Post-it® Notes for Your Computer

Post-it® Notes have been a standard in every office since the product hit the business market. They quickly became indispensable as workers recognized the ease of jotting down a quick reminder or memo and leaving it in a prominent position. The little notes helped solve the problem of "out of sight, out of mind" tasks and made an ideal format for "FYI's".

However, there are some drawbacks to the small paper wonders; what to do with them when you are finished? Throw them in the trash, shred them, burn them, or eat them? There was another problem, as one conversation went between my boss and me:

BOSS: "I did not get that note."

ME: "I left it on a sticky [Post-it®] on the front of the file."

BOSS: "I have the file right here. There was no note."

ME: "I'm sorry; I will take care of it right away."

BOSS: "There's something on the bottom of your shoe."

Needless to say, I was glad my boss had a sense of humor. The Post-it® has made its way behind desks, under chairs, in the bottom of filing cabinet drawers, and anywhere else one would swear it could never possibly go. I even contemplated embarking on a quest for the funniest and most unusual Post-it® Note stories.

3M, the manufacturer of the original notes, has kept up with changing times. Their on-line product index now lists 21 separate entries for Post-it® Brand products including everything from pop-up flags to picture paper, and my personal favorite: Post-it® Notes for your computer.

Visit www.download.com to find a free version of the software called Post-it® Software Notes Lite. This free download offers a basic version of the full program, Post-it® Digital Notes. The Lite version places a note pad on your computer desktop. Simply click on the tab, type your note, then drag and drop it off the pad onto the desktop screen. The pad always stays visible so you can add a note to documents, also. This way, when you send the document to another worker (or a "honey-do" to your spouse) the note stays with it. The notes appear in the classic canary yellow color, can be sized, allow you to set alarms and change the fonts, and can be printed. When you are done with the note, simply select "trash note" and it is gone. No paper, no clutter, no decisions over proper disposal, and no checking the bottoms of your shoes.

The full Post-it® Digital Notes program is also available for download or to purchase from 3M dealers. In addition to the features of the Lite program, this version allows you to change the color and design, post on multiple memo boards, add pictures, sort by categories, search notes using keywords, set alarms, and add many other features.

In today's technological and digital office, Post-it® Digital Notes are as natural as their paper cousins, and much more eco-friendly. Be sure to also sign up for Post-it® Perks and get offers sent to your e-mail. After all, can one ever have too many stickies?