Diary/Journal Software for Windows 9x?

[FantasyAcquiesce]

Hello!

As the title states, I am seeking a diary/journal software for my old PCs! Google has not been my friend in my search and softpedia's options are very few (that aren't paid-for options), so I'm asking MSFN once again.

Preferably, I would like to export all entries as a PDF. If I could insert images, that's a bonus.

[awkduck]

Well, I don't know of any specific to diary or journals. Until someone mentions something better, I'll fill in with something that might work for you. It will require Windows 98 or newer.

You can first get the AbiWord 2.4.6 installer from here. Abiword supports images and several formatting options.

There are two other files for download, on that page. They are extra plugins. You can get them if you want. But they are not required. One of them (abiword-pluggins-impexp-2.4.6.exe) downloads required dependency files (dlls). The files are still available online. But if you want back-ups, in case that changes, you can get them here. In that case you would extract any dlls from the dependency archives to "C:\Program Files\AbiSuite2\AbiWord\bin". Again, you would only need to do that, if you manually downloaded the dependencies. Further more, you would only need the dependencies, if you installed the extra import/export plugins, without an internet connection.

Then you would download the PDFCreator 1.2.3 installer from here. It is a print to PDF application. When you run the installed application, it hosts a virtual printer. The printer outputs PDF files when any application selects its virtual printer to print a document.

For me, since I tested it with wine, I had to print to a .ps (postscript 2.0) file. Then add that file with the PDFCreator Virtual Printer Controller. Then it printed the file to PDF. If you are using Windows, it believe it should be automatic.

Like I said, this is not a diary/journal application. But you could just save your entries to a folder with the date as the filename. Likewise, you could name the PDF files by date.

Edited June 22, 2022 by awkduck
Better formatting

[awkduck]

I should add that, PDFCreator wants to install it's own toolbar and set Yahoo as your homepage; or something like that. The Yahoo option can be unchecked. And for me, it seems the toolbar did not install; since the application author no longer hosts if for download (causes the installer to stall for awhile, at the end of installation). So these "should" not be a problem.

Edited June 22, 2022 by awkduck
Add information

[awkduck]

I have not tried this program my self, but there is "RedNotebook". I do not know if this will run on Win9x. It does have versions going back to 2008. It mentions export functions, but I do not know if PDF is supported. None the less, is does seem to support images. It is also specifically aimed at Diaries and Journals.

If you click on the "Files" tab, you will find versions even up to the current actively developed version. There is also the "Old Versions" folder. You may have to use a version from there.

You will be wanting to download the files ending in "exe". Pay attention to the date and descending version number, if you need hunt for an older version. I know this may seem like common sense. But I am attempting to attend to any level of user experience.

Update:RedNotebook 0.4.0 is likely the only one to run, on vanilla Win98. It supports export to Html, Latex, and Text. Seems somewhat basic and without image support.

Edited June 24, 2022 by awkduck
Update

[FantasyAcquiesce]

I need to bump this.

I haven't had the best luck here- it's baffling how difficult finding something so seemingly basic is this hard for Windows 95/98/ME. Any software recommendations would be helpful. I tried RedNotebook 0.4.0 with KernelEx- no luck.

Anything like MyPrivateDiary would be perfect. Found some:

http://www.filetransit.com/download.php?id=452562

I would prefer having a Windows 95-compatible app because they tend to be a lot lighter. Modern apps like RedNotebook are crazy bloated. It makes the fan of my old Intel Core Duo 2 laptop's fan turn on.

Edited March 28, 2024 by FantasyAcquiesce

[jumper]

Delrina/Amaze Daily Planner, from 1992/93 for Win 3.1 - Me, 2000.

Also check Simtel mirrors for similar sw.

 

[FantasyAcquiesce]

On 3/28/2024 at 11:06 AM, jumper said:

Delrina/Amaze Daily Planner, from 1992/93 for Win 3.1 - Me, 2000.

Also check Simtel mirrors for similar sw.

 

Wow, I really need to find this program. It's better than any modern alternative today.

[jumper]

http://journaleyapp.com

https://alternativeto.net/software/mini-diary/

http://www.lanet.lv/simtel.net/win3/pim-pre.html -

  darwin11.zip (990309) 54K Diarywin: Daily Diary/Journal. Freeware

  mpd46a.zip (970708) 399K My Personal Diary: Multifeatured private diary

http://www.lanet.lv/simtel.net/win95/pim-pre.html

Or we could write our own....

 

Edited April 11, 2024 by jumper

[FantasyAcquiesce]

4 hours ago, jumper said:

http://journaleyapp.com

https://alternativeto.net/software/mini-diary/

http://www.lanet.lv/simtel.net/win3/pim-pre.html -

  darwin11.zip (990309) 54K Diarywin: Daily Diary/Journal. Freeware

  mpd46a.zip (970708) 399K My Personal Diary: Multifeatured private diary

http://www.lanet.lv/simtel.net/win95/pim-pre.html

Or we could write our own....

 

Thank you so much! After endless hours of searching, I can finally have a lightweight modern diary

The download links for the diaries for Windows 3.1 and 95 are dead though.

[jumper]

On 3/28/2024 at 11:06 AM, jumper said:

Also check Simtel mirrors for similar sw.

 

[Gansangriff]

What about using standard Microsoft Word for writing a diary? Word 97 for example.
Just needs some tuning for PDF export. Namely CutePDF by Acro Software, version 2.8 on my Windows 98 system. Edited May 26, 2024 by Gansangriff
Version number corrected

[FantasyAcquiesce]

So far, using the program suggested by Jumper didn't fare too well. I had to get visual basic runtimes and plug the dll's in the folder but the program doesn't save on Windows ME.

I instead found Daily Journal 3.0 to be suitable. It's not without a flaw though: this app wont automatically take you back to the current date if you go back to the last written entry.