Zim Desktop Wiki

Zim is a graphical text editor used to maintain a collection of wiki pages. Each page can contain links to other pages, simple formatting and images. Pages are stored in a folder structure, like in an outliner, and can have attachments. Creating a new page is as easy as linking to a nonexistent page. All data is stored in plain text files with wiki formatting. Various plugins provide additional functionality, like a task list manager, an equation editor, a tray icon, and support for version control.

Zim can be used to:

  •     Keep an archive of notes
  •     Keep a daily or weekly journal
  •     Take notes during meetings or lectures
  •     Organize task lists
  •     Draft blog entries and emails
  •     Do brainstorming

Zim handles several types of markup, like headings, bullet lists and of course bold, italic and highlighted. This markup is saved as wiki text so you can easily edit it with other editors. Because of the autosave feature, you can switch between pages and follow links while editing without worries. 

 

The ability to have access to information is an important part of preparedness planning. We generally rely on on-line access to information, but what happens when that on-line access is not available? When Internet access is not available, you are limited to whatever information you have stored locally, on the hard-drives of your computer or in printed format such as books and magazines.

Collecting large amounts of information is not all that difficult, but being able to find the important parts of the information when it is needed can be the proverbial search for the needle in a haystack. This is where building a personal Wiki to record preparedness information is a useful. We have found that the Zim Desktop Wiki is a useful tool for organizing information. (Install Zim in portable mode and you can share the complete Wiki with others or transfer it between multiple devices.)

Once you have your Wiki set up, when you find useful information on-line (perhaps from Cascadia Preparedness), copy that information to your Wiki and save it. Weeks, months, or years later you will still have access to that information, even if the on-line source has been removed. Remember, you want to copy the information and save it locally (on your computer), don't just save a link to the information on the Internet. Over time, as you continue to add to your personal Wiki, you will end up with a very valuable resource that will be available to you, regardless of your ability to access the Internet.


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