Chandler

The Chandler application puts a virtual notebook at your disposal. In that notebook you can enter notes about anything you want and you can set up reminders for important tasks. You can organize the notebook as you see fit, back it up just in case something goes wrong, and even share it with others.

To get started with the Chandler application you will first have to download a 34MB installation file. To install the application you must run the file and follow the instructions presented by the setup wizard. It must be mentioned here that the developer tested Chandler on Windows XP only. I installed it on Windows 7 and had no problems with it. It must also be mentioned that Chandler is a cross-platform application; there’s also a version for Mac and Linux.

The first time you run Chandler, your web browser will launch and you will be directed to a “Get Started” webpage. There you will be presented with a few instructions on how to use the application. Speaking about that, the Open Source Applications Foundation (OSAF), the non-profit organization working on the Chandler Project, says that the application is meant for knowledge workers, for the user who is a glutton for information. The Chandler target user works in a small group of up to 30 people, group that collaborates with the aim of reaching a common goal.

Chandler’s interface is not terribly difficult to understand. Right in the middle you have a list of notes and tasks, grouped into three categories: Now, Later, and Done. Info on each note is displayed on the right when you select a note. To the left there’s the Dashboard and several collections of notes. And finally in the bottom left hand corner there’s a calendar. To help you get started, Chandler comes pre-populated with notes and collections of notes. It even has a collection of US Holidays.

You can import existing calendar and tasks into Chandler, and you can export them out of the application. You can also sync your Chandler data with mobile devices, iCal, and Google Calendar.

Chandler is an open source project, meaning that you can get it and use it for free. If you like the application and the functionality it has to offer, consider making a donation or purchasing a T-shirt to support the project.

The open source, cross-platform application Chandler is just a properly good note-to-self organizer. If you need to keep track of tasks, to-dos, events, and easily note down ideas, this application is definitely for you.