After pondering about how I should be managing my notes, even started to make a website for my purposes but then I bumped into these links.
TiddlyWikiWiki on a StickThey both allow you to edit your own wiki page without installing any software! A wiki allows you to edit a webpage on the fly with little coding involved. They also can fit on a USB stick too! The developer of "Wiki on a Stick" has collaborated with the developer of "TiddlyWiki" to get his project going with saving routines. They are both amazing pieces of coding anyways.
With the power to create as many pages as you like, it's 'note taking with a kick'.
The Differences
TiddlyWiki : Is designed to be just one file HTML and has been in alot of development and has a search tool with some nice animation. Even though there is tones of features in this it can be complicated at first and it doesn't provide WikiCode help(however their online page provides alot of help worth a read).
Installation is to right click the "empty" and "Save As". I'd save it into a folder as it does generate more HTML pages as you use it.
Incremental backup is done automatically when you 'save changes', you can setup a folder name for all your backups to unclutter from your main HTML page.
There are many ways to navigate around your notes:You can search, view your popular tags, see your history.
Wiki on a Stick: Is designed to be just one file HTML and still in early development. There is even a few nice button images if you save the HTML page with your web browser. It's far more easier to get used to, has a control panel for handling orphan pages. Also provides WikiCode help when you edit any page. No search or datestamps. I'd like to here the performance of this project.
Installation is best done by viewing the page and then using your browser "File->Save Page As", this will provide a folder for the button images too :D
Backup is done everytime you save what you have been editing.
Simpilar design, no search or tagging features. no history. It's good if you know what you looking for and is easier to get to grips with.
Word of Warningthey are both still in heavy development but are functional enough to get down to business with these things. So backup regulary of these files should they become corrupted.
Both projects recommend using
Firefox apparently it's functional in Opera and Safari I beleve. I wouldn't recommend IE as I'm no lover of Microsoft's work,
here is a few reasons why. Anyways enjoy Note taking to the extreme and backup those files up regularly.