, of course, is far from the products presented above, but the program certainly deserves attention. On the one hand, due to its Russian language and free nature, which is important for a large number of Russian users; on the other hand, due to the presence of a number of interesting opportunities.

The program has an original interface - all its windows seem to be glued to each other and to the edges of the screen, which is convenient when minimizing the program to the tray and when activating it from the tray, and all elements have their own settings for text color, background and font.

Like any serious organizer, WireNote allows you to keep a list of tasks and reminders; When a reminder is triggered, the program can launch an application, turn on the sound, turn off the computer, or send a message over the network.

WireNote will help you create notes that can be attached to a specific window, in which case they will appear on the screen when you open the corresponding application or a specific document in that application. In addition, WireNote will help you maintain an address book, exchange messages over a local network, and filter incoming correspondence. If recipients have WireNote installed, they can attach files to messages.

Dozens of letters, phone calls, meetings, events, a variable work schedule, where each day is different from the previous ones, numerous, for each of which you need to prepare a corresponding package of documents... Is this what your typical day looks like? In this case, you cannot do without a personal organizer.

How not to drown in the ocean of affairs?

Until recently, such a daily routine could only have been described by the director of a large company or a businessman. Today, in the era of universal mobility and social activity, this is becoming the norm for many young people.

This is no longer that serene student life, when, having “served” the required number of classes, you can go home - so to speak, for a well-deserved rest, and not the kind of work where working days proceed calmly and monotonously and end at a strictly established time. We are lucky to live in an age that is rightly called the age of overabundance of opportunities, information overload. But this not only opens up new horizons, but also creates new problems, because coping with a variety of affairs, contacts, and communications is not so easy.

Traditional notepads, schedules and phone books are becoming ineffective. In return, personal electronic organizers come to the rescue, allowing you not only to stay afloat in the ocean of affairs, but also to significantly increase productivity.

What can an organizer do?

Depending on the set of features, personal organizers can serve as a simple replacement for a paper diary and/or calendar, or they can also solve many other useful tasks. Such multifunctional organizers are often also called personal information managers. Their goal is to create a universal information space in which all the user’s organizational tasks are solved. Indeed, it is very convenient in one and the same place to plan your affairs and create To-Do sheets, maintain a contact book, receive mail and messages from social networks, view news from favorite sites, store passwords and other confidential information, track the efficiency of time use, maintain personal diary, and even be able to create both instant notes and full-fledged text files. And if you remember that the data saved in the organizer can be synchronized, for example, with the phone book of your smartphone or cloud storage, the tool turns out to be truly irreplaceable and capable of accompanying you everywhere.

A day with an organizer

When you use a personal organizer for a long time, you gradually begin to notice that more and more diverse information migrates into it, and many programs that were previously used for a number of tasks turn out to be no longer in demand. Then you include the organizer in the startup list so that it automatically opens immediately after turning on the computer, and soon you notice that this window remains open most of the working time. What does a typical day look like for a person who organizes his life and work using such a program?

Morning: a cup of coffee and a screen " Today» – the start page of the organizer with a brief summary of all the most important things for that day. The organizer has already checked mail in all mailboxes registered on different services, collected news from your favorite sites via RSS, and displayed a list of the most important tasks (for which you previously set deadlines and priorities). There is also a reminder of long-term tasks and projects and overdue tasks. By the way, many organizers allow you to convert important emails into tasks with one click and place them on your calendar.

Now we plan our day with the help calendar. Here are the standard features known to most from Google Calendar and similar online solutions, with the difference that entries made in the calendar can be linked to other elements of the organizer. This means, for example, that by planning a trip to the theater tomorrow, you can link this event with contact book entries, attach important files or notes to it. And the ability to indicate the location of events allows you to effectively plan a route for the day, grouping things by geography.

Well, and most importantly: planning the day not in the form of a simple list, but on a calendar grid forces you to more objectively assess your capabilities: if, say, two hours are allotted for what is planned, that’s exactly how long it will take on the screen. Such visualization simply physically will not allow you to fit more things into a limited time than is possible, which means that at the end of the day you will not have to lament the fact that most of the plans for some reason remained unfulfilled.

As you complete your tasks during the day, you can immediately change their status to “completed” - and the organizer will no longer show them to you. A useful bonus that organizer developers and review authors rarely write about: the ability to assign multi-colored categories to tasks in the calendar (for example, Home, Study, Family, Vacation, and so on) - an excellent tool for analyzing your own time or so-called timing. By consistently using the organizer for even one week, you will be able to clearly see what colors your life is “painted” in and notice “distortions” in your priorities and activities.

If you have an organizer, you can forget about programs for creating “sticky notes” on your computer desktop: any note created in this program can be converted into such a leaflet. Creation Tool Notes successfully replaces not only paper notepads and diaries, but also conventional text editors. Indeed, most modern organizers are equipped with a full-fledged text editor, not much inferior to the usual Word or Open Office, but at the same time they do not require opening an additional application and creating a separate file for each note, and they also fit organically into your single information and organizational space.

This unity is also facilitated by the opportunity end-to-end search for all types of information. For example, by entering “Ivan Ivanov” into the search field, you will see not only contacts that match the request, but also notes where this person is mentioned, as well as the cases to which this contact is “attached”.

The organizer will be with you even when you are away from the computer. Smartphone version(and most developers offer applications for both Android and iPhone) will show all the plans and notes created on your home computer or netbook and allow you to create new ones, and when you return home, the information in both versions will be synchronized. The same applies to the contact book: if during the day you met a new person and saved his number in your smartphone, then as soon as the program gains access to the Internet, this information will also appear in the program on your computer.

How to choose?

These are the standard functions of personal organizers. Of course, the above is a “maximum program”: not all applications (of which there are many) contain the full capabilities listed above. However, a review of specific developments is not our goal - there are plenty of such reviews today. In addition, the range of organizers is so large that choosing several of them for a detailed review will inevitably be subjective. For some, the convenience and speed of creating notes are most important, others need a multifunctional calendar, and for others, the functions of an organizer are limited to collecting mail.

5 benefits of using a personal organizer

All mail from your numerous mailboxes will be collected in one place.
You'll never again lose an important note file because you named it "hjhjkdjkljkld.docx" and saved it in a folder called "New Folder 3."
Your phone book in all devices, from your home computer to your smartphone, will always be up to date.
You will soon notice that your approach to time management has become more conscious, and there are much fewer planned and unfulfilled tasks.
You will be able (literally) to see how and get used to analyzing the days, weeks and months you have lived and drawing conclusions based on this for further planning.

In a word, if for some reason you still don’t use a personal organizer, be sure to try it!

Photo: EssentialPIM, Leader Task, 3dnews.ru, goldnika.com, shop.enjoy.ru.

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Basics

In the 21st century, an organizer often refers to software for PCs and mobile devices. Their undoubted advantages are a large volume of entered data and the installation of automatic reminders. Organizer forms may vary. There are, for example, highly specialized organizers: recipe organizer, finance organizer, music collection organizer.

An organizer is a time management tool. Preliminary planning of affairs helps to increase the fruitfulness of any activity, both personal and professional. Therefore, a person who advises organizations and individuals on improving time management efficiency is also sometimes called an “organizer.” In the USA there is even a National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

Pocket personal computers

The online organizer differs from the regular organizer program in that it is not installed on the local computer at the workplace.

Every day we all have to solve a certain list of tasks, remember scheduled meetings and events, make the necessary calls in a timely manner, quickly find the necessary telephone numbers and other contact information, etc. Alas, to successfully plan upcoming tasks, complete them as quickly as possible and at the same time not forget about anything - few people can do this. And therefore, from time immemorial, to plan things, store contact information and remind ourselves about upcoming events, we had to use improvised means - say, a regular calendar or various kinds of notebooks in combination with a notebook. It is clear that this is not the most convenient method today - it would be much more effective to use one of the programs designed for use as personal organizers. The only question is how to find that one organizer that will be the best for you. This is not easy, because the choice of programs of this class on the market today is simply huge - over four hundred such applications are offered on Download.com alone, and their capabilities, at first glance, are very similar. We, of course, will not analyze the entire range of Download.com organizers, but will limit ourselves only to applications with a Russian-language interface. But even here, at first glance, everything is quite similar - tasks, contacts, notes. But already at the second stage everything turns out to be more complicated - some programs are very easy to use, others will have to be understood, in some applications operations are performed in one click, while in other applications you will have to perform several actions to achieve the same result. Some solutions allow you to simply store all the diverse information (tasks, contacts, etc.) in one place so you can quickly find it all. Others, in addition to this, will also allow you to effectively plan your day or even carry out long-term planning (here you should not confuse regular work with tasks with full-fledged planning - these are completely different things). And finally, some organizers are modest and unpretentious, while others simply amaze with their effectiveness and splendor. So, frankly speaking, there is plenty to choose from.

EssentialPIM 3.12

Developer: Astonsoft Ltd.
Distribution size: EssentialPIM Free - 4.79 MB; EssentialPIM Pro - 7.48 MB
Spreading: shareware EssentialPIM is a multifunctional organizer that, in its capabilities, reaches the level of a personal information manager (PIM). Includes a full-fledged toolkit for working with a calendar, task list, notes, contacts and email, and can be used as a task scheduler. It has extensive capabilities for importing/exporting information and can synchronize data with Outlook, Google Calendar, as well as with pocket computers and smartphones running Windows Mobile or PalmOS (Pro edition only). The database can be password protected; the database can also be blocked when the program is minimized to tray or after a specified number of minutes of inactivity have elapsed, which is regulated through the program settings. The organizer can be launched from portable USB drives, for which a special portable version is provided - EssentialPIM Pro Portable. At the same time, the data is securely encrypted using the Rijndael (128-bit key) or Blowfish (448-bit key) methods, which eliminates information leakage in case of loss of the flash drive. The program (Russian-language localization is available) is presented in two editions: free Free and paid Pro, a detailed comparison of editions is available at the following address. The Free version can be downloaded and used completely free of charge, the demo version of the Pro edition is operational for 30 days and has a number of functional limitations: the number of records created, the number of synchronizations, etc. The cost of the commercial version of EssentialPIM Pro is $20. Immediately after launching the program, if detected in Outlook or Outlook Express, it will offer to import data from these solutions - you can refuse this and carry out this operation later using the "File" > "Synchronization" command. EssentialPIM's interface is convenient and very carefully thought out - one might say, in the style of top-class solutions (that is, everything you need is there and, at the same time, nothing superfluous). The main window contains two panels. The left panel (it can be disabled through the "View" menu) is a control panel that provides convenient access to the calendar, main actions and main program modules. There are seven such modules - “Today”, “Diary”, “To-Do”, “Notes”, “Contacts”, “Mail” and “Trash”. The right pane opens a list of elements of the group selected in the control panel. All types of items are grouped into folders and subfolders as needed. Viewing any type of document is very convenient, since they open in the main window (which is faster), and not in an additional one, as in many other solutions reviewed. The Notes module allows you to store any text and graphic information, as well as files attached to it. Text can not only be entered directly, but also pasted via the clipboard or dragged from other programs. When pasting, it is possible to insert unformatted text (the "Paste as Plain Text" command from the context menu) or formatted text (by default). The formatting options are impressive - you can even insert tables, superscripts, subscripts, symbols, and working links. Any note can include multiple sheets (EssentialPIM Pro only), which are managed in the same way as in Excel. Implemented import of notes from MS Outlook, as well as text files (RTF/TXT) and KeyNote and TreePad files. When filling out contact information on the "Contacts" tab, data is entered on four tabs: "Personal Information", "Job Information", "Notes" and "Drawing". The first two tabs contain basic information about the contact, and the list of fields can be expanded with custom ones. On the “Notes” and “Drawing” tabs, text comments are entered and a photo is added. In addition, you can attach some files to a contact. You can import contacts from MS Outlook, as well as Windows Address Book (WAB) and CSV files. It is easy to send a letter to the selected contact by clicking on the email address, or go to their web page, if available. The To Do tab provides task management. Each task (or “to-do” in the interpretation of the developers) can contain, in addition to a category description, a priority, an end date and reminders (only in EssentialPIM Pro) and can be repeated according to some principle. It is possible to sort tasks by fields and filter them according to various criteria, the latter is done through the context menu. The to-do list can be placed on several sheets - for example, the first sheet should be reserved for work tasks, the second - for household chores, etc. Depending on the category assigned to tasks, they are painted in different colors. The "Diary" module provides management of meetings in the mode of one day, week, month or year. The general data structure when creating appointments is exactly the same as that of tasks. But after creating an appointment, you can move the mouse over time and change their duration (also with the mouse), which greatly simplifies scheduling. Even the meeting title can be changed without opening the meeting editing window - in general, everything is like in the best English-language planners. So this program can be considered as a full-fledged tool for planning working time. The "Mail" module is a fully functional email client that supports POP3 and IMAP protocols. Accounts are configured in it in the same way as in any other client (command "Tools" > "Mailboxes"). The number of boxes is unlimited. Using the "Today" module, convenient simultaneous access to the list of appointments, to-dos and received correspondence for the current day is provided.

C-Organizer 4.0

Developer: CSoftLab
Distribution size: C-Organizer Pro - 14.8 MB; C-Organizer Std - 5.33 MB
Spreading: shareware C-Organizer is a convenient and multifunctional organizer that allows you to manage events, tasks, contacts, notes and passwords. It can be used as a work schedule planner and personal events, since it provides convenient work with events in calendar mode. C-Organizer can work with several databases (only in the Pro version), you can switch between them directly while working ("File" > "Database Management"). It is possible to password protect access to the database. It is possible to synchronize data with pocket computers and smartphones (Pocket PC/Smart Phone), as well as Palm devices (Pro edition only). The program (Russian-language localization is available) is presented in two editions: basic C-Organizer Std (version 3.7) and extended C-Organizer Pro (version 4.0), a detailed comparison of editions is available at the following address. Demo versions of the program are fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version of C-Organizer Std is $24.95 (at Softkey.ru - 200 rubles), C-Organizer Pro - $49.95 (at Softkey.ru - 700 rubles). By default, C-Organizer launches with an English interface. To switch to the Russian interface, select the command “View” > “Language” > “Russian” in the program window. The program is distinguished by a convenient, pleasant and intuitive interface with a tree-like structure adopted for organizers, and there are several types of interface and color schemes that can be changed through the “View” menu. In the main program window, by default, there is a navigation panel on the left with a calendar, a folder subwindow and six tabs: “Calendar”, “Tasks”, “Contacts”, “Passwords”, “Notes” and “Events”. The right side displays items (say, tasks) corresponding to the selected tab. Any note, task, appointment, event or contact can be turned into a “sticker” (the “Open as sticker” button) - this sticker will hang on the screen even after closing the application window (but not unloading it from memory).

For convenience, each type of element (notes, tasks, etc.) can be divided into thematic folders. It is more convenient to create a folder through the context menu; if desired, you can assign different icons to different folders.

The "Notes" tab stores arbitrary information (with formatting, pictures, tables and hyperlinks), to which it is also easy to attach files. When creating a new note, text can be pasted from the clipboard or simply dragged from other programs. Spell checking is theoretically stated, but after turning it on (command "Spelling and Thesaurus" > "Spell Check" from the context menu) it turns out that Russian words are completely unfamiliar to the program.

Work with contacts is conveniently organized. Information about contacts is distributed across three tabs: “General”, “Description” and “Attached files”. Traditional fields are placed on the first of the tabs - unnecessary fields can be deleted, and missing ones can be added at your discretion. The second and third tabs are for storing comments and files associated with the contact. In order to simplify the filling of the contact database with a customized list of fields, it is possible to use templates (the "Templates" button in the contact editing window), which is very convenient, but is available only in the Pro version. Contacts with a mobile phone, email address and web page are indicated with special icons and are immediately identified among other records. By clicking on the corresponding icons, you can call the contact, send a letter, or switch to his web page. Contacts can be viewed without opening the corresponding windows by clicking once on the double arrow icon (this icon is on the right side of the entry). You can import contacts (as well as calendar, notes and tasks) from text files in CSV and TXT formats (command "File" > "Import").

The password storage module is designed to store registration information, passwords, logins, account numbers, etc. The developers also recommend using this module as a bookmark manager for quick access to URLs.

National holidays appear as events in the organizer - however, the program only knows about US national holidays; Russian ones, apparently, are recommended to be created independently. Tasks represent a list of tasks and are displayed in the list one after another, regardless of their time reference. For each task, a start date, an end date, a category, and a percentage of completion are indicated. You can also set the task's priority, reminder method, and add a detailed description (a sort of note with regular formatting). Any task can be performed once or periodically - daily, after a certain number of days, weekly, monthly, annually. It is worth noting that the tasks do not have an exact time reference.

The "Calendar" module allows you to work with personal events that are time-based (these are not tasks that are not shown in the calendar). These events can be displayed for one day, work week, regular week, month and year. In general, working with events is convenient - they are created by double-clicking, the duration of any event can be increased with the mouse, and it is just as easy to move events from one time to another. You can even change the event title without opening the corresponding window. So this solution is quite suitable for full-fledged work planning.

Exiland Assistant 3.0

Developer: Exiland Software
Distribution size:- 4.49 MB
Spreading: shareware Exiland Assistant is a multifunctional organizer that allows you to work with notes, contacts, tasks, Internet links and events. Can be used as a customer and enterprise database, as it allows you to manage even very large volumes of data. It is possible to synchronize contacts of persons with mobile devices (PDAs and mobile phones) via MS Outlook 2000/2002/2003. Access to the database is protected with a password. The demo version of the program (available in Russian language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version is 395 rubles. Exiland Assistant has two operating modes - personal (for one machine) and corporate (for installation on many user machines with simultaneous use of a single database by these users). To work in corporate mode, the server part of the electronic organizer is required - the Exiland Assistant Server program of the same version as the client, which is purchased separately. The price of Exiland Assistant Server depends on the period of use of the solution: a license for 12 months is offered for 2810 rubles, a license for 24 months - 3610 rubles, a license with an unlimited period of use - 4300 rubles. The interface of Exiland Assistant is strict, very elegant and friendly. The main window is two-pane - on the left is the traditional folder panel (here they are called groups) and the search area, on the right is a list of elements in the selected group. All elements supported in the program (notes, contacts, etc.) are records in their classic form (we can say that they are approximately the same as in any DBMS - in the simplest case, for example, in Microsoft Access). This leaves a certain imprint on the process of working with elements that cannot be quickly created and edited, and to obtain the result you have to perform more manipulations than in other solutions. Although in the end everything turns out to be clearly classified and can be quickly found. We didn’t really like this nuance, since the author, due to his temperament, always requires a quick result. But in general, this, of course, is a matter of taste, because everything else (that is, the quality of the program and its functionality) is at its best. Notes in the program are plain text without formatting (by default) or with simple formatting (text formatting options can be switched using the corresponding buttons in the note creation window). Note text can be entered, pasted from the clipboard, or dragged from other documents with the mouse.

There are two types of contacts - persons (for personal use it can be just friends and acquaintances; for corporate use - clients of the company) and enterprises (that is, the client base of legal entities). Each type of contact has its own list of fields. For example, in the case of persons, this will be a basic set of data (last name, first name, etc.) and an additional one. Additional data is divided into seven tabs: “Communication means” (telephone, ICQ, e-mail, pager, etc.), “Personal data” (birthday, hobbies, etc.), “Additional info”, etc. List of fields on each of the tabs is strictly fixed. However, in reality this fixed list of fields can be adjusted by adding missing fields (Administration > Configure Fields command). In addition, a person can have a photo added. To view data about a specific person, you do not need to open their card (that is, the editing window) - just click on the corresponding entry. To speed up the search for the desired contact, you can use contact filtering by gender. It’s easy to immediately call any contact (including by dialing a phone number via Skype), send a letter, or go to their web page. It is possible to import contacts from address books of email programs via a CSV file and synchronize Exiland Assistant contacts with Microsoft Outlook (menu item "File" > "Import/Export" > "Synchronize contacts with Microsoft Outlook"). Links allow you to store useful Internet addresses with a short summary of them and load the corresponding sites with one click in your default browser. It is possible to import Internet links from the "Favorites" directory of Internet Explorer (command "File" > "Import/Export" > "Import Favorite Internet Links"),

Tasks, like other objects, can be grouped by purpose - say, personal, work, etc. Each task contains a name, the date when this task must be completed, the date and time of the reminder, the degree of importance of the task, the status of completion, the amount of work in hours, days, etc. You can set the reminder periodically (for example, every five days or every 30 minutes) and choose the reminder method (unobtrusively flashing an icon in the SysTray area near the clock or a pop-up window with a reminder), sound for routine and important tasks, and the type of animation in SysTray. Events mean Russian holidays and various kinds of personal events (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.), the approach of which the program can also carefully remind you of. As for the calendar-diary and planner, such objects, despite the fact that Exiland Assistant is positioned by the developers as a solution that includes an electronic diary with a convenient task planner, are basically absent from the program. Yes, there are tasks with a built-in reminder, but not a scheduler. The only thing that is implemented in this sense is the ability to filter tasks, say, you can turn on displaying only today's tasks, tomorrow's tasks, etc. But nothing more - there is no talk of any planning, that is, a simple and convenient mechanism for moving tasks in time on a timeline and changing their duration.

WinOrganizer 4.1

Developer: The Golden Section labs
Distribution size:- 6.5 MB
Spreading: shareware WinOrganizer is a fairly convenient organizer. Designed to organize events, tasks, contacts and notes in a tree structure, and any element of this structure can be password protected. Allows you to work with tasks in calendar and scheduler mode, however, the program’s capabilities here are essentially limited to one view. Simultaneous work with several databases is possible. The demo version of the program (available in Russian language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version depends on the license: license for individuals - 750 rubles, license for legal entities and commercial use - 1500 rubles. WinOrganizer has an intuitive interface with a standard tree form. In the main window on the left there is a tree of documents, on the right - the contents of the selected document, most often representing a list of records, in addition to which there may also be a comment and a list of attached files (they will be located in separate subwindows). In the tree, you can store six types of elements in separate folders: notes, events, tasks, contacts, cards and passwords - each type with its own icon. You can drag objects around the tree in any desired way.

Notes are created in the built-in text editor, in which the text can be formatted in the desired way (you can even insert tables, use superscript/subscript characters, etc.) and supplement it with images. You can copy text to a work note from the clipboard or drag it from another application. Moreover, the spelling in the entered text is automatically checked, and incorrectly spelled words are underlined. You can import notes from files in TXT and RTF formats (command "Tools" > "Import").

Data about each contact is stored in separate fields and, for convenience, divided into six tabs. Basic information is entered on the first three tabs: “General” (the most frequently used fields), “Home” (detailed information about the person) and “Work” (detailed information about the organization in which he works). In addition, there are also tabs “Comment” (any text notes), “All fields” (summarized information on all fields for the current contact) and “Alert” (an arbitrary notification regarding the contact). Let's select additional custom fields from the list. To simplify the search for the desired contact in a large database, there is a function for selecting a contact by the first letter in the contact name. If desired, you can call the selected contact, send a letter to his email account through an installed email client, or go to his web page. You can import contacts from TXT and CSV files. The password storage module allows you to use the organizer to remember passwords, serial numbers, accounts, credit card details, etc., access to this folder can be password protected.

Cards are a special type of document with an arbitrary structure, which may contain a certain set of fields, a comment in the form of a text document, and an alert. To be honest, we couldn’t guess what kind of information this type of document would be useful for. Events mean holidays, and when an event occurs, the program can not only remind you of it, but, if necessary, also launch an external application.

Tasks have all the capabilities of events and additionally have a number of additional fields, such as the percentage of task completion, executor, priority, task status and date of its completion, you can also specify the start and end time of execution. As with events, it is possible to set early notifications for tasks; the latter can be done through the Chameleon Clock program, if one is installed on the computer, since WinOrganizer can switch notifications to it.

You can also work with tasks through the “Today” module, which in this solution represents a calendar-diary for displaying all tasks and events in one place. To call the "Today" module, you need to use the "Tools" > "Today" command or click on the "Today" button located in the lower left corner of the main window. This module can display data in two modes: "Calendar" (command "View" > "Calendar") and "Scheduler" ("View" > "Day"/"Week"/"Month"). When working in any of the modes, there is a navigation panel with a calendar for the current month and buttons for switching modes on the left; scheduled tasks are on the right. The scheduler mode displays a detailed picture of the load not only on a specific day, but also on a week and month. As for the planning process itself - that is, creating tasks and events, moving them according to the work schedule, changing their duration, etc., in this module you can only adjust existing tasks, and then to a very limited extent (for example, change the time at the task will not work). Moreover, this cannot be done quickly either, since any changes are made not in the calendar/scheduler window, but in the task properties window. To be honest, we really didn’t like this moment. That is, by and large, the “Today” module provides only a visual representation of the already created work schedule, and cannot be used for planning in principle.

Info Angel 4.2

Developer: Angelic Software
Distribution size:- 3.52 MB
Spreading: shareware Info Angel is a convenient and simple organizer. Allows you to work with notes, contacts and Internet bookmarks, organizing them into the desired folder structure. It is also possible to work with tasks through a special “Calendar” module. Info Angel can work with several databases and can be installed on a flash drive, which will provide mobile access to information from any computer. The demo version of the program (available in Russian language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version is $29.95, for Russian-speaking users in the Softkey.ru store - 500 rubles. The program has a convenient, pleasant and intuitive interface with a tree structure traditional for most organizers. In the left panel of the main window there is a tree of folders with the documents contained in them, with different types of documents corresponding to different icons for more visual orientation. The right panel displays the contents of a specific folder or document. In addition to folders, the tree stores notes, contacts and bookmarks, which can be worked with strictly through the context menu; dragging documents from folder to folder is not provided.

To work with notes, there is a simple built-in text editor that allows you to format text and insert pictures into it. You can copy text to a note from the clipboard or drag and drop it from other applications. You can import notes from KeyNote and TreePad program files (command "File" > "Import").

Information in contacts is stored traditionally - in separate fields; for convenience, it is distributed across four tabs: “Basic”, “Personal”, “Work”, “Notes”. Each tab contains a set of fields that allow you to store detailed information about a person. In addition to standard fields, there are fields whose type you can set yourself by selecting from a list. There is functionality for automatically dialing a contact number, generating a letter to the contact and opening the associated website. You can import contacts from CSV files (File > Import).

As for bookmarks, you can not only store them, but also open them in the built-in browser (of course, when connected to the Internet) and save viewed links on disk, which, however, is quite slow.

To work with tasks, Info Angel provides a "Calendar" module, which is a regular diary that will help you create a schedule for any day of the week, as well as set reminders for important events. You can call the calendar from the "Tools" > "Calendar" menu. In the upper left corner of the diary there is a calendar for the current month in which a date is selected - while the list on the right displays all events planned for that day. Tasks can be one-time or periodic, which is regulated via the “Repetition” switch. It is easy to assign a reminder to any event (a sound signal and the opening of a pop-up window); such entries are marked in the list with a special icon. Tasks are easy to move from place to place with the mouse, and the size of the record, depending on the duration of the event, changes with the usual stretching/compression. However, viewing tasks is only possible for a specific day - that is, you won’t be able to see, for example, a picture of the weekly workload.

iChronos 3.0

Developer: SmartProjects
Distribution size:- 3.82 MB
Spreading: shareware The developers present iChronos as a figurative-symbolic organizer designed for storing data in verbal (verbal), pictorial (figurative), graphic, audio, symbolic, parametric and other existing forms of information display. Translated into Russian, this organizer allows you to manage notes, contacts, tasks, calls, meetings and events that are stored in folders and correspond to a specific project - that is, in fact, a database. There is also an analogue of a calendar - only not an ordinary one, but in the form of a timeline. There is functionality to protect the database with a password. The program can be launched from any type of removable media without installation. The demo version of the program (available in Russian language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version is 299 rubles, the developers provide several free ways to purchase the program (translate the interface, make a banner, etc.). The iChronos interface, frankly speaking, is completely different from the interfaces of traditional organizing programs and is very impressive. In the main window on the left there is a regular tree-like panel for a list of objects, but the main part of the window is occupied by the workspace, where all project objects are stored (folders, contacts, notes, appointments, etc.). Workfield objects can be moved around it and scaled, as well as attached external files and folders to them - and shortcuts can be made to them or copied directly into the project, which makes sense when working with the program from a flash drive. There is a time line under the working field. Notes (as well as any other type of supported objects) are created through the context menu called up in the main window, or by clicking on the program icon in the system tray. The text of an open note can not only be entered, but also copied via the clipboard or dragged from another application. Formatting is supported, but at the most minimal level, but you can select different icons for different notes. It’s easy to turn any note into an editable sticky note on the Windows desktop by turning on the “Show on Windows desktop” checkbox in the note’s properties.

Data entered for contacts is divided into two tabs: “Properties” and “Notes”. On the first tab, a typical minimum set of contact information is entered, supplemented by “extremely relevant” information such as the color of clothing and a schematic (in the form of an icon) image of the object’s appearance. Enter any text with formatting into the text of a note for a contact. It is possible to import contacts from Outlook and export contacts to a Word document.

As for tasks, calls, meetings and events, all these types of objects are created the same way and store approximately the same information. For any of the named object types, it is allowed to specify the start and end, duration, priority and need for a reminder. Any of the objects of this plan can be performed once or with some frequency - daily, weekly, annually, annually on a strictly specified date, after a certain period. In addition, objects can be painted in different colors and supplemented with text notes.

As for the daily calendar and planner, iChronos has a timeline as their replacement, which automatically displays all tasks, meetings and similar events for the day, week or month. This makes it easy to identify overlapping events and adjust plans. It’s easy to do this right on the ribbon by squeezing/stretching some of the events with the mouse and/or moving them in time. So the program can be used as a planning tool. However, here it is worth noting the immediately obvious problem of selecting the desired day, since on the ribbon, as in the entire main window, there is no calendar with dates. However, the calendar can be temporarily displayed on the screen from the system tray menu (the "Calendar" command).

AVS-Organizer 8.10

Developer: AVS-Soft
Distribution size:- 3.84 MB
Spreading: shareware AVS-Organizer is an organizer with a very impressive interface designed for working with notes, contacts and tasks. In addition, it includes a set of sticky notes, a simple email client and a chat. Also, with the help of AVS-Organizer, it is easy to receive exchange rates for every day. Login to the program can be protected by a password. The demo version of the program (there is a Russian localization) can be launched only 30 times and has a lot of limitations - in particular, Data printing and chat are not available, you can set only one mailbox and create only one sticky sheet. The cost of the commercial version is 500 rubles. AVS-Organizer has an unusual graphical interface in the form of a notebook, which can be easily changed using skins. let's say, it produces three-dimensional icons and translucent windows that appear on the screen in an unusual way, dropping out from above, pop-up buttons, etc. In general, there are a lot of different animation effects. Alas, this, in our opinion, is all the advantages of this organizer. and end because working with it is extremely inconvenient and tiring - primarily due to its unconventionality (as a result, every little thing is not performed exactly as is usually customary). All elements that you can work with are located on separate tabs located at the bottom of the working window. There are seven such tabs in total - “Contacts”, “Notes”, “Mail”, “Diary”, “Sticky Note”, “Chat” and “Options”.

Notes here mean free text, formatted in the simplest way - without pictures. This text is either typed manually or copied via the clipboard. Any note can be attached to the desktop in the form of a “sticky” piece of paper by selecting the “Pin to screen” command from the context menu on an open note.

Contacts provide a minimum set of data fields and a photo. In the general list of contacts, next to the title of a particular contact there may be icons (the picture depends on the selected cover), which indicate that this contact has a photo, www address, e-mail and/or phone number. To quickly find the desired contact, you can use the alphabet.

"Diary" is designed to store tasks for the current day. There are two types of tasks - with and without a specific completion time - those tasks that were created without specifying an exact time are always placed at the very beginning of the task list. It's easy to set a reminder for any task. A task can be either one-time or periodic (daily, weekly, monthly, annual) and may or may not be completed yet. This program does not provide any options for quickly changing the start time and duration of tasks.

Tasks can also be viewed through the “Today” module, which is loaded by clicking on the command of the same name in the command menu - in this case, tasks are displayed in conjunction with the nearest Russian holidays. To be honest, we didn’t see any sense in this section (at least in this modification).

As for the "Mail" and "Chat" modules, the benefit of these modules, given the level of their functionality, seems doubtful to us.

Conclusion

We focused on several of the most popular personal organizers with a Russian-language interface. At the same time, we limited ourselves to only the very minimum information about each and we are well aware that the description, for example, of such rather serious tools as EssentialPIM, in our presentation turned out to be very modest. However, we did not set ourselves the task of considering all the capabilities of the applications, but limited ourselves to only the basic functions. As a conclusion, I would like to note that any personal organizer will significantly simplify the process of managing contacts, notes and tasks. But which one to choose is the question. If the opportunity to impress your colleagues comes first, then, without a doubt, you should pay attention to the iChronos and AVS-Organizer programs - success will be guaranteed. Although in terms of ease of use they are noticeably behind any other of the solutions considered. And the color design of these unconventional organizers, in our opinion, is not very good - therefore, users who have to work at the computer for many hours will find it difficult to use such solutions due to excessive eye fatigue. Effectiveness is impressive, but there is a parameter that is much more important - the functionality of the program. This is where EssentialPIM Pro comes in first place (see table). This multifunctional application will not only provide convenient work with contacts, notes and tasks, but will also allow you to effectively schedule meetings in your calendar and work with mail quite normally. Moreover, this organizer also turns out to be the most intelligently planned in terms of the efficiency of the operations performed - that is, many actions in it are performed through a smaller number of operations. But the worst-designed program from an ergonomic standpoint is the Exiland Assistant program, although the capabilities of this product are also impressive. Moreover, this is the only solution among the solutions considered that can be used to maintain not only ordinary contacts, but even very large customer databases and enterprise databases, which here play the role of a kind of contact. In addition, this solution can be installed on many user machines while simultaneously using a single database. The Info Angel program, perhaps, claims to be the easiest solution to learn and use, the developers of which settled on the minimum functionality in terms of managing contacts, notes and tasks and did not burden their brainchild with any frills. But you can start working with the program after three minutes of familiarization - and no problems will arise. As for the C-Organizer product, it comes closer in capabilities (with a lag, however, a couple of steps) to EssentialPIM, and the WinOrganizer organizer is a little more functional than Info Angel.

Table. Functionality of organizing programs (click to enlarge)

In any program that provides data export, of course, you can export data in its own format.

At the present stage of development of computer technology, many (if not most) users are increasingly refusing to keep various kinds of notes, planned tasks, meetings, reminders, passwords or bank card access codes on paper. It is clear that it is simply impossible to keep such a huge amount of information in your head. Yes, and paper media have recently become very unreliable, since the possibility of loss or ordinary accidental throwing into the trash cannot be ruled out. And many software developers decided to compensate for all these inconveniences and began to create electronic organizers . Nowadays you can find many programs of this type on the Internet and download them for free. Many software products of this kind, being free, are not much different from their paid counterparts. On our website you can download free organizers without registration. The principles used to store the necessary information are practically the same for all programs. However, programs of this type are fundamentally divided into two categories. The first includes stationary and portable versions, which work specifically on computers or mobile devices and use either hard drives or plug-in removable devices to store information. The second group includes programs of stationary and portable versions that use remote servers to store data. I think everything is clear with the first group. The program is installed on a computer or runs from removable media. Typically, the interface of such applications resembles paper notepads. The difference may only be in the design and any additional features. Many data categories are divided into groups. For example, this could be meetings, a to-do list by day or hour, birthdays, a calendar, a storage of personal codes and passwords, and much more. Here the difference between the programs lies only in the imagination of the developers. However, the unifying factor of such applications is, in most cases, the presence of reminders (especially for mobile devices). That is why the user will never miss an important event. However, there is one drawback here. If the program is running on a computer, access can only be obtained from this terminal or via a local network. It is the second group of programs that provides full access to data from any computer connected to the Internet. These programs use remote servers to store information. After registration, the user is allocated some disk space, where, in fact, all information is stored. Moreover, these can be not only notes, but also graphics and multimedia files. Also, synchronization with mobile devices is provided. It seems that this option is more convenient, since data can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Free programs of this type are quite common on the Internet, so downloading them is not a problem. From us you can download the organizer in just two clicks of the mouse. The main thing is to decide which organizer you need to download. In conclusion, I would like to say that it is up to you to choose the option to use for your needs. However, in our opinion, the second option is preferable. Here the only limitation is the amount of allocated disk space on the remote server.